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
Golden Streets Of Glory
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Glory to His name, oh, holy, holy
There's a city where the streets are paved in gold
A land where the milk and the honey flow
And a mansion which for me
'Cause my bible tells the story
I just hope my feet are clean enough
Green meadows where the little children play
No sorrow there, just one long happy day
And none will litter there except the pure and the holy
I just hope my feet are clean enough
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
And when I've reached my journey's end
And if I'm worthy to go in
Golden streets of glory, I walk on
And the golden streets of my new home
Will lead me up to the master's throne
With the angel band I'll sing
Glory to His name, oh, holy, holy
I just hope my feet are clean enough
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
Hallelujah, I just hope my feet are clean enough
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
And when I've reached my journey's end
And if I'm worthy to go in
Golden streets of glory, I'll walk on
And the golden streets of my new home
Will lead me up to the master's throne
With the angel band I'll sing
Glory to His name, oh, holy, holy
I just hope my feet are clean enough
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
Hallelujah, I just hope my feet are clean enough
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
Dolly Parton's song "Golden Streets of Glory" is a hymn about the Christian belief in a heavenly afterlife. The lyrics describe a city with streets made of gold, where the milk and honey flow and mansions are waiting for those who deserve them. The idea of heaven is painted as a place of eternal happiness, without any pain or sorrow.
The lyrics also touch on the concept of purity and worthiness, as the singer worries if their feet are clean enough to walk on the golden streets. It expresses the fear of not being good enough to receive the heavenly reward, but also a hope that their faith and good deeds will be enough to earn them a place in heaven.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the Christian belief in the afterlife, and the hope of being rewarded for a life of faith and good deeds.
Line by Line Meaning
Glory to His name, oh, holy, holy
Praising and worshiping God in reverence and awe.
There's a city where the streets are paved in gold
Describing the beauty of the heavenly city.
A land where the milk and the honey flow
Depicting a prosperous and abundant land.
And a mansion which for me
Assuming that there is a place prepared for the singer in heaven.
'Cause my bible tells the story
Believing in the teachings of the Bible about heaven and eternal life.
I just hope my feet are clean enough
Expressing a desire to live a righteous and pure life to be able to enter heaven.
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
Desiring to experience the beauty and splendor of heaven.
Green meadows where the little children play
Depicting a peaceful and joyful atmosphere in heaven.
No sorrow there, just one long happy day
Emphasizing the absence of pain and suffering in heaven.
And none will litter there except the pure and the holy
Specifying that only those who lived a righteous life will enter heaven.
And when I've reached my journey's end
Referring to the end of the singer's life.
And if I'm worthy to go in
Acknowledging that entering heaven is conditional based on living a righteous life.
Golden streets of glory, I'll walk on
Affirming the singer's desire to enter and walk on the golden streets of heaven.
And the golden streets of my new home
Referring to how the singer sees heaven as a new and better home.
Will lead me up to the master's throne
Describing the singer's belief in being able to meet and worship God in heaven.
With the angel band I'll sing
Believing in the presence of angels in heaven, and the joy of singing praises to God together with them.
Hallelujah, I just hope my feet are clean enough
Expressing praise and hope to live a pure life to enter heaven and sing praises with the angel band.
To walk upon the golden streets of glory
Reiterating the singer's desire to experience the beauty and magnificence of heaven.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: 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.