Music[Review] What a Heartache — Dolly Parton’s Soulful Rendition of Wishful Love and Betrayal

yesterday(edited)

There’s never been anything quite like a song that pulls at your heartstrings, reminds you of your personal journey through life’s incessant emotional difficulties, including a gut-wrenching heartbreak, and somehow comforts you in the same vein. Dolly’s “What a Heartbreak” track successfully does that for every person who understands what it means to have been hurt in an unimaginable way.

Written and released in 1984 for her film titled Rhinestone, this song found its way into the favourite lists of many, particularly hers. And when it was re-recorded in 1991 for her album "Eagle When She Flies' and yet again in 2002 for the 'Halos and Horns' album, it continued to steal hearts.

The track starts with a guitar-led acoustic that sets an emotional tone for the song before ushering in her melodic voice, which begins with a strong storytelling inclination that happens to be one of Dolly’s greatest fortes.

The song explores the painful realization of the disconnect between the wishes and innocent assumptions of a genuine lover and the painful deceit led by someone whose love initially felt pure and true. The lyrics tells a great, resonating story of everyday happenings, where we all start out most of our romantic relationships with uncertainty, but in the middle of it all, we find a lover smothering us with sweet words to believe that we can make it work as long as the sun continues to shine.

Genius

It’s no doubt that this pattern of convincing wins people over, enough to leave their hearts open for love, only to be met with the disappointment of what could’ve been. And this is where Dolly’s words shine brighter.

According to Dolly, Love isn’t always what it appears to be. and that's one of the most honest things I've heard all my life. This line leaves you thinking about how many perspectives there are to love. Maybe for some, it’s all fun and games. For others, it’s a commitment that is played by the rules, and for a few, it’s a forever affair that stands the test of time. Whichever one, these perspectives are often reflected in the way people treat those they claim to love and also in the way others process hurt and healing.

"What a Heartbreak" is the kind of song that leaves you wondering how lucky you might be to not have been fooled like the rest, and what more chances you have to get it right with a lover whose promise of warmth and loyalty stands to be tested by time.

Dolly sings in the first person in this track, and that alone makes the song a relatable and almost unforgettable one. It makes the listener feel like the performer, crying out their pain in words while being accompanied by the chords of the guitar.

“Like a switchblade that cuts quick and deep”

AND

**“Like rusty coins in a wishin’ well, wishes come true, they come false as well” **are two powerful lines that also fall as a form of personification to express the depth of hurt and the painful reality of love’s uncertainty.

These lyrics make the emotional weight of the song heavier, and Dolly’s vocal strength shines through it all, making it an equally pleasant listening experience.

Youtube

The most poignant thing about the storytelling in this track is how much it captures the disappointment and vulnerability of a hurting soul yet retains its melody through it all.

Something else I enjoy about this song is that the guitar strings do not overpower Dolly’s voice. Instead, they complement it to give a wonderful performance.

For this song, I'll say it’s evergreen. It serves different generations because, though I wasn’t born in the 1990s, the lyrics have resonated powerfully with me and also carried me through what beauty country music holds, even in a world that is evolving to prioritize other newer genres of music.

My weakness happens to be good music, and I don’t doubt that I may be unable to find a dark spot in most country recordings. So you know I’m rating this too beautifully. My only grudge would be that this track wasn’t made longer because I would've loved to listen to it a lot more, with unending melodious lyrics.

If you’re navigating a difficult heartbreak and need to feel seen or understood by someone, please listen to this song. You’re not alone, and the comforting part? The hurt lessens over time, especially when you find yourself in a community with those who have successfully moved past that phase with grace.

I wrote this review also to appreciate the light that Dolly Parton was to all of us. May her light continue to shine in our hearts.

Thanks to @shiftrox for inspiring me to write my first music review on scrobble. Can’t wait to do more of this!🥰