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
Comes And Goes
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now and then, here and there, I still see you
And sometimes my memory lets me hear your voice, so soft and low
But like the wind you travel in, you seem to come and go
At times, my mind is crystal clear
And then I think of you
Then the spin of the room I'm in
Love that once
Held my mind completely in control
Now makes it spin like tornado wind
As it comes and goes
Well, look who's here
I told myself that you'd be coming soon
I hope that you can stay for a little while
It's so lonesome in this room
And you look just the same today
Do you still love me so?
What's that you say, you can't stay?
You seem to come and go
At times my mind is crystal clear
And then I think of you
Then the spin of the room I'm in
Brings you into view
Love that once
Held my mind completely in control
Now makes it spin like tornado winds
As it comes and goes
The song "Comes And Goes" by Dolly Parton is a melancholic number that speaks of a lost love that still haunts the singer. The lyrics are written by Porter Wagoner and showcase his ability to convey emotions beautifully. The song talks about the singer's memories of their past relationship, and how they still think of their lost love. The singer talks about how they see their love sometimes, and they hear their voice in their mind. The use of these sensory details amplifies the feeling of nostalgia and longing.
The song then goes on to describe how the singer's mind is clear at times, but when they remember their loved one, everything around them starts to spin, and they are transported back to the past. The love that once had complete control over their mind now creates a whirlwind of emotions that comes and goes. The song then takes a turn when the singer thinks they see their lost love in the room, and they invite them to stay for a while. But the love they once had seems to have faded away, and their love only comes and goes.
Overall, "Comes And Goes" is a poignant song about the memories of a lost love that never seem to go away. The use of sensory details and vivid imagery in the lyrics, accompanied by Dolly Parton's beautiful voice, makes it a moving and powerful song.
Line by Line Meaning
Now and then, here and there, I still see you
Even though it's not often, I still catch a glimpse of you every once in a while.
And sometimes my memory lets me hear your voice, so soft and low
Occasionally, I can recall the sound of your gentle voice in my head.
But like the wind you travel in, you seem to come and go
Just like the wind, you appear and disappear in my life unpredictably.
At times, my mind is crystal clear
Occasionally, my thoughts are sharp and focused.
And then I think of you
But then, just the thought of you enters my mind.
Then the spin of the room I'm in
Suddenly, my surroundings seem to be in motion.
Brings you into view
And I can see you standing right in front of me.
Love that once
This affection that used to be
Held my mind completely in control
Had a total grip on my thoughts and emotions in the past.
Now makes it spin like tornado wind
But now it causes such intense feelings that it's like a whirlwind.
Well, look who's here
Oh, hey, it's you!
I told myself that you'd be coming soon
I had a feeling you would show up sooner or later.
I hope that you can stay for a little while
I wish you could stick around for a bit longer.
It's so lonesome in this room
I feel so lonely here all by myself.
And you look just the same today
You appear to be just as you always have been.
Do you still love me so?
Do you still have the same love for me?
What's that you say, you can't stay?
Oh, you can't stay around longer?
You seem to come and go
I guess that's just the way it is with you - here one minute, gone the next.
As it comes and goes
As this love comes and goes.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Anne Dudley, Gary Langan, Jonathan Jeczalik, Paul Morley, Trevor Horn
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.