The Bargain Store cover art

  Studio Album · No. 10

The Bargain Store Songwriting Credits by Dolly Parton

1975 RCA Victor 10 tracks 26 min

Produced by Bob Ferguson, Porter Wagoner

RCA Victor Country
80%
Authorship
Songwriter

Holds writing credit on 8 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 8 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Dolly Parton carries a lyricist or composer credit.

80%
8 trackswritten by Dolly Parton 2 tracksoutside writers
Dolly Parton's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist80%
Composer80%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
3
Lyricists
2
Producers
1
No.1 Single
1975
Released
Data Insight

Eight of the ten songs are Dolly Parton originals, and she frames the record around the autobiographical economy of its title track, which casts a woman's heart as secondhand merchandise still worth claiming. "The Bargain Store" became her second solo #1 country single, even as its imagery drew enough complaint to keep it off some radio playlists. Porter Wagoner, her duet partner and label mentor, contributes both the lone outside cut he wrote, "On My Mind Again," and co-production alongside Bob Ferguson. The album captures Parton near the end of her Wagoner partnership, leaning into the confessional first-person writing that would define her late-1970s crossover.

Released February 17, 1975, on RCA Victor, the album was produced by Bob Ferguson and Porter Wagoner and recorded in Nashville in December 1974 and January 1975. Parton wrote most of the tracks herself, with the notable exception of Merle Haggard's 'You'll Always Be Special to Me.' The record is rooted in mid-1970s country music, and the title track (one of Parton's best-known compositions) uses extended metaphor about worn merchandise to address romantic disappointment; despite some radio stations dropping the single over misinterpreted lyrics, it topped the U.S. country singles chart in April 1975. The album peaked at number 9 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and number 4 on the Cashbox Country Albums chart, with AllMusic awarding 4.5 stars.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Bargain Store #1
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
2
Kentucky Gambler
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
3
When I'm Gone
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
4
The Only Hand You'll Need to Hold
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
5
On My Mind Again
Porter Wagoner Porter Wagoner Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
6
I Want to Be What You Need
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
7
Love to Remember
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
8
You'll Always Be Special to Me
Merle Haggard Merle Haggard Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
9
He Would Know
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)
10
I'll Never Forget
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Bob FergusonPorter Wagoner Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

DP
Dolly Parton
Writer · Vocals
On this album8 written
PW
Porter Wagoner
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
MH
Merle Haggard
Writer
On this album1 written
BF
Bob Ferguson
Producer
On this album10 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions The Bargain Store

When was Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store released?
The Bargain Store was released on February 17, 1975, by RCA Victor. It was recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville between December 1974 and January 1975.
Did the title track from The Bargain Store reach number one?
Yes. "The Bargain Store" topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1975, becoming Dolly Parton's second solo #1 country single. The single had been released ahead of the album on January 13, 1975.
Who wrote the songs on The Bargain Store?
Dolly Parton wrote eight of the album's ten tracks herself, including the title song, "Kentucky Gambler," and "I'll Never Forget." Porter Wagoner wrote "On My Mind Again," and Merle Haggard wrote "You'll Always Be Special to Me."
Is "I Will Always Love You" on The Bargain Store?
No. "I Will Always Love You" appears on Parton's 1974 album Jolene, not on The Bargain Store. The Bargain Store contains a different set of songs, led by its #1 title track.
What is "Kentucky Gambler" on The Bargain Store about?
"Kentucky Gambler," written by Dolly Parton, tells the story of a coal miner who leaves his family to chase a gambler's life and loses everything. Merle Haggard recorded his own version of the Parton-penned song in 1975, taking it to #1 on the country chart.
Who produced The Bargain Store?
The album was produced by Bob Ferguson and Porter Wagoner. Wagoner was Parton's longtime duet partner and label mentor, and the album dates from the final stretch of their professional partnership.
How did The Bargain Store perform on the album charts?
The Bargain Store reached #9 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #4 on the Cash Box country albums chart. Its title single performed even stronger, hitting #1 on the country singles chart.
Why was "The Bargain Store" single banned by some radio stations?
Some country stations objected to the song's central metaphor, which compares a woman offering her heart to a store selling secondhand or marked-down goods. Despite the complaints, the single still reached #1 on the country chart.
How long is Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store album?
The album runs roughly 26 minutes across its ten tracks, typical of mid-1970s country LPs. Individual songs are short, with most running between two and three minutes.

Sources

Wikipedia: The Bargain Store MusicBrainz: The Bargain Store (release group) Cover Art Archive: The Bargain Store front cover Cover Art Archive: The Bargain Store by Dolly Parton