The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil is the seventh collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 3, 1972, by RCA Victor. The album was made available as a digital download on January 4, 2019.

Critical reception

The review published in the January 15, 1972 issue of Billboard said, "Porter and Dolly have here an LP that will be a big hit for them in the first few months of 1972. Each of the stars has written a few cuts and their performance of their own material is beautiful. Highlights include "The Right Combination", "More Than Words Can Tell", "The Fog Has Lifted", and "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home" (a comedy spotlight)." Cashbox published a review in the January 15, 1972 issue that said, "Judging from their popularity it's undisputable that Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton have the right combination to open the doors of success. Unlike most other C&W duets who spend most of the time harmonizing with occasional solos, Porter & Dolly are not only adept at their harmonies, they allow each other room for individual expression within the scope of each arrangement. Most unique is the extent to which they feel at ease with each other; the goodtime dialogue and banter in songs such as "I've Been This Way Too Long" is as much a part of the right combination as the music."

Commercial performance

The album peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot Country LP's chart. The album's first single, "The Right Combination", was released in May 1971 and peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and No. 106 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. It peaked at No. 26 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart. The second single, "Burning the Midnight Oil", was released in October 1971 and peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and No. 9 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Recording

Recording sessions for the album began on April 7 and 8, 1971, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Two additional sessions followed on September 28 and 30. "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home" was recorded on December 9, 1970, during a session for 1971's Two of a Kind.

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.

Charts

Album Singles

Release history