Ashley Monroe, Blake Shelton Trade Barbs in ‘You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter)’
Miranda Lambert's Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe is branching out on her own with her solo effort 'Like a Rose,' out on March 5. But she is doing so with a little help. Monroe made use Lambert's husband Blake Shelton for a duet on the throwback song 'You Ain't Dolly (And You Ain't Porter.)'
The song is a "he said, she said," back and forth track -- a classic country duet that sounds like it was birthed in a barn four decades ago. But it is modernized with humor. It should generate more than a few chuckles, since the sassy Monroe and the always quippy Shelton trade barbs and play with self-deprecation while lyrically throwing sand at one another in the musical sandbox.
The title references Dolly Parton and the late Porter Wagoner, who spent plenty of time recording songs together in the '60s and '70s. Their legacy is captured in this cute Monroe and Shelton track. The song was co-penned by Monroe and Vince Gill, who produced her album. They wrote it with Shelton in mind from the get-go.
"Blake's voice just slays me, but he's also a great friend, and we have that kind of playful relationship," Monroe admits. "When Vince and I were writing it, we knew that we wanted him from the beginning."
In the 'You Ain't Dolly (And You Ain't Porter)' lyrics, she references his work on 'The Voice' and he jokes that he is the subject of the erotic novel '50 Shades of Grey.' They also riff on each other's physical attributes.
Monroe said that the track is "borderline mean," but because she and Shelton love each other as pals, it really isn't! She picked Shelton as her partner for the song not just because of his proximity, but because "he's country as dirt, and he's a walking encyclopedia of country music. He sang the hell out of it."
We can't argue with her on any of those points.
Fans that pre-order the 'Like a Rose' album will get Monroe-Shelton duet as an instant gratification download.
Listen to Ashley Monroe, Blake Shelton's Duet