This Sunday we’ll be kicking off Dolly Parton Week at Country Universe, the first in what will be many weekly artist spotlights. But tonight’s Recommend a Track has Parton in a supporting role, as she joins Emmylou Harris in harmonizing with Linda Ronstadt on “Hobo’s Meditation.”
It’s one of many standout tracks from their landmark Trio album, which won them several industry awards. Several readers have mentioned this song in previous comment threads, and it seems only fitting during this particular holiday weekend to think about those who aren’t so fortunate as to have a a warm home and a hot meal this Thanksgiving.
I imagine if Ronstadt’s piercing vocal had been sung on the floor of Congress instead of the set of a television show, the homeless problem would’ve been eradicated two decades ago. You can also enjoy two other tracks from the album in the clip below, as “Hobo’s Meditation” is preceded by “My Dear Companion” and followed by “Those Memories of You.”
What’s your recommendation this evening?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M07PRsjKdw
I’m really in a Dolly mood today, so I’ll recommend “Robert”, from the album “The Fairest Of Them All”.
Only Dolly could sing about a subject like this.
Once again, my allegiances lie outside the bounds of country, but for good reason. Three acoustic tracks by McFly have recently caught my attention: POV, Falling in Love, and The End. The simplicity of the acoustic guitar, the piano, and the amazing, heart-felt harmonies, kind of reminds me of Sugarland’s Stay. I definitely recommend them.
I’ll recomend a Dolly track:
I loved “Silver Threads & Golden Needles” which Parton sang along with Lynn and Wynette on their “Honky Tonk Angels” album :)
Let’s see…something to recommend. I’m lovin Miranda Lambert’s “Love Letters” from her ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ albums…its one of my faves on the album!! I love the country twang in her voice on this song!
I’m going to recommend another song that is no where near country just because I love it so much I’ve made it my new ringback tone on my phone! It’s “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz off of his ‘We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things’ album. It’s one of the few songs with an island vibe that I actually like (I’m not much of an ‘island flavor’ person)! It’s a good song! Haha
DOLLY WEEK! Wow man, can’t wait – I have loved Dolly for years – Check out “We Had It All”, “Old Flames (Can’t Hold A Candle To You)”, “Lonely Comin’ Down”…I could go on (But will wait ’till the official start of Dolly Parton Week…)
To get primed up – do yourselves a favor and download the song “Backwoods Barbie” – Its along the same vein as “Coat of Many Colors” – just a little older and a little more determined…
Dolly rocks!
I recommend a rare track this week featuring Ms. Dolly. It’s from the Bette Midler attempt at a sitcom …
Dolly Parton & Bette Midler – Moses
Sticking with the Dolly theme– and I’ll second Sheldon’s anticipation of what features we’ll see during your “Dolly week”– I’ll recommend the track that I thought was the real standout from the Just Because I’m a Woman tribute album.
She’s almost exclusively known for “One of Us,” but Joan Osborne is one of the finest vocalists to emerge in any genre in the last decade, and she does just a killer, melancholy reading of Dolly’s “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” (performed here, live, to an audience that’s frankly rude, but she gets up and does her thing regardless). I’d honestly put her instincts when it comes to phrasing in the same league as Trisha Yearwood, and it’s a shame that so few people know what she’s really capable of.
Which, as an added bonus… Check out her jaw-dropping version of “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” with The Funk Brothers from Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
Sherrie Austin’s version too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anyU6e7mg4E
I always liked the concept of the video, which takes the panicked insecurity of the original and expands it out into a critique of the way society pounds into women the idea that they aren’t attractive enough. Of course Sherrie herself is crazy hot, so I don’t know how that figures in.
… version of “Jolene,” I meant to say.