Joshua/Last One To Touch Me/Walls Of My Mind/It Ain't Fair That It Ain't Right/J J Sneed/You Can't Reach Me Anymore/Daddy's Moonshine Still/Chicken Every Sunday/Fire's Still Burning/Letter To Heaven
Joshua was an early acclaimed album from rising country star Dolly Parton. Her compositions are taken from her background and many of them fall into the category of story songs. (US:198)
“Joshua marks the beginning of slightly harder sound. Where on previous albums Parton was surrounded with typical Nashville arrangements of the times, here for the first time we hear some excellent musicians in the background who surround her with strong guitar playing that inspired some of her most self-assured singing.”
“As usual she looks at her background for inspiration and Chicken Every Sunday romanticizes poor childhood. Of course Dolly wouldn't be Dolly if she didn't end this triumphal album with a sentimental Letter To Heaven that perfectly describes her obsession with death, children and Heaven.”
“Chicken Every Sunday is a song based on one of Dolly's favourite themes - that being poor doesn't matter, you can still enjoy life as other things are more important. There are many great story songs in this collection including Joshua. Of the others, I particularly like J J Sneed, a dramatic love gone wrong song in a Bonnie and Clyde type of setting.”
“Joshua was Dolly's first number one song and you can tell why by listening to it. One of my favourite Dolly songs The Last One To Touch Me where her beautiful voice sings the song to the highest and as it plays on, your mind envisions an angel. Your mind will envision many things listening to this album for many of the songs on the Joshua side are story songs, each one with a twist here and there, something Dolly is very famous for. Dolly lets her voice run free on this album and once again her pure magic shines through.”
“These songs are classics because they contain Dolly's roots in music, when she was doing the story songs that had a great underlying message. If you examine her songs here a lot of them suggest simple meanings that unite us all. Joshua could be interpreted as a beauty and the beast type story, don't let appearances keep you from loving or getting to know someone.”
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