Dolly Parton - The Bargain Store
ALBUM REVIEW

The Bargain Store

by Dolly Parton

A Critical Review of Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store

Released1975
ALBUM NOTES

A Critical Review of Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store

Dolly Parton is a legendary country music artist whose career spans over six decades. She is known for her distinctive voice, heartfelt lyrics, and glamorous outfits. In 1975, she released her album The Bargain Store, which marked a significant moment in her career. The album showcased her versatility as an artist and presented a mix of traditional country sounds with contemporary influences. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store, its musical genre, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critical review of the album.

The Bargain Store is a country music album that falls under the sub-genre of country-pop. It features ten tracks that showcase Dolly's musical range and storytelling ability. The album's title track, The Bargain Store, is a playful song about finding love and happiness in a discount store. The song stands out for its lyrics that are relatable and memorable. The album also includes ballads such as My Heart Started Breaking and I'm a Drifter, which highlight Dolly's skills as a songwriter and interpreter of emotions.

The best songs of The Bargain Store are undoubtedly Love Isn't Free and Kentucky Gambler. Love Isn't Free is a slow, soulful ballad that showcases Dolly's vocal range and emotional depth. It's a song about love and commitment that resonates with listeners to this day. Kentucky Gambler is a classic country tune that tells the story of a gambler who falls in love with his opponent. The song is playful, energetic, and features excellent guitar work.

One of the most innovative parts of The Bargain Store is how Dolly blends traditional country sounds with contemporary influences. The album features a mix of ballads, up-tempo songs, and pop-tinged tracks. Dolly's voice shines on every song, with its unique twang and delicate, vulnerable tone. The instrumentation is also excellent, with the use of steel guitars, fiddles, and harmonicas.

However, The Bargain Store has some flaws that cannot be ignored. The album features some forgettable tracks such as We'll Get Ahead Someday and Father and Son. These songs lack the emotional depth and musical prowess of the album's best tracks. Additionally, some of the album's lyrics are as cheesy as they are memorable, such as the line My heart started breaking 'bout the time you stopped loving me.

In conclusion, The Bargain Store by Dolly Parton is a classic country album that showcases her musical range, storytelling ability, and unique voice. It has some standout tracks such as Love Isn't Free and Kentucky Gambler but also features some forgettable songs. The album's mix of traditional country sounds with modern influences is a highlight, as is Dolly's vocal and instrumental prowess. While it's not a perfect album, The Bargain Store is still a must-listen for any country music fan who wants to experience the creativity and innovation of one of the greatest music artists of all time.

Listen on Spotify

Selected tracks

Continue listening with music from the artist.

DOLLY PARTON

More from the discography

2022Run Rose Run2020A Holly Dolly Christmas2017I Believe In You2016Trio: Farther Along2016Pure & Simple2014Blue Smoke2011Better Day2008Backwoods Barbie2005Those Were The Days2003For God And Country2002Halos & Horns2001Midnight Country, Vol. 22001Little Sparrow1999The Grass Is Blue1999Precious Memories1998Trio Ii1998Hungry Again1996Treasures1995Something Special1993Honky Tonk Angels1993Slow Dancing With The Moon1991Eagle When She Flies1990Home For Christmas1989White Limozeen1987Rainbow1987Trio1985Real Love1984Once Upon A Christmas1984The Great Pretender1983Burlap & Satin1982The Winning Hand1982Heartbreak Express1980Porter & Dolly1980Dolly, Dolly, Dolly19809 to 5 and Odd Jobs1979Great Balls of Fire1978Heartbreaker1977New Harvest… First Gathering1977New Harvest... First Gathering1977Here You Come Again1976All I Can Do1975Say Forever You’ll Be Mine1975The Bargain StoreCURRENT REVIEW1975Dolly: The Seeker / We Used To1974Porter ’n’ Dolly1974Porter 'n' Dolly1974Love Is Like a Butterfly1974Jolene1973Love And Music1973We Found It1973My Tennessee Mountain Home1973Bubbling Over1972My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner1972Together Always1972Touch Your Woman1972The Right Combination: Burning The Midnight Oil1971The Golden Streets Of Glory1971Two of a Kind1971Joshua1971Coat of Many Colors1970As Long As I Love1970Porter Wayne And Dolly Rebecca1970The Fairest of Them All1970Once More1969Always, Always1969In The Good Old Days (when Times Were Bad)1969My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy1968Just Because I’m A Woman1968Just Between You And Me1968Just the Two of Us1968Just Because I'm a Woman1967Hello, I’m Dolly1967Hello, I'm Dolly0Porter