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
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hmm, mm, bah bah-da bah, bah bah bah bah
Oh, sometimes I go walking through fields where we walked
Long ago in the sweet used to be
And the flowers still grow, but they don't smell as sweet
As they did when you picked them for me
And when I think of you and the love we once knew
How I wish we could go back in time
Do you ever think back on old memories like that
Or do I ever cross your mind?
Mm
Hmm, mm, bah bah-da bah, bah bah bah bah
Oh, how often I wish that again I could kiss
Your sweet lips like I did long ago (so long ago)
And how often I've long for those two loving arms
That once held me so gentle and close (so close)
And when I think of you and the love we once knew
How I wish we could go back in time (go back in time)
Do you ever think back on old memories like that
Or do I ever cross your mind?
When old memories appear, my eyes won't stay clear
When I think of those happier times (happier times)
Do you ever recall these old memories at all
Or do I ever cross your mind?
Do you ever think back on old memories like that
Or do I ever cross your mind?
Mm, mm, bah bah-da bah, bah bah bah bah
(Pretty dang good)
In "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind," Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris sing about the memories and longing for past love. The first verse sets the scene of the singer walking through fields they used to walk with their lover, but now everything seems different. Even though the flowers still grow, they don't have the same sweet smell as when the lover picked them for the singer. The chorus reveals the core of the song's message: the singer wishes they could go back in time to the love they once knew and wonders if their former lover feels the same way or if they ever think back on old memories.
The second verse deepens the longing and asks if the lover ever wakes up lonely in the middle of the night missing the singer. The lyrics evoke a sense of the singer's desire to be with their lover again and wondering if the lover feels the same way. The final chorus emphasizes the same sentiment, adding the singer's wonderment of whether they ever cross their lover's mind.
Overall, the song's message is a universal one: the longing for a past love and the wistful feelings of memories shared together. The melancholic tune and emotional lyrics make the song a touching reminder of how love and relationships can endure beyond their ending.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, sometimes I go walking through fields where we walked
Sometimes I revisit familiar places where we once walked together
Long ago in the sweet used to be
It was a time in the past when life was more pleasant
And the flowers still grow, but they don't smell as sweet
The present is not as fulfilling as the past used to be
As they did when you picked them for me
You were there to share the beauty of nature with me
And when I think of you and the love we once knew
I often reminisce about our previous affection
How I wish we could go back in time
I wish we could rekindle our romance and return to the past
Do you ever think back on old memories like that
Do you have similar recollections and feelings about our past?
Or do I ever cross your mind
Do I ever come to mind when you think about the past?
Do you ever wake up lonely in the middle of the night
Do you ever feel lonely and yearn for my companionship in the dead of night?
Because you miss me, do you darling
Because you long for me and the relationship we shared, my love?
Oh, and do your memories ever take
Do past events come back to you, triggering particular memories?
You back into another place in time
Do you feel like you're in another era, filled with affection and love with me?
And do you ever miss the feelings
Do you long for the emotions that we experienced together?
And the love we shared when you were with me, do you darling?
Do you think back on the love and affection we had for each other?
Or do I ever cross your mind
Do I come to mind when you reflect on our relationship?
Oh, how often I wish that again I could kiss
How I yearn for the ability to express my affection through physical gestures like kissing once again
Your sweet lips like I did long ago
To feel your tender lips against mine, just as it was years ago
And how often I long for those two loving arms
I crave the warmth and love that your embrace once gave me
That once held me so gentle and close
Your tender embrace was once an essential source of comfort and happiness for me
I just wonder do I cross your mind
I'm curious if my memories ever come to mind when you think back to the past
Oh, Do I ever cross your mind?
Do thoughts of me ever enter your mind, my love?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fenigard2872
She is exceptionally unique talent. She lightens my life when ever I play her songs
@appleheadjackson3524
Dolly's voice makes me so happy and want to cry. She's so special and amazing. I'll probably never get the chance to meet this beautiful soul but I do appreciate the great music and lighting up my world more than she'll ever know. There will never be another Dolly Parton a true jewel. ♥️♥️♥️♥️
@angelabucknor4981
Same sentiments her.She is so lovely. Her singing makes you happy and want to cry at the same time.
@kimutaiboit8516
Me too. I'll travel to see her before I see the Ka'ba in Mecca. So help me God.
@lauramartinez7057
I feel like if she was in my life, I’d always be hugging her! Does that sound weird?
@beckyanderson5014
Same here.. I love her like crazy, love her songs, voice and everything! Queen Dolly forever
@beckyanderson5014
I wish I could meet her... how I love her music please 💖
@kenarms4364
Quite simply an American treasure. She deserves every award and accolade she has ever earned including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
@MrAndreferrari
2020
Who's with me
@kelly50
Me!