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
Halos and Horns
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
Hearts that are torn between what's wrong and ain't
Just because it feels right does not make it so
So we struggle through life in horns and halos
Tempted and tried with each step we take
Ask God to forgive us for all of our sins,
Then we take off our horns and wear halos again
Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
Hearts that are torn between what's wrong and ain't
Just because it feels right does not make it so
So we struggle through life in horns and halos
Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns
Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
Hearts that are torn between what's wrong and ain't
But just because it feels right; well, that don't make it so
So we struggle through life in horns or halos
It's either horns or halos
Dolly Parton's "Halos and Horns" is a contemplative song that explores the duality of human nature. The song recognizes that although people may be labeled as sinners or saints, we all possess both halos and horns. On one hand, we strive to do good and wear our halos, but on the other hand, we can be tempted and fall into sin, putting on our horns. The lyrics touch on the struggle we face every day as we try to balance what feels right against what is actually right.
The song acknowledges that making mistakes is part of being human. We stumble, we slide, and we ask for forgiveness, taking off our horns and trying to be better people. However, the song recognizes that the struggle continues throughout our lives. We are constantly tempted and tried, and we continue to wear our halos and horns as we try to navigate the complexities of the world.
Overall, "Halos and Horns" is a song of introspection that reminds us that we are all imperfect humans trying to do our best. It is a reminder that we should seek forgiveness when we make mistakes and strive to balance our halos and horns throughout our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
Life is a mixture of good and bad, and we all have our share of virtues and vices.
Hearts that are torn between what's wrong and ain't
We face moral dilemmas and often find it difficult to decide between right and wrong.
Just because it feels right does not make it so
Our emotions and impulses can deceive us, and we need to use reason and judgment to make good choices.
So we struggle through life in horns and halos
We continually face challenges and temptations and strive to balance our flaws and strengths.
Tempted and tried with each step we take
Our path is full of obstacles and difficulties, and we must overcome them to grow and learn.
We stumble and slide and make our mistakes,
We are bound to err sometimes and learn from our failures and setbacks.
Ask God to forgive us for all of our sins,
We seek spiritual guidance and redemption for our wrongdoings and shortcomings.
Then we take off our horns and wear halos again
We try to make amends and improve ourselves, seeking to be virtuous and righteous.
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
We face judgment and criticism from others and may feel defeated or discouraged at times.
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
We face obstacles and difficulties from the beginning of our life, and it is a constant struggle to grow and thrive.
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
We strive to maintain a balance between our virtues and flaws, seeking to be good and decent human beings.
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns
Our choices determine the kind of person we become and the fate that awaits us in the afterlife or even in this life.
It's either horns or halos
We choose every day between our evil or good side, the horns or halos that we carry within ourselves.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tobias Dubose
I've been listening to Dolly for years and years. I never could understand why this album never was on Spotify until 2020. It's such an amazing album to listen to, especially if you like bluegrass and mountain music.
lee bee
When my dad died this album helped me get through that bad moment. Not listened to it for nearly 15 years until now xx
Jesse Meador
Me neither buddy, I'm glad it's on there now though. My teacher produced this album lol I've wanted to hear it for ages
Emilina Ward
Used to fall asleep to this album when I was younger! Completely forgotten about it until now.
Sherry Johnson
Sorry to hear of the passing of your brother Dolly. May he rest in peace.
Sherry Johnson
I just can't get enough of Dolly and her music
I 💘 Dolly
Marty Beckman
I am here looking for a song I used to call the 2 minute warning the words start at 2 minutes in the song just don't remember the name but it is by dolly I found it !!! Song Called: Dagger Through The Heart those words really starts at 2:36
Bryan Mathew
Luv 🌈DolLy ALso ALWAYS HApPyS@Her❤️TuneS.
martin j krumm
Hey this is pretty good, nice and moving. If this is Dolly I'm talking to, how long ago did you write this, if you did?
annerozes7
Very true. Love the tune.