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
Be There
Dolly Parton Lyrics
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Waters deep and underground you
I will have my arms around you, have no fear
When them storms of life are raging
I'm your harbor ever-waiting
I'm your comfort and your safety
I will show you I'll be there
Dark and steep, it will not stop me
I'm your chariot and you've got
Me to carry your case
I will lay me down beside you
I will hold and satisfy you
I will protect and love and guide you
Forever I'll be there
I'm gonna be there fly it or sail it
I'm gonna your i'll be there
I'm gonna rock you, i'm gonna hold you
I'm gonna love you
Bet your heart that I'll be there
I'm gonna be there
Anything you ever wanted me
I'm gonna be there
Even when you don't want me to be
I'm gonna be there with tender lovin' care
I'm gonna be there as God himself had sent me
I'll be there to help you
See yourself more gently
I'm gonna be there and nothing can prevent me
I swear that I'll be there
I'm gonna be there, i'll be there
I'll be there, i'll be there
I'm gonna mend you, and I'll defend you
I'll be there
I'm gonna be there
Anything you ever wanted me
I'm gonna be there
Even when you don't want me to be
I'm gonna be there with tender lovin' care
I'm gonna be there as God himself had sent me
I'll be there to help you
See yourself more gently
I'm gonna be there and nothing can prevent me
I swear that I'll be there
And everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Cause I'll be there
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright, tell me
Everything's gonna be alright
Cause I'll be there
Everything's gonna be alright
Cause I'll be there
In Dolly Parton's song "Be There," she poetically expresses the belief that love will always prevail over hate. She emphasizes that despite the existence of hate and lust in the world, love will always hold command as long as there are two people. She attributes the beginning of love in humans to God who placed a loving heart in man and woman at the start. It is people who create hate and lust. Parton believes that love is a force for survival, even when the going gets rough.
The lyrics of the song encourage people to have faith that there is a mate for every person, and in a difficult situation, like being locked in prison, there is still someone thinking of you. Parton's message is hopeful, reassuring, and a reminder of the enduring power of love.
In conclusion, Dolly Parton's song "Be There" is a beautiful and hopeful message about the endurance of love in the world. She encourages us to have faith in the power of love, even when there is hate and negativity around us.
Line by Line Meaning
There'll be love love love oh precious love
Love is a precious thing that is forever present in the lives of two people who love each other.
Just as long as there's two people there'll be love
Love is a natural feeling that exists between two people and cannot be destroyed by external factors.
In spite of hate that fills the land love will always have command
Even amidst of hate that is widespread, love is still the dominant force that fills the hearts of people.
As long as there's two people there'll be love
The presence of two people is enough to foster the growth of love between them.
God created man and woman at the start
God created men and women with a special purpose, which is to love and be loved.
And he placed inside of them a lovin' heart
God blessed men and women with a heart capable of feeling and giving love.
But it wasn't God that made the hate and lust
Hate and lust are not creations of God but things that humans develop as a result of their own choices.
But as long as there's two people there'll be love
Despite the existence of negative emotions such as hate and lust, love remains an ever-present force in the lives of two people.
For every person somewhere there's a mate
Every person has someone out there who they are meant to love and who is meant to love them in return.
It's the force for survival that brings hate
The drive for survival can sometimes lead to the development of hate, as humans become competitive in securing resources and territories.
For even though the going might be rough
Even when life is hard, love remains an unbreakable bond between two people.
As long as there's two people there'll be love
The presence of two people sparks the existence of love, even in difficult circumstances.
You can lock a man behind a prison wall
Physical isolation or imprisonment of someone cannot eliminate the presence of love in their life.
And you may think that he has no love at all
It may appear that someone in prison or isolated from others has no love, but this is not true.
But there's someone somewhere that he's thinking of
Even when physically separated, love can still exist between two people who are thinking of each other.
For as long as there's two people there'll be love
The presence of two people is enough to create a bond of love between them and sustain it, even in challenging circumstances.
There'll be love love love...
Love is an ever-present force that fills the hearts of two people who love each other.
[ guitar ]
Instrumental break.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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.