Dolly Parton, "Better Get to Livin'"

Today’s country music is heavy on stars but light on icons.   Dolly Parton, my friends, is an icon.     Her new single, “Better Get to Livin'”, is one of the best singles of the year, sharply written with lyrics that both comfort and challenge its listeners.    So much of her spirit, charm and worldview are captures in this performance that it is instantly a definitive record, deserving of a wide audience.

Dolly has been making some of the best music of her career in the past few years, and “Better Get to Livin'” proves she can return to a mainstream country sound and still blow all of the competition out of the water.    Do yourself a favor and get to listenin’.  This one’s a keeper.

Grade: A+

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14 Comments

  1. It grew on me the same way. I had the song as a download a few days before it went to radio, so I had already heard it a few times. It really hooked me. I tend to like stuff in this vein anyway (optimism/life philosophy songs), so when it’s done very well, it’s perfection for me.

  2. I havn’t heard the song yet so I can’t critisize it, but it is nice to see the song actually chart in the top 60. While many older singers have lost their luster in their voice in their age, Dolly still keeps that same sweet power and performance that she always had. However I’ve always held it against her that she ruined her image. She was beautiful, now she’s really not.

    So my only critisism is that i think the song would be more appealing to me her beaty was as purified as her voice. Seriously I don’t know why but her image turns me off of her music, not her voice. I’m hoping this one will help me depend more on my ears with her and not my eyes.

  3. I think Dolly really did it this time!! She topped the blue grass charts and now she’s back to the country charts. I think this is her best single in a long time. I really hope she gets the credit she deserves with this one. Travelin’ Thru was another super song for her, but she didn’t get the radio play on that one. I hope that doesn’t happen with this one.

  4. This is one of the best that Dolly has done in years. Anyone hung up on her looks only see a very small portion of what really makes up Dolly Parton…she looks one way, but has always been so much more than make-up and wigs and boobs. Her writing is stunning and never a wasted line is used as filler. I truly beleive that this woman was sent to earth to bring joy to others – simply put, Dolly is the best.

  5. PLEASE! anyone who ever liked Dolly – call or email the radio stations and kindly tell them how great you think “better Get to Livin” is…Dolly wants a hit, and this song actually DESERVES to be one! Such a well written tune. Radio will play any piece of crap Reba puts out, so the least they can so is play a well-crafted song by Dolly…Dont just sit there…make a request PLEASE!!!

  6. Dolly is the BEST.SHE is BEAUTIFUL AND THE BEST IN COUNTRY MUSIC AND ONE OF THE BEST IN ANY MUSIC.ANY SONG DOLLY SING CAN BE A HIT ON RADIO IF RADIO WILL PLAY IT. YOU CAN BET SHE HAS MILLIONS OF FANS WHO BUY HER MUSIC BUT SINCE WE CAN’T BUY “REAL” SINGLES ANYMORE WHO’S MAKING THE CALL OF WHAT’S A HIT? I LOVE HER AND WILL ALWAYS BUY ANYTHING SHE PUTS OUT.THANKS.SHE’S A TRUE AND REAL LEGEND!

  7. Better Get to Livin’ is sure to be another Dolly classic! Dolly Parton has had a long musical career full of number ones and this I am sure will be one of them! The song is powerful in it’s lyrics and Dolly dilvers it with her soft spritual nature that moves all who listen. Dolly Parton is an earth bound angel!

  8. I have been a Dolly Fan for nearly Fourty years! This is a a Classic uplifting motivational song by Ms.Parton…Come on Country Radio we want to hear more than Chesney,Urban and Strait… Dolly Parton is Countruy Music..Better Get To Livin Deserves to be heard!!!

  9. I hope that radio will play this awesome song by the fantastic Dolly Parton! We all have to call and request this great song It deserves to be #1 Dolly has done it again and I would love to see this Where it belongs at #1 I have been a fan since my teen years 30 some years ago and always will be YOU GO DOLLY!!!!

  10. Country Radio is listening. I heard the song on WESC FM and 99.9 Kiss Country Yesterday. I was ecstatic and so pround to be a Dolly Parton fan.

  11. I, for one, don’t need the radio to get to know Dolly’s songs. I’m a member of her on-line fan club, I know what’s up with her, I buy her albums and films. Let’s all go to her concerts and search her on youtube. The numbers will show that radio airplay is not that necessary to make a Parton song a hit.

  12. Dolly has been an inspiration to me and to countless others that are struggling to make a name for ourselves in the music world. This song is the total embodiment of who and what this great woman is all about..let rally to her cause and give her a justly desserved #1 song. You are the best Dolly and take from me–this kid that grew up in Jamaica—-no one can ever erase your stature in this business…..

  13. I love the song, and I think she looks great in it. I don’t think she looks bad by any means – I tend to think she’s aged seriously well and looks better now than ever :)

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