Dolly Parton Album: “Little Sparrow”

Of course, "The Grass Is Blue" was far beyond "okay"! As great as that album is, this album brings Dolly's serious artistry back to an even higher level. My only problem with "The Grass Is Blue" is its lack of cohesiveness. "The Grass Is Blue" feels like a collection of songs more than it does an album. I'm not saying that's a fault, for they're all great songs, but "Little Sparrow" somehow works as a tight, cohesive album. Plus, "Little Sparrow" reaches an emotional depth not found in "The Grass Is Blue". It is such a treat to join Dolly as she comes full circle round, creating what is easily among the greatest work of her career--not to mention some of the greatest country/folk music you can possibly find today.

This album is more than worthy of a 5-star review, and dare I say it is a perfect piece of art. The opening title track is assertive and compelling, while the next track "Shine On" features some terrific fiddle riffs and builds to a driving bluegrass breakdown. "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby" is wonderfully updated, as well as the gorgeous "My Blue Tears" (I dare you to not feel her cry of "I'll sit here and cry my lonely blue tears"). "Seven Bridges Road" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" are further superb reworkings of songs that didn't mean much to me before hearing these wonderful versions. "Bluer Pastures" and "A Tender Lie" are beautiful pieces of songwriting and music. "Marry Me" is a spirited hoedown tune that some listeners might be emabarrassed to love, but love it you will. The last two songs, "The Beautiful Lie" and "In The Sweet By And By" (which segue into one another), add a touch of authentic celtic folk music to the album. Neither of those feature any bluegrass playing; in fact, the lovely "The Beautiful Lie" features only Dolly singing to Stuart Duncan's fiddle. Even the final track, a short instrumental reprise of the title track, is outstanding and essential.

Perhaps my favorite track is the update of Dolly's own "Down From Dover", a classic song about self-deception. This harrowing song traces a delusional young woman's plight as she foolishly awaits the return of the man who impregnated her. It builds to a chilling climax, as she childishly contemplates why her baby was born dead: "I guess in some strange way she knew she'd never have a father's arms to hold her; so dying was her way of telling me he wasn't coming down from Dover". In a similarly themed song (also an update of an older Dolly song), "Mountain Angel", a woman's life is chronicled from her "perfect" childhood to her premature pregnancy, and eventually on to her afterlife legacy of being the fabled witch walking the hills. These songs, along with the others, show that Dolly Parton is easily in or near the upper echelon of American country/folk songwriters. It's just too bad she has that silly late 70s/80s legacy to live down! But, hey, we all go through phases and, if we're lucky, we move on to a higher ground and find ourselves reaching our peak later in life. Dolly is doing that in her 50s, and we are all the more fortunate because of it.

This album is 53 minutes of pure listening bliss. You can't go wrong with this one, believe me. It will be with me forever. Get over Dolly's past image and you're in for a tasty treat.

"The Grass is Blue," Parton's previous album surprised a lot of people who only knew of Dolly Parton as a personality rather than a talent. "The Grass is Blue" managed to be two things at once -- a long overdue return to Parton's roots and also the first, full fledged bluegrass album of her 30+ year career.

"Little Sparrow" take the same approach, but takes it a bit further by meshing bluegrass with Celtic music, and in the process shows how the two genres of music are not as far apart as many might assume. It is real, honest, and movingly compelling music. It is not to be missed.

The album mixes song styles -- a pair unusual choices of covers ("Shine" and "I Get A Kick") that works perfectly. A pair of songs from Parton's early days dusted of ("My Blue Tears" and "Down From Dover") interspersed with new originals and outside material. It is all gorgeously played by some of the best musicians in the business and, of course, beautifully sung. If "Little Sparrow" does not end up as one of the best albums of 2001, it is going to be one amazing year for music.

On this album, the follow-up to The grass is blue, Dolly explores her musical roots further. While still essentially a bluegrass album, there are other influences here. Mountain music with a modern edge would be a more accurate description.

Dolly wrote some new songs for the album - Little sparrow, Bluer pastures, Mountain Angel and Marry me - and recorded covers of Seven Bridges Road (Eagles), Shine (Collective soul), I get a kick out of you (the often-covered Cole Porter classic), I don't believe you've met my baby (a Louvin Brothers song that Dolly previously recorded as a duet with Porter Wagoner, and which has been covered by many country singers, including Alison Krauss), A tender lie (Restless heart), In the sweet by and by and two songs she wrote and first recorded in the early seventies (Down from Dover and My blue tears).

As you will see from the originals Dolly covered, the songs are from widely different sources but all have been adapted to fit the style of the album. There is an old saying that a good song can be adapted to fit any style, and Dolly proves it, especially with her version of I get a kick out of you, which sounds very different from any previous recording of this song.

This is a wonderful album, in keeping with the standard Dolly has set since her return to a more traditional sound, beginning with Hungry again, continuing with Grass is blue, this album and Halos and horns. In terms of quality, there really isn't much to choose between all four and I can well understand those who think this is the best of the lot.

The sparrow may be little, but my god, she soars like an eagle! Dolly does it again, in this her second album of bluegrass recordings. I even think that this surpasses "The Grass is Blue" as far as sheer brilliance and scope. Dolly wisely dips into traditional Irish folk music which is the basis for all bluegrass and will tear your heart out with "Down From Dover". I never would have thought that Cole Porter could be converted to bluegrass, I guess I have been proven wrong. "I Get a Kick Out of You" is possibly the most bouyant track on this CD. I laughed till I cried the first time I heard "Marry Me", with the final line of "he done kissed me on the mouth so he's gotta marry me".

All of the artists that appear on this CD have done an icredible job as always. Jerry Douglas on dobro, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Alison Krauss, Claire Lynch, Maura O'Connel, Altan....Who could ask for any better. If you are a fan of bluegrass, then you must buy this CD. I'll go ahead and nominate it for best bluegrass recording right now!!

Every song is good!! If you're like me, you've never bought a Dolly Parton album until this one. I heard the title cut one day and it blew me away. I always remembered the Dolly with the big hair and the cutsie 1980's radio songs. Stop right there. This isn't that Dolly. This is MUSIC, plain and simple. Blue grass, Celtic, Country, roots...all rolled into one blissful musical journey. You'll love this one. One of the best albums of the year.