I have always loved this album of Dolly's, & quite frankly, I think it's her best ever! The songs are original, peppy, catchy, & I never get tired of listening to it over & over again. If you're wanting something that doesn't sound totally country, but maybe a mix of country & pop rock, this is the one to get!

Buddah is to be applauded for finally (if somewhat slowly) reissuing long out of print Dolly Parton albums with a remastered sound. It is especially gratifying that they are giving equal attention to Parton's more creative country period, and not just limiting it to her more pop oriented material. The pattern seems to be reissue one country album and one pop album simultaneously.

While this album is better than average for her pop period, it decidedly takes a back seat to the magnificent "Coat of Many Colors" album that was reissued along with "9 to 5." There really is no comparing the two albums. "Coat" is a masterpiece of early 70's country, and a sad reminder of how Nashville no longer cares about its roots. By contrast, this album is pleasant and enjoyable, but hardly in the same league as the bulk of Parton's work before about 1977.

2 1/2 stars.

Just like Reba McEntire parton gets away with making POP music by calling it country. Its just another of partons many many marketing ploys. She is no different than any other sell out and should get criticised as well. I just dont understand how parton gets away with making pop music but shania twain, faith hill, sara evans, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, Tim mcgraw, kenny cheesny and so so many others get ripped to peaces for doing exactly what parton did or does (making pop music and selling it as country music to appeal to a larger broader audience is ecaxtly what parton does). cause lets just face it parton is no different than shania twain faith hill or any other sell out, but just like reba she just gets away with it. In fact i think parton has made maby only three possibly four country albums since about 1977. Parton is officially the first sell out. Her and reba get away with it because of there strong southern twangs. In other words they both make pop music with a twang. And no one can EVER get as tacky music style wise or fashion wise as parton, not evan shania twain. those costumes she wears and the major plastic surgery she has had makes her look like a dang fool. And country music has been a hacked up genre of music since about the mid 70's. Thanks to parton we now have faith and shania.

By the time this album was originally released in 1981, Dolly Parton's commercial sellout had long been established. Having abandoned her country roots which had produced some of the finest music of the genre, she was ready for Hollywood and made her film debut in the movie "Nine to Five." An amusing escapist comedy, Parton surprisingly managed to hold her own against Jane Fonda and the truly comicly gifted Lily Tomlin (who ultimately stole the show).

The movie's theme song, which is the center piece of this album was more of the same for the pop sellout that was Dolly at this time, so naturally, with a popular movie behind it, the song was a huge hit and further encouraged Parton to leave her country roots behind. Still, this isn't to say that this album is a total loss. Her version of Woody Guthrie's "Deportees" manages to rescue the album from complete pop sellout status. Hearing Parton's glorious set of pipes surround this heartbreaker of a song pleading for social justice and human dignity is pretty much worth the price of admission, even if the rest of this stuff is a far cry from the jewels she had created a decade before.

Dolly's 1980 album 9 TO 5 (AND OTHER ODD JOBS) is a worthy investment, dont pay attention to bad reviews. This is top notch material from Dolly. First the hit of the album "9 to 5", this song spent 1 week at #1 on the country charts, 2 weeks at #1 on both the Hot 100 and the A/C chart. Another hit from the album was "But You Know I Love You", a song about being on the road away from a lover, spent one week at #1 on the country charts. The album has a bunch of other great songs, "Dark as a Dungeon" and "Deportee (Plane Wreck at los Gatos)" are so heartbreaking, Dolly at her best. I love "The House of the Rising Sun", Dolly does justice on this one. Other highlights include "Sing For The Common Man", "Working Girl", and more. Overall great album!