Heartbreaker is the twentieth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on July 17, 1978, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Gary Klein and Parton with Charles Koppelman serving as executive producer, and was an even more direct aim at the pop charts, with several of its songs verging on disco. The album topped the BillboardTop Country Albums chart for nine consecutive weeks and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard 200. The album produced two number one hits on the BillboardHot Country Songs chart, "Heartbreaker" and "I Really Got the Feeling", while "Baby I'm Burnin'" peaked at number 25 on the BillboardHot 100. The album has been certified Gold in the United States and Canada.
Content
Following the success of 1977's Here You Come Again, Parton again teamed up with producer Gary Klein for her follow-up album. The album furthers her transition into pop music and features disco influences as well.
The album cover, a gatefold design depicting Parton in a series of surreal, dream-like images, was designed by graphic artist Ed Caraeff, who had also designed the cover art for Here You Come Again.
"Heartbreaker" was released as the first single from the album in July 1978. It peaked at number one on the BillboardHot Country Songs chart, number 12 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart, and number 37 on the BillboardHot 100. In Canada, the song peaked at number one on both the Country Singles Chart and the Adult Contemporary Chart. The single also peaked at number 41 in Australia.
"It's Too Late to Love Me Now" was released as a single in late 1978 in South Africa. The release did not chart.
"Baby I'm Burnin'" and "I Really Got the Feeling" were released as a double A-side single in November 1978. "Baby I'm Burnin'" was aimed at pop radio and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 11 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number 48 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song also saw success in Canada, peaking at number 30 on the Singles Chart, number nine on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and number one on the Country Singles Chart. The single was also a top 40 hit in Australia, peaking number 34. A 12-inch disco remix single was issued titled Dance with Dolly featuring remixes of "Baby I'm Burnin'" and "I Wanna Fall in Love". "Baby I'm Burnin'" peaked at number 15 on the BillboardDance Club Songs chart. "I Really Got the Feeling" was aimed at country radio and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Additional promotion
For Valentine's Day 1979, Parton saturated the media. She co-headlined the CBS TV special Dolly & Carol in Nashville alongside Carol Burnett, and RCA Records provided over 3,000 radio stations with copies of the album and boxes of candies for giveaways.[1] Only a snippet of the title song was performed on the special as part of a heart-themed medley. Participating radio stations designed their own promotions, which included call-in giveaways, drawings, a poetry contest, and one in which winners were assigned gender-specific prizes (candy for ladies, records for men).[2]
The album received positive reviews from music critics. Billboard said that while "Parton continues to lean heavily towards the pop flavored song and delivery...there are subtle country textures and even one or two mainstream country songs." The review praised the album's upbeat songs and ballads as "executed in Parton's charming vocal manner." It went on to praise the album's material, calling Parton's own compositions "forceful", Gary Klein's production as "masterful," and the musicians "top notch." The review selected "I Really Got the Feeling", "Baby I'm Burnin'", "Heartbreaker", "We're Through Forever ('Til Tomorrow)", and "Nickels and Dimes" as the best cuts on the album.[6]
Cashbox also gave a positive review of the album. The review said the album "borders on perfection." While noting Parton's "deep roots sunk back in the hollows of East Tennessee," the review pointed out that "she is fast leaving country music." It went on to say that there isn't anything wrong with this, Parton is simply growing as an artist. The review closed by saying that "at this point, Dolly has to be considered a superstar in the largest sense."[7]The Globe and Mail concluded that "country music lovers may flinch at the disco rhythm tracks, but Dolly Parton's shift from country to pop is a change in approach, not substance."[8]
Zac Johnson of AllMusic felt that the album "showcases [Parton's] increasing confidence beautifully."[3]
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 46 on the BillboardTop Country Albums chart dated August 12, 1978. It peaked at number one on the chart dated September 9 where it remained for nine consecutive weeks. The album charted for a total of 45 weeks. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard 200 chart dated October 7. The album also topped the RPM Country Albums chart in Canada as well as peaking at number 20 on the RPM Top Albums chart. It also charted in Australia where it peaked at number 67.
^"RCA Stages Parton Valentine Day Promo"(PDF). Record World. 1979-02-24. The saturation effort in which RCA provided boxes of Valentine's candy and Dolly Parton albums for giveaway was timed to coincide with the CBS television network's Valentine's Day broadcast of the "Dolly And Carol In Nashville" special. More than 3000 boxes of candy and "Heartbreaker" albums were distributed to radio stations for the promotion.
