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
Bridge
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The bridge, so tall
Here is where it started
On the bridge
The moon is big and yellow
And the stars are all a' glow
From the bridge, I see reflections
In the waters far below
You kissed me for the first time here
An' held me awfully tight
And the bridge became our favorite place
We came here often in the night
And one night while standing on the bridge
Desire swept through us both
Passion took us by the hand
And showed us where to go
From the bridge we saw a meadow
So we ran together there
Where we found love together
Our emotions filled the air
The bridge, so wide
The bridge, so long
Where once we stood together
Tonight I stand alone
Tonight, while standing on the bridge
My heart is beating wild
To think that you could leave me here
With our unborn child
My feet are moving slowly
Closer to the edge
Here is where it started
And here is where I'll end it...
Dolly Parton's "Bridge" is about a relationship that began on a bridge, but ultimately ended tragically. The bridge is described as tall and wide, with a view of the stars and reflections in the water below. It is the place where the couple first kissed and where they found love. The lyrics paint a picture of a passionate and intense relationship that started on a bridge and then moved to a meadow, where they found even more love.
However, the song takes a dark turn when the singer reveals that they are now standing on the bridge alone, pregnant with their partner's child. The once beautiful and romantic location has taken on a much darker tone, and the singer's heart is beating wild at the thought of being left alone with the unborn child. The bridge, which had once symbolized love and romance, has now become the place where the singer plans to end their life.
Overall, "Bridge" is a haunting and emotional song about the power of love and how it can turn to despair in an instant.
Line by Line Meaning
The bridge, so high
The bridge is elevated high above the ground.
The bridge, so tall
The bridge is towering above everything in sight.
Here is where it started
The beginning of a significant relationship started at this location.
On the bridge
The location where the relationship begun is on the bridge.
The moon is big and yellow
The moon is prominent and shining.
And the stars are all a' glow
The stars are shining brightly in the sky.
From the bridge, I see reflections
The surface of the water beneath the bridge reflects lights from the surroundings.
In the waters far below
The water beneath the bridge is some distance below the bridge level.
You kissed me for the first time here
The location on the bridge is where the first kiss in this relationship happened.
An' held me awfully tight
The singer was held in a tight embrace during the kiss.
And the bridge became our favorite place
The bridge is an important location in their relationship it has become a favorite place for the couple.
We came here often in the night
The couple visits the bridge, especially during the night, often.
And one night while standing on the bridge
On one specific night while they were at the bridge.
Desire swept through us both
Both partners felt an intense longing for each other.
Passion took us by the hand
Passion incited by the desire led them to take more emotionally significant steps in their relationship.
And showed us where to go
Desire and passion guided the couple towards the unknown.
From the bridge we saw a meadow
The bridge overlooks a meadow, visible from the bridge.
So we ran together there
Both of them ran towards the meadow together.
Where we found love together
The meadow is where the couple's bond grew and they experienced heightened feelings of love.
Our emotions filled the air
The environment is characterized by heightened emotional feelings.
The bridge, so wide
The bridge is long and wide.
The bridge, so long
The bridge is lengthy.
Where once we stood together
This is the place where the couple used to stand jointly.
Tonight I stand alone
The singer is alone on the bridge tonight, without her partner.
Tonight, while standing on the bridge
Presently, with the bridge as the setting of this moment.
My heart is beating wild
The singer is feeling intense emotions, as seen through her racing heartbeat.
To think that you could leave me here
The singer is imagining being abandoned at this location by her partner.
With our unborn child
The couple shares an unborn child who they would leave behind if they part ways.
My feet are moving slowly
The singer is barely moving her feet as she tries to gather herself and process her feelings.
Closer to the edge
The singer is getting dangerously closer to the edge of the bridge, where she may be a danger to herself.
And here is where I'll end it...
The singer is contemplating ending her life at this location on the bridge, where her relationship had once blossomed.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
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.