Dolly Parton - “Shinola”

Haha, good job ending with the original reference.

I didn’t particularly care for this song when listening to the album, but on it’s own, it’s more digestible and I love the attitude, although the song is still a little weak. I’d like to see “Made of Stone” or “I Will Forever Hate Roses” be released, and even “Backwoods Barbie” would make a decent release.

As George Carlin once said, “I always wondered how the Shinola people felt about that.”

Shinola was a brand of shoe polish (now sadly no longer available).

I havent heard the song except for listening to it here this morning. When it started I thought “hey, this is cute, I like it.” By the time it ended though, I was tired of it. And I like Dolly.

I do think the song is a hoot. Given that the saying in question has been absorbed into the general lexicon to such an extent that people don’t know what “Shinola” is anymore, doesn’t that cancel out the datedness?

Maybe, but it’s still part of the “Vern-acular.” KnowwhatImean?

Matt was just trying to be earnest, dammit.

Yes…sadly, I agree… Same thing in “Better Get To Livin” where she says she couldn’t believe the “yarn” that her girlfriend was weavin’. She dates herself with these references and if her true goal is to get back on radio (which I would LOVE) she should give in just a bit

I got it Brady, take it from a guy that regularly kills discussion on threads with bad jokes, that wasnt bad at all, perhaps if you had capitalized “Earnest”, people wouldve gotten it;-)

“Shinola” is my least favorite song on the “Backwoods Barbie” CD. Overall, the album is a decent one — good but not as good as Dolly’s acoutstic albums for Sugar Hill. I really admire her tenacity, but I think she’d be better off if she stopped trying so hard to get back on the radio, and just concentrated on making more of those “evergreen records” that she’s been putting out in recent years. The cold hard truth is that Today’s Country radio is not going to play any Dolly Parton record under any circumstances, unless she’s providing a guest vocal, a la “When I Get Where I’m Going.” Dolly is too good for “Today’s Country” and doesn’t need radio airplay to sell her CDs.

We should all learn the importance of being Ernest.

I thought “Jesus and Gravity” was a little hammy, but Jesus and Ruger, they’re straight shooters. There are a few killer songs on Backwoods Barbie, though.

Leann, not only does she have her age working against her, she does not have a major label promoting her singles at radio. Dolly’s got a lot more clout and money than most independent artists, but it’s still got to be an uphill battle for her to compete with the major labels for a spot on radio playlists.

And I disagree on the age issue. I’ve heard that for years now from the veterans who just can’t compete anymore. Kenny Rogers himself once said “Those who can compete, will. And those who can’t, bitch about it.” Rogers was 61 when he had his last #1 on the Billboard Country Songs chart with ‘Buy Me A Rose’.

We also have artists like George Strait (56) who consistently tops the charts. Reba (53) just had a song go to #2 this year followed by another top 20. Brooks & Dunn (both over 50) have a song in the top 5 this week. Alan Jackson, who will turn 50 in October, had last week’s number-one song (his second from his latest album). So I refuse to buy into the belly-aching of the elder statesmen who just won’t change with the times … Sorry guys, I’ll still listen to your old records though.

I think what I said came out the wrong way. In no way am I defending the current format of country radio. I refuse to even listen to it. But don’t you think that since there are so many exceptions to the rule that the ‘rule’ is no longer applicable? I mean, sure, an artist might just have to compromise a little of their self-indulgent ‘this is the music I want to make and to hell with radio programmers’ attitude if they realistically seek airplay.

In every generation, what is traditional changes. In every generation, there is always a young crop of crooners waiting in the wings to replace those in the spotlight right now. So I just think that if the veterans really courted radio and recorded radio-friendly tunes - schlock that they may be - a radio hit is certainly possible for artists over 50 - and even over 60.

My main point was while Dolly has repeatedly said how much she wants another radio hit, she has gone in the wrong direction to get it, and she’s certainly not the only one of her contemporaries to do so.