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As you know, Dolly Parton has a great list of country radio hits under her belt. She believes there should have been a few more on her list. Recently in an interview with, Vulture, Dolly revealed there are three songs of hers that never made it on the radio.
The radio programmers deemed one of her songs too “vulgar” for their audience. Dolly says it was a simple misunderstanding of her song’s content. As for the other two tracks that never made it to the radio, she says they were too progressive at the time.
Dolly Parton’s “The Bargain Store”
In “The Bargain Store,” Dolly relates her life to that of a discount store. She sings about a woman who has been scorned by past lovers. Although she has been heartbroken in the past, the right lover can make her good as new again.
Her chorus for the song, “I may have just what you’re looking for / If you don’t mind the fact that all the merchandise is used / But with a little mending, it could be as good as new.”
She explains her song, “I’m saying come inside my heart.” Followed by, “I’m talking about a broken heart and how we can put the pieces back together if we’re willing to try. I thought that was one of my most clever songs, and it’s still one of my favorites.”
She then adds, “But at that time, they were saying it was vulgar and I was saying something else. The bargain store, open, come inside. You get it.”
Dolly Parton’s “Down From Dover”
Dolly pushed for her song, “Down from Dover.” At the time, no one would have the guts to write a song about a single mom. The idea that a smart, strong woman who can care for a child AND herself, too, was definitely not accepted.
The song, “Down from Dover,” tells the story of a woman who was left by her partner after they both learned she was pregnant. At first, he promised he would be back, but he never came back, “Down from Dover.”
Dolly Parton told Vulture, ” They wouldn’t play that on the radio then, and now you can just get pregnant on TV.”
She then stated, “I felt those songs were strong when I wrote them and I thought both times, ‘Oh, man, this could be a big hit. A lot of people will relate to this and it’s a great story. It would make a great movie.”
Dolly Parton’s “Evening Shade”
Similar to Dolly’s song, “Down from Dover,” “Evening Shade,” dealt with another controversial topic. The song tells of an orphanage named Evening Shade, that was terrible to the children. At last, the kids decided to rebel against the headmistress by burning down the orphanage.
Dolly revealed, “It’s just so well rhymed and all.” “They wouldn’t play that one on the radio, either. They thought it was going to incite violence or something.”
What do you think of Dolly Parton’s songs that never made it to the radio? Comment and let us know!
Funny that they wouldnt play these songs, but Garth Brooks song about a widowed farm wife seducing her 16 year old farm hand played constantly.