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
Great Balls Of Fire
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much love can drive a girl insane
You broke my will oh but what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
I like that love cause i thought it was funny
You came along and you move me honey
I change my mind this love is sure fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
[Chorus]
Ooh kiss me baby, ooh it feels good
Ooh hold me, hold me, i would love to love you
Like a lover should
'cause you're fine, and so kind
I tell the world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails and i twiddle my thumbs
I'm real nervous but it sure is fun
You broke my will but i love you still and
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Ooh kiss my baby, ooh it feels good, ooh hold me
Baby, you ought to love me like a lover should
'cause you're fine, and so kind
I tell this world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine
I love that you love cause i thought it was funny
You came along and you move me honey
I change my mind, this love is sure fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Kiss me baby, ooh it feels good
Ooh hold me, hold me
You ought to love me like a lover should
'cause you're fine and so kind
I tell the world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails and i twiddle my thumbs
I sure am nervous
But i'm sure havin' fun
I change my mind, this love is sure fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, you broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
You broke my will but i love you still
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
In Dolly Parton's version of "Great Balls of Fire," she sings about the intensity of being in love. The opening lines, "You shake my nerves and rattle my brain," liken love to something that is so powerful that it can make a person feel physically and mentally overwhelmed. She then goes on to say that "Too much love can drive a girl insane," which speaks to the idea that when love is so intense, it can be difficult to manage one's emotions. Even when her will is broken by the love she feels, she describes the experience as a thrill. In the chorus, Parton continues to express the physical sensations of being in love when she sings, "Ooh kiss me baby, ooh it feels good," and "ooh hold me, hold me, I would love to love you like a lover should."
These lyrics are quite straightforward and convey the message that love can be intense and almost overpowering. However, what sets this song apart is the unique way that Parton communicates this message. Her twangy voice and spirited delivery give the song an upbeat and playful feel, which is particularly evident in the chorus. The repeated use of the phrase "Goodness gracious great balls of fire" adds to this playful tone and helps to make the song memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
You excite me so much that I can't contain my emotions
Too much love can drive a girl insane
Intense love can be overwhelming and cause a person to lose control of their thoughts and behavior
You broke my will oh but what a thrill
You overpowered my self-control and it was an exhilarating experience
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Expressing the intensity of the emotions felt, like a fire burning inside
I like that love cause i thought it was funny
I was amused by the idea of love, and thought it was entertaining
You came along and you move me honey
You entered my life and made me feel deeply attracted to you
I change my mind this love is sure fine
I initially had doubts about this love, but now I see how great it is
Ooh kiss me baby, ooh it feels good
I desire physical affection and it brings me pleasure
Ooh hold me, hold me, i would love to love you
Like a lover should
I desire physical intimacy and a deeper emotional connection with you
'cause you're fine and so kind
I tell the world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine
I find you attractive and appreciative of me, and want to proclaim to everyone that you are my partner
I chew my nails and i twiddle my thumbs
I'm real nervous but it sure is fun
I am anxious about this intense love, but also find it thrilling and enjoyable
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, you broke my will, but what a thrill
Repeating the excitement and lack of control experienced when first encountering this love
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Repeating the intensity of emotions felt, like a burning fire inside
You broke my will but i love you still
Despite losing self-control, I still feel deeply in love with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Hammer, Otis Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jakobwhaleart
She's an actual angel. Life wouldn't be the same if she hadn't made it and we wouldn't be able to witness this living heavenly being.
@jakobwhaleart
You can just tell how much she loves what she does. Her joy is contagious!
@gavingambuzza1824
Can’t believe how no one has mentioned how good the back up band was on this song
@mj6962
Love love love it! Specially the 70’s snd 80’s switching/effects and directing!
@dollyparton3712
Thanks for the comment, I hope you will never stop listening to my music... Contact me on my private cell/email (+1 323 419 2064) Email dollyparton455@gmail.com
@markroberts3843
We love you Dolly!!!!
@craigbrown9029
One of my favourite songs of the album, been loving it since 1979 when it first came out. Dolly the number 1 singer to the soundtrack of my life, I'm 55 now and to see the career this girl has had wow.
@dollyparton3712
Thanks for the comment, I hope you will never stop listening to my music..... Contact me on my private cell/email (+1 323 419 2064) Email dollyparton455@gmail.com
@dollyparton8857
Awwww thanks so much for your love and care towards my music you’re such a huge fan and I promise you I will always call it a country 🥰🥰🥰🥰 that’s my private number you can chat me up (615) 486-4570 I hope it’s safe with you
@funkleyy
love her squeaky tones 😍🥰 to bad it's to hard for her to do those now 😪 She's still great even her age today 🥰