Returning to my Shallow Dive of Dolly Parton’s career, I’ve arrived at her final album of the 70s, titled Great Balls of Fire.
It was a truly epic decade for Parton, who released 17 solo studio albums and nine more with Porter Wagoner. That’s an entire career for most musicians.
The 70s saw Dolly go from an understated singer of sweetly modest country songs to a massive star dabbling in pop and embracing the disco trend. I definitely prefer the former, but it’s fascinating to see how her career evolved.
Great Balls of Fire kicks off with the rollicking ‘Star of the Show,’ a Parton composition, but its tracklist finds room for some traditional country songs as well.
Its two covers — the title track made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Beatles’ ‘Help!’ — embody the same split, with ‘Great Balls of Fire’ getting a slick pop rock treatment and ‘Help!’ a charming bluegrass arrangement.
The album fared better with the country audience, who made hits out of ‘You’re the Only One’ and ‘Sweet Summer Lovin’,’ two solid ballads.
As on all of the Dolly Parton albums I’ve heard so far, the backing band is excellent. It’s hard to find better session musicians than the lineup on any random 70s country album.
You thought that we made the perfect duet
You liked my performance so you wanted to know
If I would stay on as the star of the show
And beautiful music, we made for a time
‘Til she changed our tune and you added new lines
Our duet arrangement became a trio
Now you want a star, but I just think you should know
I don’t play second fiddle in nobody’s band
And I’m no back-up singer and I won’t be a fan
And I’m nobody’s co-star, I just play leading roles
And I don’t want the part, no don’t want a part
No, won’t play a part unless it’s star of the show
She’s stealing the show that’s been so dear to my heart
She’s changing our song ’til I’m not sure of my part
She’s sharing the spotlight and there’s not room for both
Now one or the other is the star of the show, the other goes
Life is a show and the show will go on
The world is stage, loves an act we perform
There’s always some new act somewhere up the road
And I’ll always be staring in somebody’s show
I don’t play second fiddle in nobody’s band
And I’m no back-up singer and I won’t be a fan
And I’m nobody’s co-star, I just play leading roles
And I don’t want the part, no don’t play a part
Don’t want a part unless it’s star of the show
I don’t play second fiddle in nobody’s band
And I’m no back-up singer and I won’t be a fan
And I’m nobody’s co-star, I just play leading roles
And I don’t want the part, no won’t play the part
Don’t want a part unless it’s star of the show
If I don’t star in your show
Well I’m still a star and I can still go
You know I got to be
I got to be the star of the show
