Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again"

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She sings this L.A. shlocka-ballad too well to qualify as a dud, but it's always inspired mixed feelings, even as I remember that this and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" were in near-constant rotation on the radio around the same time. It's certainly better than some of her other late '70s-early '80s mainstream flirtations.

Then that chorus comes around again, and here I go again...

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 7 November 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

CLASSIC ... without question

― baht habit, Monday, 7 November 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

Total classic. In other hands it could've been a dud, but she gives it spirit and the arrangement bounces.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 00:07 (twenty years ago)

Ridiculously fucking classic. I will not hear a word said against it, that chorus is pure butter.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

This is why you rule, Ned. Let us remember: the Chameleons would never cover this.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 01:29 (twenty years ago)

I love how the verses are louder and busier than the choruses. Role reversal!

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 01:32 (twenty years ago)

Let us remember: the Chameleons would never cover this.

Mark could try and do this solo...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

Classic.

― Dee Xtrovert (dee dee), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

Not total dud, but dud-ish.

― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

Classic ... songs that 'bounce' like that (esp with the right chords) always are (cf I Get The Sweetest Feeling, Daydream Believer etc.)

― Jez (Jez), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 08:08 (twenty years ago)

Classic - this would be the first song I'd have at my wedding - assuming I ever get married.

― JohnFoxxsJuno, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

stone-cold certified classic by the time she gets to the word "again" on the song's first line. the sultry delivery of the second line ("looking better than...") takes it even higher. the rest of the song utterly fails to live up to that opening promise. and still, it's a stone-cold certified classic, as it's not remotely possible to live up to that promise anyway.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

I actually love how on this thread and the "Master Blaster" one Dr. Baht and I, who normally share absolutely zilch in common beyond a healthy shared respect for the Japan-related family tree (plus maybe Hall and Oates), are in perfect agreement. Good times!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

Helluva album cover too

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

I think it is the best song there has ever been. It's the only definite in my otherwise constantly changing Desert Island Discs list.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

Right, but isn't the second line of the song "Just when I've begun to get myself together"? "Looking better than ..." doesn't happen until after the bridge or whatever you want to call it ("All you've gotta do is smile that smile ...")(I love songs where it's hard to explain exactly what's the verse and what's the chorus and what's the bridge.)

So she saved the insurmountable peak for near the end! Even better!

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

oh shit, you're right. even better indeed!

structure-wise, the tune is AABAABA. B presumably being the bridge. not sure if you would normally call the A part the chorus or the verse, or if it matters.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

Among the most perfect of pop songs ever recorded.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:54 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

AND HERE I GO-O-OOOO-OH.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 22 February 2010 03:04 (sixteen years ago)

Are there two threads on this song? I was sure I chimed in at some point to say how it is. Well, now I have.

― Mark, Monday, 22 February 2010 03:09 (sixteen years ago)

I love this song so much.

― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Monday, 22 February 2010 07:12 (sixteen years ago)

fact checking, the interesting thing about the structure is that yes, it's not the standard intro/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorusx2/fadeout that every other #1 pop song in the world is obligated to assume*

also, it is a absolute classic, i'm not sure why anyone would even question it

* (according to the klf's "the manual - how to have a number 1 hit single the easy way" rule number three that every number one MUST follow is "Thirdly, it must consist of an intro, a verse, a chorus, second verse, a second chorus, a breakdown section, back into a double length chorus and outro. " and if the klf says it it must be true.

― messiahwannabe, Monday, 22 February 2010 09:10 (sixteen years ago)

song is about the multiple orgasms her lesbian lover had

― i know who the sockpuppet master of ilx is (velko), Monday, 22 February 2010 16:42 (sixteen years ago)

ULTRA CLASSIC.

Always makes me think of The Carpenters, who are also obviously classic.

― Jamie_ATP, Monday, 22 February 2010 16:45 (sixteen years ago)

on a dolly note, just noticed that famous Edge Of Seventeen guitar riff is totally taken from the verses of 9 to 5

― Jamie_ATP, Monday, 22 February 2010 16:48 (sixteen years ago)

The cool thing about this song is not so much the structure, but the fact that the song rises by a half-step after each chorus. It starts with the chordal duo G and C, then G#/C#, then - finally - A and D.

― Duke, Monday, 22 February 2010 18:37 (sixteen years ago)

I was in the elevator the other day with a couple of butch/punk lesbians and one was trying to convince the other of Dolly's worth (cited "Dumb Blonde" as evidence of her prowess with clever songwriting). other lesbian was skeptical. I could see the wheels turning in her head ("how could some blonde bimbo with big tits be worthwhile" etc.) and piped up that Dolly was a legendary figure and deservedly so, but I could tell that such words coming from a hetero male were being taken with several grains of salt... I just wanted to shake her and SAY NO DOLLY IS AWESOME FR REALZ

― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 22 February 2010 18:49 (sixteen years ago)

You and your heteronormativity, Shakes.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 22 February 2010 19:14 (sixteen years ago)

its a problem

― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 22 February 2010 19:17 (sixteen years ago)

Classic, of course. The one that is slaying me at the minute though is "I Will Always Love You", which I hated in the overblown Whitney Houston version, but is unbearably perfect in the original.

― Officer Pupp, Tuesday, 23 February 2010 12:50 (sixteen years ago)

five months pass...

my god this song

― janice (surm), Monday, 26 July 2010 18:26 (fifteen years ago)

Indeed.

― balls and adieu (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 26 July 2010 18:42 (fifteen years ago)

Yus.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 26 July 2010 18:47 (fifteen years ago)

Had the dj play this at my wedding recently. Was the bomb.

― reallysmoothmusic (Jamie_ATP), Monday, 26 July 2010 20:01 (fifteen years ago)

Timeless!!! When does it get old.

― Shut Up or I'll Tell Kenny G You Don't Like His Music (u s steel), Monday, 26 July 2010 20:17 (fifteen years ago)

Total classic. In other hands it could've been a dud, but she gives it spirit and the arrangement bounces.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 00:07 (4 years ago)

^^^^^^^

― ninjas and lasers and gold and (snoball), Monday, 26 July 2010 20:18 (fifteen years ago)

"potential new boyfriend" is newly hip again, it's been picked up by that disco crew. waddyaknow?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koLGWap2gt4

― jed_, Monday, 26 July 2010 20:38 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/64870

― beta blog, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 01:14 (fifteen years ago)

CLASSIC ... without question
― baht habit, Monday, November 7, 2005 6:37 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

― PappaWheelie V, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 03:41 (fifteen years ago)

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Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" - Classic or Dud?