Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S… Read Full Bio ↴Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S.) is an American country singer, songwriter, composer, producer, entrepreneur, author and actress.

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

Cry Cry Darlin
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cry, cry darling, that's what I'll do
If you should leave me with the blues
Cry, cry, darling that's all I do
'Cause you're the one that's in my heart.

For me there'll be no moonlight
If ever we should part
Cry, cry, darling, that's all I do

'Cause you're the one that's in my heart.

Cry, cry darling, my eyes will cry
And never dry if you should go
Cry, cry darling, when shadows creep
I'll just weep all night I know.

You know how much I'd miss you
If ever we should part
Cry, cry darling, that's all I do
'Cause you're the one that's in my heart.

Cry, cry darling, that's what I do
'Cause you're the one that's in my heart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Cry Cry Darling" are about the desperation and sadness of a person in a relationship who is afraid of being left by their loved one. The singer is warning their partner that they will cry and be overwhelmed with sadness if they ever leave. The lyrics are a bit repetitive, but that drives home the point that the singer is completely consumed by their love and will be devastated if it does not work out. The song highlights the vulnerability that we all experience in relationships, and the depth of emotion that can come from both the joy and the pain of loving someone.

The song is a great example of traditional country music, with its simple melodies and lyrics that are easy to sing along with. It is a slow and sad ballad that gives the singer a lot of room to showcase their vocal abilities. Dolly Parton's voice is at its best in this song, with her impressive range and emotional delivery making the listener feel the pain of the lyrics. The song's instrumentation is also noteworthy, with its gentle guitar strumming and mournful harmonica adding to the melancholy vibe.

Line by Line Meaning

Cry, cry darling, that's what I'll do
I will cry endlessly

If you should leave me with the blues
If you leave me sad and lonely

Cry, cry, darling that's all I do
All I do is cry

'Cause you're the one that's in my heart.
Because you hold a special place in my heart

For me there'll be no moonlight
I will be in darkness

If ever we should part
If we ever break up

Cry, cry, darling, that's all I do
All I do is cry

'Cause you're the one that's in my heart.
Because you hold a special place in my heart

Cry, cry darling, my eyes will cry
My eyes will weep

And never dry if you should go
And never stop if you leave me

Cry, cry darling, when shadows creep
Cry when darkness falls