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
Behind Closed Doors
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lord, don't he make me proud
He never makes a scene
Hangin' all over me in a crowd
'Cause people like to talk
Lord, don't they love to talk
But when they turn out the lights
I know he'll be leavin' with me
And when we get behind closed doors
Then we let out hair hang down
Then he makes me glad that he's my man
And no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
My baby makes me smile
Lord, don't he make me smile
I'm never far away
Or too tired to say I want to
I'm purring like a kitten
When he's out in public with me
But when they turn out the lights
He brings out the tiger in me
And when we get behind closed doors
Then we let out hair hang down
Then he makes me glad that he's my man
And no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Behind closed doors
is a song by Dolly Parton that talks about the differences between the public life of a couple and their private life. The first verse talks about how her partner, who she is proud of, never makes a scene and isn't overly affectionate in public. However, behind closed doors, they let loose, and her partner shows her the love and affection she desires. The second verse takes a similar approach, talking about how her partner always makes her smile and how they never tire of expressing their love for each other. When they are alone, their passion and love for each other are unrivaled.
The chorus is the repeated refrain that captures the essence of the song - behind closed doors, anything is possible. What happens in private is nobody's business, and the couple has the freedom to be themselves without the judgment of others.
The song is a celebration of the intimate moments in a relationship, where partners can be their authentic selves and express themselves freely. It also highlights the societal pressure to conform to certain expectations in public and the freedom to be true to oneself in private.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby makes me proud
I feel proud of my partner
Lord, don't he make me proud
I am so proud of my partner that I feel like my feelings are godly-like.
He never makes a scene
My partner is calm and does not create any unnecessary drama.
Hangin' all over me in a crowd
My partner is affectionate towards me even in a public gathering.
'Cause people like to talk
People like to gossip and create stories about others.
Lord, don't they love to talk
People really enjoy talking about others and spreading rumors.
But when they turn out the lights
When the public is gone and we are alone
I know he'll be leavin' with me
I am confident that my partner will leave with me
And when we get behind closed doors
When we are alone and no one can observe us
Then we let out hair hang down
Then we can be ourselves without any hesitation, and freely express our emotions.
Then he makes me glad that he's my man
In these moments, I feel happy that my partner is with me.
And no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Our relationship is for us, and no one knows what happens in our personal space.
My baby makes me smile
My partner makes me feel happy, and I can not stop smiling.
Lord, don't he make me smile
My partner's gestures and behavior makes me feel joyful to the point that I feel godly-like.
I'm never far away
I am always around my partner
Or too tired to say I want to
I have the energy to express my desire for my partner, no matter how exhausted I may be.
I'm purring like a kitten
I am softly and gently expressing my affection towards my partner.
When he's out in public with me
Even when my partner is with me in public
But when they turn out the lights
When we get a chance to be alone
He brings out the tiger in me
In these moments, I become more daring and adventurous with my partner.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNY O'DELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben Tattersfield
Lovely version this
randalloi greaver
I love this song first time I heard it wow dolly parton you amazing girl
Mairead Power
Charlie rich song 🇮🇪 love me some Dolly Parton..
jemma golder
Dolly you are absloutly amazing
Charlie Lestrange
jemma golder absolutely
Sorry very ocd about misspellings
Wamunyima Mubita
I specifically married Dolly's voice