Great Balls of Fire is the twenty-first solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on May 28, 1979, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Dean Parks and Gregg Perry with Parton and Charles Koppelman serving as executive producers. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 40 on the Billboard 200. Two of the album's four singles charted in the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. "You're the Only One" topped the chart, while "Sweet Summer Lovin'" peaked at number seven. The album has been certified Gold in the United States.
| Great Balls of Fire | ||||
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| Released | May 28, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | c. December 1978 | |||
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| Length | 34:34 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
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| Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Great Balls of Fire | ||||
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Content
editThe album includes four Parton compositions. There are two covers on the album: "Great Balls of Fire", the Jerry Lee Lewis hit from 1957; and a bluegrass-inspired recording of the Beatles hit "Help!"
Release and promotion
editThe album was released May 28, 1979 on LP, 8-track, and cassette.
Singles
editThe album's first single, "You're the Only One", was released in May 1979.[1] It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, Parton's eleventh song to do so. It also peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also a hit in Canada, peaking at number one on both the RPM Country Singles chart and the RPM Adult Contemporary chart. It peaked at number 63 on the RPM Top Singles chart. The single peaked at number 33 in Australia on the Kent Music Report.
The second and third singles, "Great Balls of Fire" and "Sweet Summer Lovin'", were released as a double A-side in August 1979.[2][3] "Great Balls of Fire" was aimed at pop radio and failed to chart on its own. Its only chart appearance was on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, where it charted as the flip-side of "Sweet Summer Lovin". "Sweet Summer Lovin'" was released to country radio and it peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It also peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Sweet Summer Lovin'" was also a hit in Canada, peaking at number six on the RPM Country Singles chart and number eight on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart.
The fourth single, "Star of the Show", was released in December 1979 in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. It peaked at number 99 in Australia on the Kent Music Report.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [4] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
The album received a positive review from Billboard, which said that "Parton has now firmly established herself in the pop field and reinforces her universal appeal with a collection of songs that showcase her versatility." They added that Parton's "sweet vocals" were aided by "a conglomeration of stellar players" that give the music a "needed punch." The review named "You're the Only One", "Help!", "Star of the Show", and "Do You Think That Time Stands Still" as the best cuts on the album and noted that the album's "attractive packag[ing] is a sales stimulant."[6]
Cashbox also gave a positive review of the album, saying that "Dolly proves how evocative she is on her latest RCA release." The review went on to say that Parton "lends her feathery voice to some thought-provoking love ballads, good time country numbers, streamlined rockers, and even throws in a dancin' number." The review concluded by saying that the "countrified version" of "Help!" and "knockout ballad" "Do You Think That Time Stands Still" are the standout cuts on the album.[7]
The New York Times determined that the album "isn't even an instance any more of a great talent being slicked up and distorted... It's just trivial in the most depressing sort of way."[8]
Writing for AllMusic, Mark Deming felt that "considering how well (and how sympathetically) Parton produced herself on her last few pre-crossover efforts...Dean Parks and Gregg Perry's studio settings [are] a bit disconcerting," but "they thankfully seem aware at all times who is in the spotlight, and Dolly, professional that she is, rises to the challenge on all ten tracks." He also noted that there are only four Parton compositions on the album and said that "it seems ironic that the most purely country cut on the LP is a cover of the Beatles' "Help!," which is given a sprightly neo-bluegrass arrangement."[4]
Commercial performance
editThe album debuted at number 19 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated June 23, 1979. It would peak at number four on the chart dated July 28, where it would remain for five non-consecutive weeks. The album charted for a total of 26 weeks. It also peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200. In Canada, the album peaked at number one on the RPM Country Albums chart and number 28 on the Top Albums chart. The album also peaked at number 48 in Australia on the Kent Music Report.
The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 13, 1979.
Reissues
editThe album was reissued on CD for the first time in February 2007, paired with her 1980 album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. It was made available as a digital download in March 2007.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Star of the Show" | Dolly Parton | 3:56 |
| 2. | "Down" | Parton | 3:35 |
| 3. | "You're the Only One" | 3:23 | |
| 4. | "Help!" | 2:45 | |
| 5. | "Do You Think That Time Stands Still" | Parton | 3:56 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sweet Summer Lovin'" |
| 3:17 |
| 2. | "Great Balls of Fire" | 3:51 | |
| 3. | "Almost in Love" |
| 3:15 |
| 4. | "It's Not My Affair Anymore" | Jeanne French | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Sandy's Song" | Parton | 3:17 |
Charts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 48 |
| Canada Country Albums (RPM) | 1 |
| Canada Top Albums (RPM) | 28 |
| US Billboard 200[10] | 40 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[11] | 4 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[12] | 34 |
Personnel
editAdapted from the album liner notes.
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Performance
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Production
Other personnel
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References
edit- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). World Radio History. Billboard. May 26, 1979. p. 87. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). World Radio History. Billboard. August 18, 1979. p. 67. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). World Radio History. Billboard. August 25, 1979. p. 75. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Deming, Mark. "Great Balls of Fire - Dolly Parton". AllMusic. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ Colin Larkin (2006). "Parton, Dolly". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (4th ed.). Muze, Oxford University Press. p. 435–6. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
- ^ "Top Album Picks" (PDF). World Radio History. Billboard. June 9, 1979. p. 96. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). World Radio History. Cashbox. June 9, 1979. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Rockwell, John (6 July 1979). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C15.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 230. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Billboard Top Country Albums - Year-End Charts (1979)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2020.