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Backwoods Barbie
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Backwoods Barbie Image
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

  • Summary: Dolly Parton's first record on her own label features songs that will appear in the musical version of "9 to 5."

Top Track

Backwoods Barbie
I grew up poor and ragged, just a simple country girl. I wanted to be pretty more than anything in the world, like Barbie or the models in the... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    Backwoods neatly plays to her storyteller strengths, even as she openly hungers for hits.
  2. The New York Times
    80
    Once again she’s the voice of rural innocence all dressed up in big-city trappings, and still coming through as herself.
  3. Billboard
    80
    Her first mainstream country album in years is an important reminder of the breadth of her singing and songwriting talents.
  4. Boston Globe
    70
    Parton victoriously retrains the focus back on the part of her chest that is truly meaningful: her heart. She also succeeds in producing a record that, after years of fine niche efforts in bluegrass and gospel, could actually make a bid for mainstream country radio airplay.
  5. Los Angeles Times
    63
    The ratio of less-memorable tracks is higher than on those recent bluegrass outings, but there's enough of the Parton who is one of the greatest country writers and singers of the last half-decade to make it worth hearing.
  6. Mojo
    60
    Opener, the self-referncing 'Better Get to Livin'' is cheesy and disposable even by Nashville standards. The title track, also autobiographical, is better, but like several songs suffers from '80s-style over-production. [June 2008, p.115]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Rolling Stone
    50
    Too much of Backwoods Barbie, her mainstream country comeback, comes off like the overproduced twang of younger country ingénues who try to sound like Dolly Parton.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 2 out of 7
  1. TerrellT.
    Mar 1, 2008
    10
    Excellent comeback to mainstream and traditional country! A perfect blend of her crossover hits of the 80's and traditional Dolly from Excellent comeback to mainstream and traditional country! A perfect blend of her crossover hits of the 80's and traditional Dolly from the 70's.… Expand
  2. jasonbradle
    Mar 11, 2008
    10
    Pure Dolly! What else is there to say!
  4. Joey
    Jun 22, 2008
    10
    Absolutely amazing CD. Dolly never disappoints.
  5. christ
    Mar 3, 2008
    8
    Love Dolly sometimes wonder if she knows what current country radio is playing, she can deliver a song like no other!
  6. MikeMusicguy
    Feb 7, 2009
    7
    If you like her you've got her. Hey if anyone's got a right to visit Carrie Underwood territory its her. She's working 9-5 If you like her you've got her. Hey if anyone's got a right to visit Carrie Underwood territory its her. She's working 9-5 again, about half of this I really liked. Oddball covers of Fine Young Cannibals and Smokey Robinson I liked the stuff that harkened back to pure country like Somebodys everything but I did take Jesus and Gravity to the mp3 player.… Expand
  7. demolisher7778
    Mar 11, 2014
    0
    It sucks so hard that it is so bad it was horrible music to my ears!!! I've fallen into a state of deep depression becuz of dis evil, evil,It sucks so hard that it is so bad it was horrible music to my ears!!! I've fallen into a state of deep depression becuz of dis evil, evil, evil album. Do not buy!!!!!!!… Collapse
  8. lukechristiansc
    May 1, 2014
    0
    Barbie movies , tv shows are just sick but music producers are actually selling this to american and china its bad enough asians like this .Barbie movies , tv shows are just sick but music producers are actually selling this to american and china its bad enough asians like this . Grade F. Why would anyone listen to this… Expand