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
Blue Valley Songbird
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the foot of the Tennessee hills
With the blue birds and blue bells
And blue mountain water
And the sound of the Blue Whippoorwill
But there was no peace in the valley
Her daddy, a cruel, ruthless man
Used and abused her mind and her body
So at fifteen she took to the highway
Belongings and guitar in hand
And she buried herself in her music
The one thing she did understand
And she sings like a bird and she writes like a poet
Her voice has that high, lonesome sound
She hurts, and her songs are the best way to show it
So the Blue Valley songbird keeps traveling around
She hopes someday she will make it
And everyone says that she will
When she comes to town, crowds flock around
To see the girl from the Tennessee hills
She writes her letter back home to her mama
In care of the preacher in town
They're sacred to her so she reads them at church
And so her daddy cannot track her down
And she sings like a bird and she cries like a baby
Whenever she turns off the lights
She's a whole lot lonesome and a little bit crazy
From mem'ries and miseries and dreams gone awry
Blue dress, blue shoes, a blue Cadillac
A band dressed in blue by her side
Instruments tied to the top and the back
'Cause the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
One nighters, honky tonks, years flying by
She never made it, but Lord knows she tries
Expressing the feelings she holds inside
And the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
Oh the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
And she sings like a bird and she writes like a poet
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's song "Blue Valley Songbird" tell the story of a young girl who was born in a place called Blue Valley. It is a place of beauty, with blue birds, blue bells, and blue mountain water, but the tranquility of this place is disrupted by the cruelty of the singer's father. He was abusive and used and abused her mind and her body. At the age of fifteen, she left home with her possessions and her guitar, turning to music as a way of finding solace for the pain she had endured. She sings like a bird and writes like a poet, expressing her hurts and troubles through her music. Her voice has a high, lonesome sound that captures the listener's attention, and her songs show her deep emotions. She travels from place to place, trying to make it as a musician while hoping to escape her father's grasp. She writes letters back home to her mother, which she reads at church, so her father cannot find her.
The song's themes center on the healing power of music, the pain of growing up in an abusive household, and the long-lasting emotional impact of childhood trauma. It highlights how music can be an escape from suffering, a way of expressing deep-seated emotions, and a means of making connections with others. The lyrics also evoke a sense of longing for home and the people left behind, as well as the hope for a better future. Moreover, the use of blue as a recurring motif reinforces the sense of sadness, depression, and melancholy that permeates the narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
She was born in a place called Blue Valley
The singer was born in a scenic town called Blue Valley
At the foot of the Tennessee hills
The town is located at the base of the Tennessee hills
With the blue birds and blue bells
Blue Valley is adorned with blue birds and bluebells
And blue mountain water
The town also boasts of sparkling blue mountain water
And the sound of the Blue Whippoorwill
The sound of the Blue Whippoorwill is frequently heard in Blue Valley
But there was no peace in the valley
Despite the beauty, there was no serenity in the valley
Her daddy, a cruel, ruthless man
The singer's father was harsh and cold-hearted towards her
Used and abused her mind and her body
The father exploited and mistreated her both physically and mentally
So her mama said run while you can
Her mother advised her to escape from the abuse
So at fifteen she took to the highway
At just fifteen, she left home and hit the road
Belongings and guitar in hand
She left with her possessions and her guitar
And she buried herself in her music
Music became her solace and she devoted herself to it
The one thing she did understand
Music was the only thing she found comfort and solace in
And she sings like a bird and she writes like a poet
She has a talent for singing and songwriting
Her voice has that high, lonesome sound
Her singing is marked by a feeling of loneliness and yearning
She hurts, and her songs are the best way to show it
Her hurt is reflected best in her poignant and moving songs
So the Blue Valley songbird keeps traveling around
She persists in her travels, singing everywhere she goes
She hopes someday she will make it
The singer aspires to achieve fame and success
And everyone says that she will
Many believe that she will achieve her dreams
When she comes to town, crowds flock around
People gather in large numbers to see her perform
To see the girl from the Tennessee hills
They are excited to watch the artist from Tennessee
She writes her letter back home to her mama
She writes to her mother to stay in touch
In care of the preacher in town
She sends the letters to the local preacher for safekeeping
They're sacred to her so she reads them at church
She treasures these letters and reads them at church
And so her daddy cannot track her down
She sends these letters to ensure her father cannot locate her
And she sings like a bird and she cries like a baby
Her singing and crying are endearing and touching
Whenever she turns off the lights
She is most vulnerable when the lights go out
She's a whole lot lonesome and a little bit crazy
She feels extremely lonely and slightly unstable
From mem'ries and miseries and dreams gone awry
Her songs are born from her unhappy memories, misery, and shattered dreams
Blue dress, blue shoes, a blue Cadillac
Her attire and vehicle are all blue-themed
A band dressed in blue by her side
The band accompanying her is also dressed in blue
Instruments tied to the top and the back
The musical instruments are attached to the vehicle
'Cause the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
The songstress from Blue Valley is performing tonight
One nighters, honky tonks, years flying by
She performs at various venues over the years
She never made it, but Lord knows she tries
She never attains her dreams despite persistent efforts
Expressing the feelings she holds inside
She channels her emotions through her music
And the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
She continues performing despite failing to achieve her goals
Oh the Blue Valley songbird is singing tonight
The songstress from Blue Valley is performing again tonight
Contributed by Maya C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.