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
Baby Come Out Tonight
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just come up the hill 'cause there's a full moon on the risin'
Hey baby, can't you steal away
You know I really need to see you tonight
I just got word you was packin' it in
What's the matter, this old town got you crazy again
I can see the sad look in your eyes
And tomorrow, you're gonna have your day
Take your wife and you're gonna run away
Baby, while I'm wailin'
You'll be sailin' like a hog across the bay singin'
Ooo, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Baby, won't you come out tonight
Oh baby, won't you come out tonight
We'll run up the hill and we'll dance in the moonlight
Let me gaze into your eyes 'til we both go blind
Oh baby, can I see you tonight
I'm just tryin' to find a way to make it last
Good friends, they seem to slip away so fast
An' I know we're both headed down separate tracks
An' when ya' go, baby don't look back
There won't be no more sleepin' over on a Tuesday night
No more runnin' to the races for a dark horse at midnight
No more dancin' after hours, singin' in the showers
Or clingin' to each other in the soft mornin' light singin'
Ooo, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Oh baby, won't ya' come out tonight
Oh baby, won't ya' come out tonight
I'll meet ya' on the corner
And you'll be there at midnight
Oh baby, can you steal away
You know I really want to see ya' tonight
Ooo baby, can you come out tonight
We'll run up the hill and dance again in the moonlight
Oh baby, can you steal away
I really wanna see you tonight
Oh baby, won't ya' come out tonight
Come up the hill, there's a full moon on the rise
Oh baby, can ya' steal away
Baby, won't ya' come out tonight
Dolly Parton's song "Baby Come Out Tonight" is a plea from the singer to meet with a former lover. The song's verses communicate the singer's concern for their former flame, and they note that they're trying to find a way to make their relationship last. The singer is aware that both they and their lover are headed in different directions. They long for the closeness they once shared, and the chorus exemplifies this by repeatedly asking "Baby, won't you come out tonight?" The song describes the moments they long for with each other, such as dancing under the full moon and gazing into each other's eyes until they go blind. The track's last lines lament the fact that they won't have the shared experiences that they once had.
The lyrics of "Baby Come Out Tonight" capture a sense of longing and nostalgia that many people can relate to. The song's overall vibe is melancholic, with a wistfulness that makes it an excellent fit for a somber mood.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, won't you come out tonight
Asking someone to come out and spend time together
Just come up the hill 'cause there's a full moon on the risin'
Encouraging someone to come over and enjoy the night scenery
Hey baby, can't you steal away
Asking someone to make time to hang out
You know I really need to see you tonight
Expressing a strong desire to spend time together
I just got word you was packin' it in
Heard that you were leaving town
What's the matter, this old town got you crazy again
Asking what happened to make someone want to leave town
I can see the sad look in your eyes
Noticing that someone is upset
But I don't know how to say goodbye
Struggling with saying goodbye to someone
And tomorrow, you're gonna have your day
Recognizing that someone has plans for the future
Take your wife and you're gonna run away
Knowing that someone is leaving with their spouse
Baby, while I'm wailin'
Expressing sadness while someone is leaving
You'll be sailin' like a hog across the bay singin'
Acknowledging that someone will be happy and carefree after leaving town
Ooo, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Expressing joy and excitement
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Singing in happiness and enjoyment
Oh baby, won't you come out tonight
Repeating the desire to spend time together
We'll run up the hill and we'll dance in the moonlight
Making plans to have fun together
Let me gaze into your eyes 'til we both go blind
Expressing the desire to spend as much time as possible with someone
I'm just tryin' to find a way to make it last
Wanting to make the good times last as long as possible
Good friends, they seem to slip away so fast
Noting that friends can quickly move on with their lives
An' I know we're both headed down separate tracks
Recognizing that both parties are going in different directions
An' when ya' go, baby don't look back
Encouraging someone to move on and not dwell on the past
There won't be no more sleepin' over on a Tuesday night
Realizing that there won't be any more opportunities to spend the night together
No more runnin' to the races for a dark horse at midnight
Knowing that fun spontaneous moments won't happen anymore
No more dancin' after hours, singin' in the showers
Listing activities that won't occur anymore
Or clingin' to each other in the soft mornin' light singin'
Remembering happy moments together
I'll meet ya' on the corner
Making plans to meet up
And you'll be there at midnight
Confirming that the other person will show up
Oh baby, can you steal away
Repeating the request to make time to hang out
I really wanna see you tonight
Expressing strong desire to spend time together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kat Mccord
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.