Studio Album · No. 20
The Great Pretender Songwriting Credits by Dolly Parton
Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 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
The Great Pretender is almost entirely a covers album, with Parton reinterpreting pop, R&B, and rock standards rather than writing her own material. The ten tracks come from outside writers including Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman ("Save the Last Dance for Me"), Johnny Cash ("I Walk the Line"), Pete Seeger ("Turn! Turn! Turn!"), Tony Hatch ("Downtown"), Holland-Dozier-Holland ("I Can't Help Myself"), and Buck Ram (the Platters' title track). Producer Val Garay steered the record toward a glossy, synth-driven early-1980s pop sound, a clear departure from Parton's earlier country production. No Parton originals appear on the album.
Released January 23, 1984, on RCA Records, The Great Pretender was produced by Val Garay and recorded at Record One in Los Angeles between October 24 and December 5, 1983. The album was a collection of covers of hits from the 1950s and 1960s, given a synth-heavy pop production that marked a significant departure from both Parton's country roots and her earlier crossover sound. 'Save the Last Dance for Me' became a top-10 country single in early 1984 and reached number 45 on the pop charts, while 'Downtown' served as the second single. The Great Pretender was the first Dolly Parton album to be issued simultaneously on the then-new CD format at the time of its original release. Both AllMusic and the Encyclopedia of Popular Music awarded the record just 2 out of 5 stars, and it peaked at number 7 on Hot Country Albums and number 73 on the Billboard 200.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Save the Last Dance for Me
#3
|
Mort ShumanDoc Pomus | Mort ShumanDoc Pomus | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
I Walk the Line
|
Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is a Season)
|
Pete Seeger | Pete Seeger | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Downtown
#36
|
Tony Hatch | Tony Hatch | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
We Had It All
|
Troy SealsDonnie Fritts | Troy SealsDonnie Fritts | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
She Don't Love You (Like I Love You)
|
Curtis MayfieldCalvin CarterJerry Butler | Curtis MayfieldCalvin CarterJerry Butler | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
We'll Sing in the Sunshine
|
Gale Garnett | Gale Garnett | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
|
Eddie HollandLamont DozierBrian Holland | Eddie HollandLamont DozierBrian Holland | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Elusive Butterfly
|
Bob Lind | Bob Lind | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
The Great Pretender
|
Buck Ram | Buck Ram | Val Garay | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |