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
Barbara Allen
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When rosebuds were a swelling
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to the town
The town where she was dwelling
Said my masters sick
If your name be Barbara Allen
Then slowly slowly
She got up
And slowly she went nye him
And all she said when she got there
Young man I think you're dying
Oh yes Im sick, Im very sick
I hear the death wind howling
No better no better
I never shall be
If I cant have
Barbara Allen
I cant forgive that jealous night
Down at the logwood tavern
You drank and drank
With the ladies there
And you slighted Barbara Allen
She was on her long way home
She saw the hearse a comin
Lay down lay down
Your corpse of clay
That I may look upon him
The more she looked the more she mourned
Til she fell to the ground in sorrow
Sweet William died for me today
Ill die for him tomorrow
They buried her in the old church yard
And William's grave was nye her
On William's grave there grew red rose
On Barbara's grave a brier
They grew and grew
Up the old church wall
Till they could grow no higher
They lept and tied in a true love knot
With the rose wrapped round the middle
The song "Barbara Allen" tells the tragic tale of a young man named Sweet William who was dying of heartbreak after being spurned by his love, Barbara Allen. He sends his servant to fetch her, and she hesitates at first but eventually goes to see him. When she arrives, he confesses his love for her and begs her to be with him before he passes away. She coldly rejects him, reminding him of his past infidelity and saying that she won't forgive him. The song ends with both William and Barbara buried side by side, with roses and briars growing on their graves that eventually intertwine in a true love knot.
The song is a classic example of a ballad, a type of narrative poem or song that tells a story. Ballads often have a simple, repetitive structure and focus on tales of love, betrayal, and tragedy. "Barbara Allen" is a particularly poignant example of the genre, with its haunting melody and heartbreaking lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Twas in the merry month of may
In the pleasant month of May
When rosebuds were a swelling
When the buds on the rose plant were starting to bloom
Sweet William on his death bed lay
A man named Sweet William was lying on his death bed
For the love of Barbara Allen
Because he loved a woman named Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to the town
He sent his servant to the town where Barbara Allen lived
The town where she was dwelling
The town where she lived
Said my masters sick
The servant told Barbara Allen that his master was sick
And sent for you
And asked her to come see him
If your name be Barbara Allen
If your name is Barbara Allen
Then slowly slowly
She approached him slowly
She got up
She stood up
And slowly she went nye him
And slowly she went to him
And all she said when she got there
And all she said when she got there was
Young man I think you're dying
I think you are dying, young man
Oh yes Im sick, Im very sick
Yes, I am very sick
I hear the death wind howling
I hear the wind that signifies death
No better no better
I am not getting any better
I never shall be
I will never get better
If I cant have
If I cannot be with
Barbara Allen
Barbara Allen
I cant forgive that jealous night
I cannot forgive that night of jealousy
Down at the logwood tavern
At the logwood tavern
You drank and drank
You drank a lot
With the ladies there
With the women who were there
And you slighted Barbara Allen
And you ignored Barbara Allen
She was on her long way home
She was on her long journey home
She saw the hearse a comin
She saw a hearse coming
Lay down lay down
Lie down, lie down
Your corpse of clay
Your dead body
That I may look upon him
So that I can see him
The more she looked the more she mourned
The more she looked, the more she grieved
Til she fell to the ground in sorrow
Until she fell to the ground, overcome by sadness
Sweet William died for me today
Sweet William died today because of me
Ill die for him tomorrow
I will die for him tomorrow
They buried her in the old church yard
They buried her in the old church cemetery
And William's grave was nye her
And William's grave was near hers
On William's grave there grew red rose
A red rose grew on William's grave
On Barbara's grave a brier
A prickly bush grew on Barbara's grave
They grew and grew
They continued to grow
Up the old church wall
Up the wall of the old church
Till they could grow no higher
Until they could not grow any taller
They lept and tied in a true love knot
They intertwined and became a symbol of true love
With the rose wrapped round the middle
With the rose wrapped around the center
Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Don Cox Big Daddy Country
I'm 60 years old. When I was a child my mom would sing for us on road trips. I found a couple version that were similar, but this one is the version she would sing. Our home was full of love and music. I'm so happy that I found this song. After reading your post it was so close to the experience I had as a child. My mother adored me and I loved her so much! Peaceful easy feeling is what listening to this song gave me.
Kawana Hanick
My grandmother used to sing this me when I was just a little girl and she said her grandmother used to sing it to her. She would hum when we broke beans on the front porch of our old house. I grew up poor living in old cold houses without running water. But, I never got cold, or hungry there. I was always warm and knew lots of love and patience from that wonderful, kind woman. What I wouldn't give to hear her sing this to me in the old ways they sang then. I think when I listen to Dolly sing as compared to what I've heard by others and I know her mother or grandmother sang it to her. It's the exact same words and melody as my grandmother sang.. My Nan used to sing all kinds of old songs, all day while she worked. She was always singing or humming. This is probably the most original version I've heard.
littlefox
@Don Cox Big Daddy Country amazing how this keeps touching ppl literally years latter. Reminds me of john prine- his friends keep adding to his story, thank you sir!
Don Cox Big Daddy Country
I'm 60 years old. When I was a child my mom would sing for us on road trips. I found a couple version that were similar, but this one is the version she would sing. Our home was full of love and music. I'm so happy that I found this song. After reading your post it was so close to the experience I had as a child. My mother adored me and I loved her so much! Peaceful easy feeling is what listening to this song gave me.
KATHY STINE
My experiences were much like yours. I lived in my great grandparents old Civil war house where my Mama sang this often. Sweet memories!
conlaoch mccleoud
Areckin ye might be right....
Brian Mathis
Katana, my great grandmother sang this song to me when I was a boy on a farm with no electricity. Our world has transformed, but the real things remain.
SuperSerge7777
We have the immensely technical singers out there but very few can actually imbue a song with their heart and soul...Parton is one of the truly few who have this unique talent
yu3p2x1
It's a beautiful version of that song, Mairead and Dolly are perfect. There are other fantastic songs on the album, Love you for always, Do I every Cross your mind, Hold fast to the right, Apple Jack, Smokey mountain memories, and all Dolly's gems. The quality and atmosphere at this live concert was such that the singing and music added a magic touch to all songs, coat of many colours never sounded better. Dolly's parents were in the audience and Dolly was on top form.
An Ghaoth Aniar
Wow, how beautiful, I'm thrilled Mairéad added her own Irish Gaelic lyrics at the beginning!