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
Full Circle
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've seen me done up, seen me come undone
We've cried in the darkness, we've laughed in the sun
We've been forever, yet we've just begun
We've come full circle, all the way 'round
Through the good times and bad times, through life's ups and downs
Still we've stayed together through thick and through thin
And you know the soft spots under my skin
Deep down inside me, where no one has been
We've sailed troubled waters, we've soared on the wind
But time's only sweetened this love that we're in
And we've come full circle, all the way 'round
Through the good times and bad times, through life's ups and downs
Still we've stayed together through thick and through thin
Yes, we've come full circle, thank God, we're still friends
We've cried in the darkness, laughed in the sun
We've come full circle and we've just begun
We've come full circle, we've been all the way 'round
(We've come full circle)
We've come full circle, we've been all the way 'round
You know we've cried in the darkness and we've laughed in the sun
(We've come full circle, we've been all the way 'round)
But we've stayed together and we've just begun
(We've come full circle, we've been all the way 'round)
I'm so glad you're still my friend
(We've come full circle, we've been all the way 'round)
We've come full circle
Dolly Parton's song Full Circle is essentially an ode to friendship. The first verse talks about the different sides of the singer her friend has seen her in, from her most vulnerable to the most put-together. They've experienced ups and downs throughout life, but have come full circle and remained friends through thick and thin.
In the second verse, the singer talks about the deep emotional bond she and her friend share. They've been through tough times together, but have also enjoyed moments of happiness and growth. The passage of time only strengthens their friendship, making it even more special.
The chorus of the song highlights the full circle nature of their friendship, encapsulating all the ups and downs they've gone through together. Despite it all, they've remained close, and the singer expresses her gratitude for the unbreakable bond they share.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to the enduring nature of true friendship.
Line by Line Meaning
You've seen me naked in more ways than one
You've seen me at my most vulnerable, exposed and honest self, in many different aspects of my life.
You've seen me done up, seen me come undone
You've seen me at my best and my worst, in many different situations and circumstances.
We've cried in the darkness, we've laughed in the sun
We've experienced both the highs and lows of life together, shared deep emotional moments as well as happy ones.
We've been forever, yet we've just begun
Our friendship has lasted a long time and feels like it will continue forever, yet we still have so much more to experience together.
We've come full circle, all the way 'round
We've experienced everything that life has to offer, and we've come back to where we started, with each other by our side.
Through the good times and bad times, through life's ups and downs
Our friendship has endured through all kinds of situations and challenges, both positive and negative.
Still we've stayed together through thick and through thin
Despite all the obstacles we've faced, we've remained steadfast and loyal to each other.
Yes, we've come full circle, thank God, we're still friends
Our friendship has been through so much, but we're grateful to have each other and to be able to call ourselves friends.
And you know the soft spots under my skin
You understand my weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the parts of me that I might not show to others.
Deep down inside me, where no one has been
You know me better than anyone else, and have seen parts of me that no one else has seen before.
We've sailed troubled waters, we've soared on the wind
Our friendship has weathered difficult times and experienced great joys.
But time's only sweetened this love that we're in
As time has passed, our friendship has only grown stronger and more meaningful.
We've come full circle and we've just begun
We've experienced so much in our friendship already, but we still have so much more to look forward to and share together.
I'm so glad you're still my friend
I am grateful to have you in my life and to be able to call you my friend.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAC DAVIS, DOLLY PARTON
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.