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
As Long as I Love
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And oh how well I know misery
You've always hurt me
But I always forgive
And I'll hurt for as long as I love you
And I'll love you for as long as I live
Oh it's my fault for loving you so deeply
I'd give you my love completely
And I hurt for as long as I love you
And I'll love you for as long as I live
For as long as I love you, there'll be pain
Though tears come and go
My love remains the same
I'll always forgive you
You know that I will
And I hurt for as long as I love you
And I'll love you for as long as I live
Yes I've hurt for as long as I loved you
And I'll love you for as long as I live
In Dolly Parton's song "As Long as I Love", the lyrics express the idea of enduring pain and misery in a relationship despite knowing that it will hurt in the end. The opening line, "Hurt is no stranger to me," sets the tone for the rest of the song, as Parton sings about the familiarity of pain and how she has come to accept it. She acknowledges that even though the other person in the relationship continues to hurt her, she always forgives them, showcasing the extent of her love and devotion towards them.
As the chorus kicks in, Parton emphasizes that for as long as she loves this person, there will be pain. She acknowledges that tears may come and go, but her love for them remains the same. The line "I'll always forgive you, You know that I will" highlights her willingness to continue to love unconditionally, even if it means facing continued pain.
Overall, the song conveys the idea of enduring pain and difficulty in a relationship due to love and devotion towards the other person. The lyrics showcase the complexity of emotions and the willingness to bear the hurt for the sake of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hurt is no stranger to me
I'm familiar with pain and suffering
And oh how well I know misery
I am intimately acquainted with feeling hopeless and unhappy
You've always hurt me
You have caused me pain for a long time
But I always forgive
I am willing to overlook past mistakes and let go of bitterness
And I'll hurt for as long as I love you
My love for you will continue to cause me pain
And I'll love you for as long as I live
My love for you will persist for the rest of my life
Oh it's my fault for loving you so deeply
I am responsible for my own feelings of love and attachment to you
I'd give you my love completely
I am willing to commit to you and offer you all of my affection
I'd give you love but hurt is all you give
Despite my efforts to show you love, you only cause me pain
For as long as I love you, there'll be pain
As long as I remain in love with you, I will continue to experience suffering
Though tears come and go
Even though I may cry sometimes
My love remains the same
My feelings for you do not waver
You know that I will
You are aware that I am always willing to offer forgiveness
Yes I've hurt for as long as I loved you
I have experienced pain for as long as I have been in love with you
And I'll love you for as long as I live
Despite the pain, my love for you will always endure
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
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.