Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Top 10 Dolly Parton Songs You Should Definitely Listen To

Top 10 Dolly Parton Songs
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Picking out a top 10 from Dolly Parton songs is not an easy feat because how can we judge such hit after hit catalog? Ever since she started her country music career in 1967 with her debut album Hello, I’m Dolly, she managed to take the industry by storm with her self-penned songs. She has charted 25 number one songs and 41 Top 10 country albums among a few of her impressive achievements in a span of her over five-decade career. 

If this is your first dip into Dolly Parton songs, then this list would be perfect for you. Listen to her timeless pieces that will definitely transport you back from the ’60s to the ’80s. It’s a mix of her classics, the most popular, and a sprinkle of songs only hard-core fans would know. 

Anyway, since picking 10 is hard enough, ranking would be even more difficult, so we listed the songs chronologically because we have no biases. Enjoy!

1. Coat of Many Colors, 1971

“Coat of Many Colors” was one of Dolly’s personal favorites from her vast catalog. In an episode of The Late Night Show, she shared that it was her favorite song from a very personal level, and it was more than just a coat. It was a story about her mom, her family, acceptance, and tolerance. It was a song that even spoke of bullying as kids back then made fun of her at school. 

In her 1994 memoir, she recounted how she composed the song in 1969 on the back of a dry cleaning receipt from one of Porter Wagoner’s suits (which he framed after the song became a hit). She recorded the song in 1971 as the title track of her album of the same name. One of the most popular covers of the song was performed by Shania Twain with Alison Krauss and Union Station. Shania Twain also performed the song with Dolly Parton herself. 

2. Jolene, 1973

This song is Dolly Parton’s most covered song, inspired by a redhead bank clerk who flirted with her husband, Carl Dean. She also revealed that the name and appearance of Jolene was based on a young fan who asked for her autograph on stage. 

In a 2018 interview on The Bobby Bones Show, Dolly shared that she wrote this song on the same day that she wrote what would be another hit song of hers, I Will Always Love You. In 2004, Jolene was named as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. This song was also covered by Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton’s godchild!

3. I Will Always Love You, 1974

No Dolly Parton list would ever be complete without this song (and Jolene). “I Will Always Love You” was written as a farewell to Dolly’s former business partner as well as a mentor of seven years, Porter Wagoner, as she pursued her solo career. This song beautifully told of a breakup story that envisioned respect as they parted. 

I Will Always Love You garnered attention and earned commercial success. In 1992, Whitney Houston recorded her version of the song for her debut film The Bodyguard, which escalated the song into a different paradigm of success. 

4. Love is like a Butterfly, 1974

This song was Parton’s fourth No. 1 and also her third consecutive number 1 after Jolene and I Will Always Love You. According to Dolly, butterflies have always been her symbol. Back when she was young, she would get lost chasing them and would often get her butt whipped off for wandering so far off. For her, butterflies represent freedom and beauty.

In 1976, she used this as her opening theme for her variety show Dolly!, and a version of the song sung by Clare Torry was used as the theme song of BBC TV comedy series Butterflies. 

5. The Bargain Store, 1975

This chart-topper song was Parton’s fifth number one on the country chart as a solo artist. It used the metaphor of a second-hand merchandise as a woman emotionally damaged by a relationship. While it was one of Dolly’s most celebrated songs, it was dropped by a number of country radio stations as they misinterpreted one line as a subtle reference to prostitution. 

In pop culture, this song was featured in the first season of Stranger Things. In the chapter 6 episode The Monster, the song played while Nancy and Jonathan were gearing up to trap the Demogorgon. 

6. Here You Come Again, 1977

“Here You Come Again” was written by Bary Mann and Cynthia Weil, one of the few songs in Dolly’s catalogue that she did not write in 1975. They first offered to Brenda Lee, but she ultimately decided not to record it. Before Dolly, B.J. Thomas first recorded the song for his self-titled album in 1977. 

This song defined Dolly’s crossover from country to pop, which earned her first Top 10 Pop hit. In The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits, Dolly’s producer Gary Klein shared with Tom Roland that Dolly begged him to countrify the pop tune. And so they brought in steel guitarist Al Perkins for the job. Dolly wanted to broaden her fanbase but not at the expense of her country roots. 

7. Two Doors Down, 1978

Two Doors Down is one of the most interesting songs of Dolly Parton in terms of back story. Dolly was supposed to release the song in 1978 as the second single of her album Here You Come Again. But singer Zella Lehr released a cover version of it before she could, and the version landed on the top ten of U.S. country hits. 

Instead of competing with Lehr’s country version, Dolly re-recorded the song with a more loose and pop vibe with a slight disco flavor. The song did not initially get the same reception as Lehr’s in-stream and attention, but it did catch up. The song charted and over the years, it became the more prominent version of the song. 

8. 9 to 5, 1980

If you have ever felt overworked, underpaid, and disrespected – like many women today – then this Dolly Parton song is definitely your anthem. “9 to 5” was written by Dolly for the comedy film of the same name where she also made her acting debut with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

The film was definitely a success hitting number 2 at the box office that year. And the theme song, which started with a typewriter sound, earned Dolly an Oscar nomination and four Grammy award nominations. Out of the four Grammys, she bagged the Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance, Female. 

9. Islands in the Stream, 1983

This song, originally penned and later recorded by the Bee Gees, was named after the novel of the same name written by Ernest Hemingway. It was actually initially intended as an R&B tune for Marvin Gaye but ultimately finished as a country-pop crossover. 

“Islands in the Stream” was first performed by Dolly Parton with fellow country music artist Kenny Rogers knocking off Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart at the number one spot. It was Rogers’ and Parton’s second pop number one hit (after Parton’s 9 to 5). The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the song as Platinum after selling over two million physical copies. 

10. Why’d You Come In Here, 1989

This song was written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas for Dolly’s first single on the album White Limozeen. Why’d You Come Here was about a woman who was confronted by her past and present love interests told in a beautiful and colorful music video. 

This earned Dolly her eighteenth number one on the country chart. She performed the song in one episode of the Saturday Night Live, which she also hosted. 

If you ever feel a little bit blue and you just want to refresh with some country tunes, you can never go wrong with a playlist of Dolly Parton songs. 

Latest Stories

Travis Tritt smiles in a black cowboy hat and shirt while performing "Good Ol' Boys" with a microphone in front of an American flag backdrop.

Travis Tritt Honors Waylon Jennings With Cover of “Good Ol’ Boys” Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard

Sometimes a song is so tied to a legend that when someone else picks it up, you’re half ready to wince, but then Travis Tritt walks up, tugs his hat ...

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton perform together in a bar setting for their duet “A Song to Sing.

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton’s “A Song to Sing” Duet Feels Like an Instant Classic

Sometimes country music gives you a line so pure it feels like it’s been here forever, and that’s exactly what Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton just pulled off with “A ...

Blake Shelton and Noah Cyrus standing side by side with microphones, performing their new country duet together.

Noah Cyrus Teams Up With Blake Shelton for New Country Duet and Fans Are Loving It

Sometimes country music needs a little shot of something wild, and Noah Cyrus just poured it straight into Blake Shelton’s glass. It’s not every day you see the Voice coach ...

George Strait performing on stage with his guitar and cowboy hat, pictured at a previous event not related to the upcoming Strait From the Heart benefit concert.

George Strait Will Play “Strait to the Heart” Benefit Concert to Raise Money for Flood Victims

Some kings wear crowns, some kings wear boots, and show up when the water’s rising. George Strait, the King of Country himself, is stepping up once again for the people ...

Blake Shelton smiles on stage with guitar and mic during Vegas show, putting his own spin on George Strait’s classic.

Blake Shelton Nails George Strait Classic With His Own Spin on “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”

Sometimes you don’t mess with a George Strait classic, unless you’re Blake Shelton standing under the Vegas lights with a grin that says you’re about to pay tribute and stir ...

Dolly Parton smiles during Khloé podcast interview, sitting by mic and lamp as she shares why she won't stop sharing faith.

Dolly Parton Says People Tell Her To Stop Talking About Her Faith But She Won’t Listen

If there’s one thing you can count on Dolly Parton for, it’s that she’ll say exactly what’s on her heart and not give a single rhinestone what anyone thinks. In ...

Little Mississippi boy in plaid shirt smiles at mic during preschool graduation where he recited New Testament books and sang a George Strait classic.

4-Year-Old Boy Recites New Testament Books Then Belts Out ‘All My Ex’s Live in Texas’

If there’s ever been a preschool graduation that screams “God bless the South,” this is it. Somewhere in Mississippi, a four-year-old kid just made the entire congregation beam with pride ...

Young George Strait smiling on stage playing guitar in 1987 when “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” hit No. 1 and proved he ran country.

On This Day in 1987, George Strait Hit No. 1 with ‘All My Ex’s Live in Texas’ and Proved He Ran Country

Sometimes a song just cements your throne forever, and for George Strait, it was a little tongue-in-cheek love letter that made every Texan proud to claim him as their king. ...

Scotty McCreery with his wife and both grandmothers, who he revealed passed away hours apart in a heartbreaking double loss.

Scotty McCreery Reveals Both His Grandmothers Died Hours Apart in Heartbreaking Double Loss

You just don’t see some country heartbreaks coming, and this one hit Scotty McCreery straight in the soul. This week, the North Carolina native and Opry favorite shared the gut-wrenching ...

Brooks & Dunn performing on stage together, fitting their story about admitting they struggled to get along for years.

Brooks and Dunn Admit They Struggled to Get Along for Years and Tried to Blow It Real Hard

Country music’s greatest duo was basically a bar fight waiting to happen. When Brooks & Dunn stormed out of the gate with “Brand New Man” in 1991, it looked like ...