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
A Girl Left Alone
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With crowds all around me, I feel all alone
I can't tell my story for whom it will hurt
And now I can see that's there's no room for me
I'm a girl left alone, there's no hope for me
I'm tossed to and fro like a ship on a sea
There was a mistake and now I will pay
For those that still love me, I must go on this way
We hear the great story of the great eternity
Where souls can be happy and I will be free
I know I will suffer in this world eternally
But in heaven I wonder if there'll be hope for me
Dolly Parton's song "Girl Left Alone" speaks to the feeling of loneliness and isolation that can come from being surrounded by people who do not understand or accept us. The song is sung from the perspective of a woman who feels like she has been abandoned by those around her, like she is adrift in the world without an anchor. She laments her inability to share her story with others, not out of a desire to keep secrets, but because she fears the hurt it might cause. Despite her sense of hopelessness, however, she holds out the possibility that there might be some hope for her in the afterlife, a place where her suffering might finally come to an end.
The song is notable for its simplicity and directness, with Parton's plaintive voice conveying a depth of emotion that is both raw and resonant. The lyrics are spare and unadorned, allowing the listener to focus on the feelings they evoke rather than the details of the story. Throughout the song, Parton's vocal performance embodies the pain and longing of the girl left alone, creating a sense of empathy that easily connects with the listener's own experiences of loneliness and isolation. Ultimately, the song offers a poignant reminder of the power of music to connect us to our deepest emotions, even when we feel alone and forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no hope for me, I'm a girl left alone
Despite being surrounded by crowds, I feel alone and hopeless.
With crowds all around me, I feel all alone
The presence of crowds does not alleviate the lonely feeling.
I can't tell my story for whom it will hurt
Sharing my story would cause pain to others.
And now I can see that's there's no room for me
The realization that there is no space for me in certain situations becomes clear.
I'm a girl left alone, there's no hope for me
I feel abandoned and without hope for a better future.
I'm tossed to and fro like a ship on a sea
Life feels tumultuous and unstable, like a ship in rough waters.
There was a mistake and now I will pay
A mistake has been made and consequences must be faced.
For those that still love me, I must go on this way
Despite feeling alone and hopeless, loved ones require me to continue.
We hear the great story of the great eternity
The concept of eternal life is ingrained in our beliefs.
Where souls can be happy and I will be free
The promise of happiness and freedom in the afterlife is something to aspire towards.
I know I will suffer in this world eternally
While the afterlife may promise hope, the present world may continue to be a place of suffering.
But in heaven I wonder if there'll be hope for me
Despite the uncertainties of the afterlife, a glimmer of hope remains for a better future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: BILL EARL OWENS, DOLLY PARTON, DOROTHY OWENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chelcie Lynn
OMG adorable then, adorable now!
Sky L Love
The song as I remember was called Poor Little Blossom my great great grandmother sung this song to my mom & she'd sing it to us. But the words Dolly sings it was nothing as my mom sung it. It was a true song. It'd make us cry, so sad. My mom had a beautiful voice. All who heard her sing tried to get her go to Nashville. I miss her so much.
Sky L Love
Another song she'd sing was a song called, Sweeter then the Flowers, I found this old song sung by Kitty Wells. I loved Kitty Wells voice & all her songs. She's greatly missed by all.
Pastor Osborne
Gifted to sing !
Joni Lynn michalski
Beautiful picture very talented artist
something stupid lol
and she just described my life at school.
dollyaddict
Dolly shining her light - this is the prettiest picture of dolly in her coat of many colours (we spell it different in Aus)
Jessica Norton
So cute❤❤❤
Gabriel Moraitakis
She,s the same sweat as now, cause in that picture she realy looks like the small angels we put on the Christmas tree... And i don,t matter if i spell colours or colors,that,s the same for me...
Birmingham International Raceway Sayre Speedway Fan
Whoever was the producer or whatever should have turned up the volume on her voice, on these early recordings, the insturmentals are sorta drowning her out a bit