This mixtape is called The Dolly One
So this project started out after I saw a post on KEXP's instagram.
I liked that there was a set of rules but a lot of room to work within. Dolly Parton is a cultural figure who I've always been familiar with but only just slightly for her music. As my formative years were in the late 80s and early 90s I was most familiar with her being a punchline that was usually centered around her physical appearance and country twang.
I do remember learning that Dolly Parton wrote the song "I Will Always Love You" well after Whitney's version lit up the charts and soundtracked some awkward Jr. High slow dances. Additionally like everyone else with a pulse I adore "Islands In The Stream". These days I am barely more familiar with Dolly's music but have become more attuned to her cultural cache as well as the mounting evidence that she seems like a rad human.
So it seemed like a time to do a bit of dive into Dolly's catalog and try my hand at this DJ game.
Couple things about this. First off I totally ignored the "no preperation" rule and spent about 4 days working and re-working this. Second I used everything as a "two way street" meaning covers/collaborators could go both ways. I know nobody cares but I just wanted to clarify.
I'm not going to put spoilers any further for those that like to not know what songs are up next (a.k.a. the correct way to listen), however, if you want further explanation of how these things link together you can click the thing that says "click here" at the top of the page and additional info will display below here on how I strung things together.
Enjoy y'all!
Dolly Parton - Two Doors Down
When digging into Dolly's catalog I found this song and took a fancy to it. This song was produced by Gary Klein who also produced...
Glen Campbell - Southern Nights
I have a weird soft spot for Glen Campbell after I picked up his Gentle On My Mind album in a dollar bin 20+ years ago. Friendly warning don't look up his 2003 DUI mugshot if you don't want to be haunted for life. Glen Campbell is famous for the song...
Loretta Lynn - Rhinestone Cowboy
which is being covered here by Loretta Lynn. I didn't realize that I was putting two Loretta Lynn songs in a row until I finished the mix up. But that's exactly what I did when I put...
Loretta Lynn - Portland Oregon (feat. Jack White)
...on the mix. My wife bought this album a long while ago and this was also my favorite song. I'm kind of hit and miss w/ Jack White's output but I love this duet as well as...
The White Stripes - Jolene
I'm not sure why I bought this 7" but I do remember listening this side of it over and over for a time. I wasn't familiar with Dolly's original version but it make me seek it out. Speaking of Dolly...
Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
This is another 45 record that I picked up from a yard sale during the pandemic. Previous to this project it was the only recorded Dolly Parton I owned (which honestly suprises me). This song is also sampled in...
Blackalicious - Release Pt 1.
...which I didn't know before this past week but reminds me that the internet can be used for good. Also on the track is Zack De La Rocha who is featured on...
Run The Jewels - Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck) Feat. Zach De La Rocha
I love the fact that this song is only 1 (2?) degrees away from Dolly via the rules. This song lives fully rent free in my head for always. One half of Run The Jewels is Killer mike who is also on...
Jay-Z - Poppin' Tags (feat. Big Boi & Killer Mike)
This song is on Jay's follow up to "The Blueprint" called the "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse" which is a double album that suffers the fate of most (all?) double albums. Some killer tons of filler. This song rules though and also has Big Boi who joined Phantogram to create...
Big Grams - Fell In The Sun
The rest of the Big Grams album is not exactly amazing but this song completely rules. Speaking of Phantogram...
Phantogram - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Why not a Radiohead cover? And if we're gonna talk about...
Radiohead - Blackstar
...I of course have to bring up the fact that I feel "The Bends" is their best album and I will patiently listen to you tell me why "Kid A" is life altering and then promptly go home and listen to "The Bends" which was produced by Nigel Godrich who also produced...
Travis - Follow The Light
I love Travis so much. I feel their sound quickly got pigeon-holed into Gap/OldNavy rock but they are such a rad band. In college my housemates and I came across a promotional VHS for the music video "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" and we watched it daily. I can have this story verified if you need me to. The lead singer of Travis is...
Fran Healy - Sing Me To Sleep (feat. Neko Case)
Who sings here with another favorite person of mine, Neko Case. I did not know this album and or song existed until like 4 days ago (thanks weird Dolly Parton assignment!). Here is...
Neko Case - Dreamin' Man
...covering a Neil Young song. So here I maybe bent the rules a bit where I am pivoting from this cover of a Neil song to...
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris - After The Goldrush
...which is another cover of a Neil Young song. Perhaps I just wanted this section to be another FUCK YOU to Joe Rogan. Or maybe I was frantically trying to figure out how to pull this mix back to...
Dolly Parton - What A Heartache
When I started this mix I looked for Dolly songs I was not familiar with. I instantly fell in love with this one that is on a soundtrack to a movie called Rhinestone w/ Sylvester Stallone (who sings on some of the songs!). So here we are. It's been a weird ride but I had a fun time and I hope you did too.
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