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
Cruel War
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be with him from morning till night
I want to be with him, it grieves my heart so
"Won't you let me go with you?", "No, my love no."
Tomorrow is Sunday, Monday is the day
That your captain will call you and you must obey
Your captain will call you, it grieves my heart so
I'll tie back my hair; men's clothing I'll put on
I'll pass as your comrade as we march along
I'll pass as your comrade, no one will ever know.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "No, my love no."
Oh Johnny, oh Johnny, I fear you are unkind
I love you far better than all of mankind
I love you far better than words can e'er express.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "Yes, my love yes..."
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's song "Cruel War" narrate the story of a woman, clearly in love with a man named Johnny, who is fighting in a brutal war. The woman is passionate about joining Johnny in the war, being together from morning till night. However, Johnny is reluctant to let the woman go since he knows the horrors of war, and he wouldn't want his love to be a part of it. The woman is persistent, becoming more agitated and heartbroken, even as she acknowledges that she may not be able to change Johnny's mind. Her conviction about joining him's expressed even to the extent of pretending to be a man, and her undying love for him is evident in the chorus, "Oh Johnny, oh Johnny, I fear you are unkind, I love you far better than all of mankind."
The song is set during the civil war, where thousands lost their lives, and love was the only consolation that soldiers had during those trying times. This song further highlights the nature of the war and the role of women who had to accept their men going to war, as well as their bravery and determination to fight alongside them.
Line by Line Meaning
The cruel war is raging, Johnny has to fight
The ongoing war is brutal, and as per the rule, Johnny has to leave and fight in it.
I want to be with him from morning till night
I want to be with him every moment of the day, supporting and being his companion.
I want to be with him, it grieves my heart so
It pains my heart that I cannot be with him in these harsh times.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "No, my love no."
When I express my desire to accompany him, Johnny refuses, which breaks my heart.
Tomorrow is Sunday, Monday is the day
The days are passing, and soon Johnny will have to leave for battle on Monday.
That your captain will call you and you must obey
Johnny's superiors will call him out for orders and he needs to comply with them.
Your captain will call you, it grieves my heart so
It saddens me to know that Johnny has to leave and obey his commander.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "No, my love no."
Despite my plea to join him, Johnny doesn't allow me to come along.
I'll tie back my hair; men's clothing I'll put on
To accompany Johnny, I'm willing to transform myself by tying up my hair and putting on masculine clothes.
I'll pass as your comrade as we march along
I'll disguise myself as Johnny's fellow soldier to support him through these challenging times.
I'll pass as your comrade, no one will ever know.
I'll blend in with the soldiers, and no one around us will discover my true identity.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "No, my love no."
Even after all the efforts I put forth, Johnny still denies my request to join him.
Oh Johnny, oh Johnny, I fear you are unkind
I think Johnny is being unkind by not allowing me to be with him in his time of need.
I love you far better than all of mankind
Despite my fears, I express my love for Johnny, which is unbound by the limitations of the world.
I love you far better than words can e'er express.
I can't express in words how much I love Johnny, and how much it means to me to be by his side.
"Won't you let me go with you?", "Yes, my love yes..."
Finally, Johnny accepts my request, and I'll be joining him in his fight for our country.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeremyreagan9085
I sing and play this on my fiddle it is a lovely tune.
@mariamerikivi4226
Lovely song!❤❤❤ Youre the best!
@irinakarpova1073
No war!
@majiddaraoui935
l'love this song 🎶🎵🎸🌹🌹
@jimohfrancis3585
Being remind of the past
@tea4life430
What year was this song made (For school)
@joshwachartrand8121
The album "Those Were The Days" were released 2005 but recorded during 2004-2005
@lennybuttz2162
A lot of people say it's from the civil war but some people say it goes back to the revolutionary war. Who knows maybe it goes back even further to a war in Ireland because a lot of our early music came from Ireland.