Image from an advertisement for Cannon Stockings, 1953
I've finished making my way through my Dolly Parton box set (I wrote about it previously here), and it's been a lot of fun to get to know her work. One of my new Parton favorites is this head-scratcher from 1980's 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs album, a cover of "The House of the Rising Sun". That's right - in 1980, Dolly Parton recorded a cover of "The House of the Rising Sun" with a ABBA/disco arrangement produced by '80s-TV-theme-composer Mike Post. I'm not sure why she felt the need to record this song for her concept album about women in the workplace - the album already had a song about prostitutes (the almost-as-baffling-and-fun "Working Girl"!) But Parton hams it up to great effect on this track with a vocal that one-ups the crazy synth arrangement to a level of awesome cheesiness on par with ABBA's Super Trouper. That may not be high praise to some, but I have a weakness for songs that are awful and great at the same time. Also, MIKE FREAKIN' POST!
"The House of the Rising Sun" by Dolly Parton
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