For some reason, I have been having an incredibly hard time finding early recordings of Ms. Parton so ended up picking this greatest hits package in the hopes that it would have some good cuts. While it starts off strong, it quickly delves into her later, highly schmaltzy material, which is pretty forgettable. "Jolene" is, of course, one of her best and most iconic songs, and "Joshua" and "Coat of Many Colors" are good, but then we start going downhill. Although "I Will Always Love You" is better here in Dolly's original version (I did not know - or remember - that she was the one who wrote this - or "Love is Like a Butterfly") and "The Bargain Store" isn't bad, there are true stinkers like "Here You Come Again" and "9 to 5" and the rest of the tunes are pretty forgettable.
No denying that this is a talented singer and songwriter but most of this just ain't for me. Here's hoping I can eventually find some of her older works, as I think I'll appreciate that more.
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