Parton began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. At age 12 she was appearing on Knoxville TV, and at 13, she was recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved to Nashville, taking many traditional elements of folklore and popular music from East Tennessee with her.
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, with her songs being covered by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Jr., Skeeter Davis, and a number of others. She signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Top 100. Additional pop singles also failed to chart.
The label agreed to have Parton sing country music after her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as recorded by Bill Phillips (and with Parton, uncredited, on harmony) went to No. 6 on the country charts in 1966. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde" (one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but didn't write), reached No. 24 country 1967, followed later the same year with "Something Fishy," which went to No. 17. The two songs anchored her first full-length album, Hello I'm Dolly, that same year.
In 1967, Parton was asked to join the weekly syndicated country music TV program hosted by Porter Wagoner, replacing Norma Jean. She also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, during this period, where she would remain for the next two decades. Wagoner and Parton immediately began a hugely successful career as a vocal duet in addition to their solo work and their first single together, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind," reached the top ten on the U.S. country charts in late 1967, and was the first of over a dozen duet singles to chart for them during the next several years.
Parton is a hugely successful songwriter, having begun by writing country songs with strong elements of folk music in them based upon her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" have become classics in the field, as have a number of others. As a composer, she is also regarded as one of country music's most gifted storytellers, with many of her narrative songs based on persons and events from her childhood.
In 1982 Dolly Parton sang her song "I Will Always Love You", for the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Parton and Burt Reynolds. The song - originally composed around 1974 - made few ripples, but it wasn't until Whitney Houston re-recorded it for "The Bodyguard" a decade later, that the song made yet another international hit for Dolly Parton. She later put out her own version on the 1996 album of the same name.
In 1987, Parton left her longtime label, RCA, and signed with Columbia Records, where her recording career continued to prosper, but by the mid 1990s, Parton, along with many other performers of her generation, found that her new music was not welcome on country radio playlists. She recorded a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and "Little Sparrow" (2001), both of which won Grammy Awards. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven. In 2005, Parton released Those Were The Days, her interpretation of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s through early 1970s. The CD featured such classics as John Lennon's "Imagine," Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play," Tommy James' "Crimson & Clover," and the folk classic "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", as well as the title track.
In 2007, Dolly paved new musical ground by forming her own record label, Dolly Records. The label's first release - Backwoods Barbie - debuted at #2 on the Billboard country albums charts and marks Parton's first mainstream country album in 17 years. Parton is touring North America and Europe throughout 2008 in support of her latest release.
1955
'Til Death Do Us Part
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you took off your golden wedding band
The one you vowed you'd wear
Until death do us part
When I kissed it and placed it on your hand
A wreath will hang upon the door tomorrow
Of the little house that we
And friends will stop and hang
Their heads in sorrow
To pay the last respects to one gone on
Tonight I lay me down to sleep forever
With this small empty bottle and broken heart
I keep the vow I made I won't forsake it
I promised to death do us part
Will you bring your new love to the chapel
To look upon the one that you betrayed
Will you bring me pretty flowers
Like you used to
And replace them in my hands where I lay
Will you cry and think of happy memories
That we shared together at the start
And will you look upon me and remember
The day we said till death do us part
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's song 'Til Death Do Us Part' tell a heartbreaking story of betrayal, loss, and the enduring pain of love. The song explores the aftermath of infidelity in a marriage, as the singer's partner confesses to finding someone else and removes their wedding band. The symbolism of the wedding band, which they had promised to wear until death, is particularly poignant, as the singer kisses it and places it on their partner's hand, acknowledging the end of their marital commitment.
The lyrics continue to paint a picture of grief and finality. The next verse describes the upcoming funeral, with a wreath hanging on the door of the house they once shared. Friends will come to pay their last respects, their heads bowed in sorrow. It's a scene of acceptance and mourning for the one who has passed on, signifying the end of the relationship.
The final verse dives deeper into the emotional turmoil experienced by the singer. They express a profound sense of despair and resignation, discussing their plan to sleep forever with an empty bottle and a broken heart. They promise to keep the vow they made, affirming their unwavering commitment to their partner until death. The lyrics also question whether their partner will bring their new love to the chapel, to witness the consequences of their betrayal. The request for flowers and the desire for remembrance indicate a lingering attachment and longing for the past.
Overall, 'Til Death Do Us Part' delves into the complex emotions surrounding infidelity, loss, and the lasting impact of love even in the face of betrayal. It explores themes of commitment, forgiveness, and the enduring pain caused by the dissolution of a marriage.
Line by Line Meaning
Today you told me that you'd found another
You confessed to me today that you have found someone else
And you took off your golden wedding band
You removed the symbol of our marital commitment, the golden wedding band
The one you vowed you'd wear
The one you promised to wear
Until death do us part
Until the end of our lives together as a couple
When I kissed it and placed it on your hand
I gave a farewell kiss to the ring and put it back on your hand
A wreath will hang upon the door tomorrow
Tomorrow, there will be a wreath hanging on the door as a symbol of mourning
Of the little house that we
Of the small house that used to be our shared home
Once called our home
The place we once referred to as our home
And friends will stop and hang
Our friends will come and show their support
Their heads in sorrow
They will lower their heads in sadness
To pay the last respects to one gone on
To honor and say goodbye to the departed one
Tonight I lay me down to sleep forever
Tonight I am metaphorically laying down for eternal rest
With this small empty bottle and broken heart
I hold onto this small empty bottle and carry a shattered heart with me
I keep the vow I made I won't forsake it
I remain committed to the vow I made, I won't abandon it
I promised to death do us part
I promised to stay dedicated until death separates us
Will you bring your new love to the chapel
Will you bring the person you replaced me with to the chapel
To look upon the one that you betrayed
To see the person you betrayed, me
Will you bring me pretty flowers
Will you bring beautiful flowers for me
Like you used to
Just like you used to do
And replace them in my hands where I lay
And put them in my hands as I rest in my final resting place
Will you cry and think of happy memories
Will you shed tears and reminisce about the joyful moments we shared
That we shared together at the start
The memories we created together in the beginning of our relationship
And will you look upon me and remember
And will you gaze at me and recall
The day we said till death do us part
The day we made our commitment to each other until death separates us
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Romy K.
on Gypsy Joe And Me
As a matter of fact she's contemplating suicide standing on the bridge, that's how they'll be together again.