Dolly Takes a Stand
By D. Kimura

Those Were The Days is billed as an album of Dolly Parton's favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s, but there's something deeper going on here. An unexpected and strong anti-war sentiment runs throughout the CD. Just take a look at some of the songs on the album - "Blowin' In The Wind," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," "Where Do The Children Play," and "Imagine." Sound like a theme?

Parton, who's no dumb blonde, has downplayed any political message associated with the CD. She's too smart to get caught up in a Dixie Chicks-type of snit with the country music crowd, and it's important to note that her prior studio effort, For God and Country, was a collection of the most patriotic tunes around. It, however, is hard not to connect the dots on Those Were The Days. Yes, Mr. President, Dolly Parton is telling us to give peace a chance.

The album comes at a time when Parton is riding a creative high. The Grass Is Blue from 1999 and Little Sparrow from 2001 rank among the finest albums of her long career. These recent albums beautifully capture Parton's stellar songwriting, her feathery voice and her bluegrass traditions. It's understandable if people who love this roots-oriented work are apprehensive about a CD loaded with pop covers. Parton, however, doesn't disappoint. She's crafted a fine album. Unlike the over-the-top crossover material she did years ago, Parton tackles the tricky new set with much-needed subtlety. She wisely keeps the material acoustic, with guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and dobro providing the core accompaniment. The CD also has a long list of guest stars, including several of the music's original artists. They, however, play second fiddle to Parton, whose presence outshines any of their contributions. Nickel Creek joins Parton on a solid version of "Blowin' In The Wind." Parton plays it fairly straight, and that's more than enough.

One of the album highlights is "Where Do The Children Play." Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens, wrote the tune, and he makes a guest appearance here. Parton performs the song with grace, pushing it perfectly to its climactic ending. "Turn, Turn, Turn" is also one of the more successful moments. The string arrangement infuses the folk-rock gem with a new country vibe. It's a good cover because it retains the rolling harmonic qualities of The Byrds' original while Parton puts her own stamp on it with her one-of-a-kind vocals. Listen to her nail the line "A time for peace, I swear it's not too late." Roger McGuinn joins her on the song.

Although the '60s protest songs are the best of the set, Parton throws in some interesting choices to round out the album, including "Me and Bobby McGee," "If I Were A Carpenter," and "Crimson and Clover." Less successful is "Twelfth of Never." Parton and Keith Urban redo the song as a country duet, and it falls short of the musical or emotional level found on the other tunes. The CD closes with John Lennon's "Imagine," a song that can be as messy and sappy as a soap opera. Once again, Parton plays it pretty true to the original. Her interpretation builds to a big ending, but it never gets to the point of histrionics. No small feat.

Behind all the wigs and makeup, Parton is primarily a songwriter. It's one of her greatest talents, and it will be good to hear her next album of original tunes. Those Were The Days, however, reminds us that Parton is also a good interpreter of music and that she isn't afraid to take risks. This is a fine album from an artist at the top of her game.