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
D-i-v-o-r-c-e
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So we spell out the words we don't want him to understand
Like T-O-why or maybe S-you-are-P-are-I-S-E
But the words we're hiding from him now
Tear the heart right out of me
Our D-I-V-O-are-see-E becomes final today
Me and little J-O-E will be goin' away
Oh, I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-are-see-E
Watch him smile, he thinks it's Christmas
Or his 5th Birthday and he thinks see-you-S-T-O-D-why spells fun or play
I spell out all the hurtin' words and turn my head when I speak
'Cause I can't spell away this hurt that's drippin' down my cheek
Our D-I-V-O-are-see-E becomes final today
Me and little J-O-E will be goin' away
I love you both and this will be pure H-E double L for me
Oh, I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-are-see-E
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song D.I.V.O.R.C.E. tell a story of a couple who are going through a divorce and have a four-year-old son, named Little J-O-E. The parents are trying to protect him from the pain and sadness of their situation, so they spell out certain words that they don't want him to understand. However, the act of spelling out the word "divorce" is particularly difficult for the singer, as it tears her heart out. As she talks about the impending divorce, she expresses how much she loves both her son and her husband, but feels that this divorce will be a living hell for her.
The song portrays the pain and sadness that often accompanies divorce, especially when children are involved. The singer is not only dealing with the loss of her marriage, but also the upheaval and potential pain that her son will experience as a result of the separation. She wishes that things could be different and that they could stop the divorce from happening.
Overall, the lyrics to D.I.V.O.R.C.E. contain a poignant and emotional message about the difficulties of going through a divorce, especially with young children involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Our little boy is four years old and quite a little man
Despite his young age, our son is growing up and becoming more mature every day.
So we spell out the words we don't want him to understand
To protect him from the pain of our divorce, we spell out certain words so that he won't overhear and feel upset.
Like T-O-why or maybe S-you-are-P-are-I-S-E
We often spell out words like 'divorce' or 'separate' so that our son won't be scared or saddened by them.
But the words we're hiding from him now tear the heart right out of me
Even though we're trying to protect our son, the reality of our situation is painful and heartbreaking for both of us.
Our D-I-V-O-are-see-E becomes final today
Today, our divorce becomes official and legal.
Me and little J-O-E will be goin' away
As a result of the divorce, our son and I will be moving out.
I love you both and this will be pure H-E double L for me
Despite the love I have for my family, this divorce will be incredibly difficult and painful for me to endure.
Oh, I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-are-see-E
I wish that we could find a way to save our marriage and stay together for the sake of our family.
Watch him smile, he thinks it's Christmas
Our son is happy and innocent, unaware of the turmoil and sadness surrounding our divorce.
Or his 5th Birthday and he thinks see-you-S-T-O-D-why spells fun or play
To our son, spelling out words seems like a fun and silly game, but to us, it represents the pain of our separation.
I spell out all the hurtin' words and turn my head when I speak
To avoid causing our son emotional distress, I spell out difficult words and try to hide my own pain when we talk about the divorce.
'Cause I can't spell away this hurt that's drippin' down my cheek
No matter how hard I try to protect my son from the pain of our divorce, I can't help but feel my own sadness and heartbreak.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL ARNOLD KAMEN
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.