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
God Won
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wakin' up I wish that I could sleep and dream again
'Cause only in my dreams can I know how it might have been
But cheaters never win, their heartaches never end
But sometimes I get crazy as lovers often do
Trying to please him and wondering if she's pleasin' you
Though they have ever right to any part of us they choose
Torn between two lovers on the jukebox
I'm thinkin' how I could have wrote that song
Wonderin' if God loves us when we're cheatin'
Oh, but why he lets us feel things if it's wrong
And I guess I should be singin' "Rock of Ages"
"Amazing Grace" and some of those good songs
But my cheatin' heart will tell on me tomorrow
If you think that God won't get you, well you're wrong
Thou shalt not commit, it's written in the ten
The spirit's always willin', but the flesh is weak again
And you're as close to heaven as I might ever fly
And angel in disguise
A wrong that feels so right
Torn between two lovers just keeps playing
I don't want to be right if lovin' you is wrong
I'm wonderin' if God loves us when we're cheatin'
Oh, but why we have to feel things if it's so wrong
And I guess I should be singin' "Rock of Ages"
"Amazing Grace" and some of those good songs
But my cheatin' heart will tell on me tomorrow
If you think that God won't get you, well you're wrong
My cheatin' heart will tell on me tomorrow
If you think that God won't get you, well you're wrong
The lyrics of Dolly Parton’s song “God Won” delve into the complexities of cheating, the ethical and moral dilemmas that accompany it, and the fear of divine retribution. The song opens with the singer lamenting about the moments when she wakes up from a dream where she is holding her lover close to her skin, wishing she could sleep and dream again as only in her dreams can she experience the pleasure of being with her lover. She acknowledges that cheaters never win and their heartaches never end, expressing her regret at the choices she’s made.
Parton then explores the turmoil of being torn between two lovers, trying to please both while questioning if they are being pleased in return. She alludes to the jukebox playing “Torn Between Two Lovers,” a song that perfectly captures her predicament. The singer wonders if God loves them despite the deception and the pain they are causing. She reflects on the idea that if it is so wrong, then why do they have to feel things at all?
The song then concludes with the singer acknowledging her wrongdoing while feeling an intense connection to her lover, admitting that it feels “so wrong, and yet so right.” She understands that what she’s doing is against the Ten Commandments and that she will eventually be held accountable for her actions by God. However, she is still willing to continue because the temptation is too strong to resist.
Overall, Parton’s “God Won” is a melancholic, introspective song about the complexities of cheating and the moral dilemmas that accompany it. It is a reminder of the consequences of our actions and the importance of taking responsibility for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes in my sleep I hold you close against my skin
Dreaming of you, I hold you tight in my arms
Wakin' up I wish that I could sleep and dream again
When I wake up, I wish I could keep dreaming
'Cause only in my dreams can I know how it might have been
I can only imagine what it would be like to be with you
But cheaters never win, their heartaches never end
Cheating only leads to pain and heartbreak in the end
But sometimes I get crazy as lovers often do
In the throes of passion, I may act irrationally
Trying to please him and wondering if she's pleasin' you
I try to make you happy, but worry that you might prefer someone else
Though they have ever right to any part of us they choose
Others may have a right to us, but my heart belongs to you
I still live just for you and our secret rendezvous
My life revolves around you and our hidden meetings
Torn between two lovers on the jukebox
A song about being torn between two lovers plays on the jukebox
I'm thinkin' how I could have wrote that song
I wonder how the songwriter knew exactly how I feel
Wonderin' if God loves us when we're cheatin'
I question whether God still loves us despite our actions
Oh, but why he lets us feel things if it's wrong
If cheating is so wrong, why do we have such strong feelings for each other?
And I guess I should be singin' "Rock of Ages"
I should be singing religious songs instead
"Amazing Grace" and some of those good songs
Songs of forgiveness and redemption
But my cheatin' heart will tell on me tomorrow
I know my guilty conscience will catch up with me eventually
If you think that God won't get you, well you're wrong
You can't escape the consequences of your actions, even from God
Thou shalt not commit, it's written in the ten
The Ten Commandments forbid adultery
The spirit's always willin', but the flesh is weak again
I may want to do the right thing, but temptation is too strong
And you're as close to heaven as I might ever fly
Being with you is like being in paradise
And angel in disguise
You are like an angel in human form
A wrong that feels so right
Our affair is morally wrong, but it feels so good
Torn between two lovers just keeps playing
The song about being torn between two lovers continues to play
I don't want to be right if lovin' you is wrong
I don't care if it's wrong, I will keep loving you
My cheatin' heart will tell on me tomorrow
I know that my deception will be exposed eventually
If you think that God won't get you, well you're wrong
You can't escape the punishment for your wrongdoing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrZebraFinch
I used to sing this song to myself when i was feeling down, Dolly has to be the most amazing 'Heart Toucher' in the entertainment industry, awesome :)
Renda Lee
Dolly your voice is so beautiful and your lyrics are right to the heart of the matter. Thank you.
Helena Jackson
Love this song. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.
dollyaddict
Great Lyrics! Dolly is a Natural Born Storyteller...
Wayne White
This is a very good song. Dolly at one of best of all times.
Dave Wollenberg
Dolly hit #10 in Billboard, 12-1-84. God bless ya, sister Dolly!
teriw56
Dolly is anointed
Kelly P
one of my top 5 songs out of the 3000 in odd out here of the great dolly!
kibye wanjiru
i love Dolly Parton she is a great singer;- God bless you Dolly
amsterdam19601
awesome song