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
Bargain Store
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I may have just what you're looking for
If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used
But with a little mending it could be as good as new
Why you take for instance this old broken heart
If you will just replace the missing part
You would be surprised to find how good it really is
The bargain store is open, come inside
You can easily afford the price
Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise
And I can guarantee you'll be completely satisfied
Take these old used memories from the past
And these broken dreams and plans that didn't last
I'll trade them for a future, I can't use them anymore
I've wasted love but I still have some more
The bargain store is open, come inside
You can easily afford the price
Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise
And I can guarantee you'll be completely satisfied
My life is likened to a bargain store
And I may have just what you're looking for
If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used
But with a little mending it could be as good as new
The bargain store is open, come inside
The bargain store is open, come inside
In Dolly Parton's "Bargain Store," she poetically describes her own life as a place where all the merchandise is used and may be damaged, but with a little mending, it could be as good as new - just like people. She is willing to offer something for everyone, but must warn them that it is not brand new. Despite that, she promises that love is all that is needed to purchase all the merchandise that comes with a guarantee of complete satisfaction.
Line by Line Meaning
My life is likened to a bargain store
My life is comparable to a store where you can purchase items for a lower price.
And I may have just what you're looking for
I might have what you are seeking.
If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used
If you don't care that all the items are second-hand or have been previously owned by someone else.
But with a little mending it could be as good as new
But with a little repair, the product can function as if it's never been used before.
Why you take for instance this old broken heart
Consider taking, as an example, this emotionally damaged heart.
If you will just replace the missing part
If you can find what's missing from it.
You would be surprised to find how good it really is
You might be amazed and impressed by how functional it is once it's been fixed.
Take it and you never will be sorry that you did
Take it and you won't regret doing so.
The bargain store is open, come inside
The bargain store is welcoming you to come in.
You can easily afford the price
The cost is easily within your budget.
Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise
All you need to acquire any of the items for sale is love.
And I can guarantee you'll be completely satisfied
And I can ensure that you will be fully content with your purchase.
Take these old used memories from the past
Take these old recollections from your past.
And these broken dreams and plans that didn't last
And these shattered aspirations that didn't come to fruition.
I'll trade them for a future, I can't use them anymore
I'm willing to trade them for the promise of a new beginning since I can no longer utilize them.
I've wasted love but I still have some more
I've squandered affection before, but I still have some left to give.
The bargain store is open, come inside
The bargain store is open and welcoming you to come in.
You can easily afford the price
The cost is definitely within your budget.
Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise
All you need to obtain any of the items for sale is love.
And I can guarantee you'll be completely satisfied
And I can ensure that you will be fully content with your purchase.
My life is likened to a bargain store
My existence reminds me of a store where you can buy things at a reduced price.
And I may have just what you're looking for
I could have precisely what you're seeking.
If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used
Provided that you can overlook the fact that all the products were previously owned by someone else.
But with a little mending it could be as good as new
However, with a little fixing, it could work as well as a brand new item.
The bargain store is open, come inside
The discount store is waiting for you to come in.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hotwuk212
Heard this in the background of a Stranger Things (Netflix) scene, what a masterpiece
@lilith1647
The gun store scene?
@hotwuk212
@Lilith yep!!
@mahimafridi417
I am here in same way π
@stashingdough
Me too π©
@mischr34
I did too and had to look it up immediately π©
@jozefgiver7976
This song saved me as a child through some terrible times... Dolly please live forever because the world needs more of you! π
@josegarcia3547
I deeply understand you ππ Dolly's been saving me for a year and a half now
@brucesouthers4552
God Bless you brother. This is a beautiful song. Haunting song but beautiful.
@jozefgiver7976
@Bruce Southers thank you! God bless you too.