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
Dumb Blonde
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't try to lie or I'll catch you in it
Don't try to make me feel sorry for you
Just because I'm blonde
Don't think I'm dumb
'Cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool
When you left you thought I'd sitAn' you thought I'd wait
An' you thought I'd cry
You called me a dumb blonde (dumb blonde)
Ah, but somehow I lived through it
And you know if there's one thing this blonde has learned
Blondes have more fun
You flew too high off of the ground
It's stormy weather an' had to come back down
But I've found new thread for my old spool
Just because I'm blonde
Don't think I'm dumb
'Cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool
When you left you thought I'd sit
An' you thought I'd wait
An' you thought I'd cry
You called me a dumb blonde (dumb blonde)
Ah, but somehow I lived through it
And you know if there's one thing this blonde has learned
Blondes have more fun
You flew too high off of the ground
It's stormy weather an' had to come back down
But I've found new thread for my old spool
Just because I'm blonde
Don't think I'm dumb
'Cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool
Dolly Parton's "Dumb Blonde" is a song about a woman who has been underestimated for her blonde hair and is letting her ex-lover know that she is not as naive as he may have thought. The song is an anthem for anyone who has ever been judged or disregarded based on their appearance or stereotypes. The song's lyrics have a strong message of empowerment and assertiveness, with Parton warning her ex not to try to manipulate her emotions or deceive her.
The first verse addresses the ex-lover directly, with Parton warning him not to try to cry or lie his way out of their situation. She tells him not to expect sympathy from her just because she is blonde, and to not assume that she is unintelligent. She asserts that although she may be blonde, she is not a fool. The chorus repeats this sentiment, with Parton singing, "Just because I'm blonde, don't think I'm dumb, 'cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool." The second verse adds more detail to the story, with Parton recounting how her ex expected her to just sit and wait for him to return, but she moved on and found joy regardless.
Overall, "Dumb Blonde" is a song about female empowerment and breaking free of expectations based on a superficial characteristic like hair color. It encourages listeners to not let others define them and to assert their own intelligence and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't try to cry your way out of this
Don't attempt to manipulate the situation through tears or emotion.
Don't try to lie or I'll catch you in it
Don't attempt to deceive or fabricate false stories, as the truth will eventually come out.
Don't try to make me feel sorry for you
Don't appeal to sympathy or pity to gain an advantage.
Just because I'm blond
The artist has blonde hair, but this fact does not equate to being naive or unintelligent.
Don't think I'm dumb
The artist is warning against making assumptions based on appearances or stereotypes.
'Cause this dumb blond ain't nobody's fool
The singer knows her worth and refuses to be taken advantage of.
When you left you thought I'd sit
The singer's former partner believed that she would patiently wait for their return.
An' you thought I'd wait
The artist's former partner believed that she was passive and lacked the initiative to move forward.
An' you thought I'd cry
The artist's former partner believed that she was emotionally fragile and would be devastated by their departure.
You called me a dumb blond
The artist's former partner belittled her intelligence and capabilities, solely based on her appearance.
Ah, but somehow I lived through it
Despite the challenges, the singer survived and thrived without their partner.
And you know if there's one thing this blond has learned
The artist has gained insight and wisdom from this experience.
Blonds have more fun
The singer is embracing their unique qualities, including their blonde hair, and finding joy in life.
You flew too high up off the ground
The former partner's arrogance and overconfidence led to their downfall.
It's stormy weather an' had to come back down
The former partner faced challenges and difficulties and ultimately returned to the singer.
But I've found a new thread for my old spool
The artist has moved on and found a new purpose or direction in life.
Just because I'm blond
Reiterating that their hair color does not define their intelligence or worth.
Don't think I'm dumb
The singer is not to be underestimated or undervalued based on their appearance.
'Cause this dumb blond ain't nobody's fool
The singer is confident and self-assured, refusing to be taken advantage of or underestimated.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Curly Putman
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.