Studio Album · No. 16
Great Balls of Fire Songwriting Credits by Dolly Parton
Holds writing credit on 4 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 4 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Dolly Parton carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Great Balls of Fire leans hard into the pop-crossover direction Dolly Parton had been chasing since New Harvest, and the songwriting credits show it. Parton wrote four originals here, including the opener "Star of the Show," "Down," "Do You Think That Time Stands Still," and the closing tribute "Sandy's Song," but she handed the hit to outside writers: lead single "You're the Only One" came from Carole Bayer Sager and Bruce Roberts. The album also reaches back for two well-known covers, the Lennon-McCartney Beatles song "Help!" reworked with a bluegrass feel and the Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer title track made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis. The result is a record where Parton's own ballads sit alongside borrowed pop and rock standards, a balance that served her commercial crossover ambitions more than it showcased her as a writer.
Released May 28, 1979, on RCA Victor, Great Balls of Fire was Parton's twenty-first solo studio album, recorded circa December 1978 across three Los Angeles studios (Sound Lab, A&M, and Salty Dog) as she sought to consolidate her crossover commercial momentum. Dean Parks and Gregg Perry served as primary producers, with Parton and Charles Koppelman as executive producers, and the session roster included notable players such as David Foster, Jim Keltner, and Ricky Skaggs. The album contained four Parton originals alongside covers including the Jerry Lee Lewis title track and a bluegrass-styled Beatles interpretation, with Parton co-writing 'You're the Only One' alongside Carole Bayer Sager and Bruce Roberts. Musically the record blended country with pop sensibilities, featuring orchestral arrangements with horns and strings that reflected Parton's ongoing crossover ambitions. It peaked at number 4 on Billboard's Top Country Albums and number 40 on the Billboard 200, earning Gold certification in November 1979.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Star of the Show
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Gregg PerryDean Parks | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Down
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
You’re the Only One
|
Bruce RobertsCarole Bayer Sager | Bruce RobertsCarole Bayer Sager | Gregg PerryDean Parks | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Help
|
Paul McCartneyJohn Lennon | Paul McCartneyJohn Lennon | Gregg PerryDean Parks | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Do You Think That Time Stands Still
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Sweet Summer Lovin’
|
Blaise TostiBud Reneau | Blaise TostiBud Reneau | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Great Balls of Fire
#11
|
Jack HammerOtis Blackwell | Jack HammerOtis Blackwell | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Almost in Love
|
Doug ThieleDean Parks | Doug ThieleDean Parks | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
It’s Not My Affair Anymore
|
Jeanne French | Jeanne French | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Sandy’s Song
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dean ParksGregg Perry | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |