Just Because I'm a Woman is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on April 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was reissued on CD in 1995 as 2Gether on 1 with Porter Wagoner and Parton's first collaborative studio album, Just Between You and Me. It was reissued in 2003 with new liner notes and two bonus tracks recorded for Parton's 1970 live albumA Real Live Dolly, including her first live performance of "Coat of Many Colors".
Content
The title song, in which a woman admonishes her boyfriend for passing judgment on her previous sexual encounters even though he is guilty of the same behavior, was regarded as something of a daring statement to make at the time. It was written by Parton in response to her husband's questioning if she'd ever been with a man before him. "The Bridge", distinctive because of its subject matter and rather abrupt ending, details the story of a woman who falls in love with a man and becomes pregnant with his child. His abandonment leads the woman back to the bridge where she apparently commits suicide. The last verse states, "My feet are moving slowly, Closer to the edge, Here is where it started, And here is where I'll end it..." before simply ending, midway through the verse. Parton re-recorded the song "Just Because I'm a Woman" for the 2003 tribute album .
Critical reception
Billboard reviewed the album in the issue dated April 27, 1968, saying that "Dolly really makes it with this package. Her performances are packed with sincerity and style. The songs include "You're Gonna Be Sorry", "False Eyelashes", "Try Being Lonely", and some more earthy, realistic tunes." Cashbox published a review of the album which said, "After one duet smash with Porter Wagoner, and another just beginning to make the climb, Dolly Parton makes her first RCA solo flight with this LP. Soaring to some pretty heady heights with a dozen well-chosen tracks, the lark spreads her wings like a veteran, especially on such tracks as "Try Being Lonely" and "You're Gonna Be Sorry", as well as the title track, and can count on some excellent response."
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 44 on the BillboardHot Country LP's chart dated May 4, 1968. It peaked at number 22 on the charted dated June 15, its seventh week on the chart. The album charted for a total of nine weeks. The album's only single, "Just Because I'm a Woman", was released in May 1968 and peaked at number 17 on the BillboardHot Country Singles chart and at number eight in Canada on the RPM County Singles chart.
