Little Sparrow
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Little Sparrow is the 36th studio album by Dolly Parton, the second in Parton's trilogy of folk/bluegrass albums released between 1999 and 2002.
While The Grass Is Blue from 1999, the album's predecessor, featured straightforward bluegrass, Little Sparrow — released in early 2001 — featured a blend of Appalachian folk, bluegrass and country gospel styles. Each of the musical styles is a notable part of the culture from Parton's East Tennessee upbringing. In addition to a number of traditional songs and Parton's own compositions, the album featured a reworkings of the Collective Soul hit "Shine" and the Restless Heart hit "A Tender Lie," as well as a bluegrass version of Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You". The album received positive reviews and reached number 12 on the U.S. country albums chart, Parton's highest charting solo album in 6 years. The album was dedicated to the memory of Dolly's father, Lee Parton.
Among the backing musicians were members of the alternative bluegrass band Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, and members of Irish Traditional band Altan, whose singer, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sung Irish Gaelic vocals on the album.
Parton's recording of "Shine" won a Grammy for best female country vocal performance. The track "Marry Me" was later featured in the Reese Witherspoon film Sweet Home Alabama. In 2008, David Cook, the winner of the seventh season of American Idol, performed a cover of the song "Little Sparrow" with his own arrangement.
She re-recorded the songs, "Down From Dover", originally on her 1970 album, The Fairest of Them All, and "My Blue Tears", originally on her 1971 album, Coat of Many Colors. The album was certified Silver in the UK.[2]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Dolly Parton except as noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Little Sparrow" | 4:14 | |
| 2. | "Shine" (with Nickel Creek) | Ed Roland | 5:11 |
| 3. | "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby" | Autry Inman | 3:02 |
| 4. | "My Blue Tears" | 3:03 | |
| 5. | "Seven Bridges Road" | Steve Young | 3:29 |
| 6. | "Bluer Pastures" | 4:10 | |
| 7. | "A Tender Lie" | Randy Sharp | 3:44 |
| 8. | "I Get a Kick Out of You" | Cole Porter | 2:31 |
| 9. | "Mountain Angel" | 6:51 | |
| 10. | "Marry Me" | 3:18 | |
| 11. | "Down from Dover" | 5:09 | |
| 12. | "The Beautiful Lie" | David "Butch" McDade | 2:34 |
| 13. | "In the Sweet By and By" | Sanford Bennett, Joseph Webster | 3:54 |
| 14. | "Little Sparrow (Reprise)" | 1:37 |
Chart performance
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[3] | 30 |
| US Billboard 200[4] | 97 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[5] | 12 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[6] | 3 |
References
- ^ Weber, Barry. Little Sparrow at AllMusic
- ^ "British album certifications – Dolly Parton – Little Sparrow". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Type Little Sparrow in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Dolly Parton | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
