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
Harper Valley P.T.A
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter
That attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon
And didn't even stop to play
And she said, "mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA"
You're wearin' your dresses way too high
It's been reported you've been drinking
And running round with men and goin' wild
Now we don't believe you ought to be bringin' up
Your little girl this way"
And it was signed by the Secretary
Harper Valley PTA
Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet
That very afternoon
And, boy, were they surprised
When Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard
I can still recall the words she had to say
She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA
Now, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there
And seven times he's asked me for a date
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lotta ice
Whenever he's away
And Mr. Baker, can you tell us why
Your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep
Her window shades all pulled completely down?
Now, Mr. Harper couldn't be here
'Cause he stayed too long at Kelly's Bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath
You'll find she's had a little nip of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me
As a mother, you think that I ain't fit
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place
And you're all Harper Valley hypocrites"
Now, I wouldn't put you on because it really did
It happened just this way
That day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
That day my mama socked it 'em at the Harper Valley PTA
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's song "Harper Valley P.T.A" tell the story of a widowed housewife named Mrs. Johnson and her teenage daughter who attends Harper Valley Junior High. One day, the daughter comes home with a note from the Harper Valley P.T.A, criticizing Mrs. Johnson's behavior, saying that she’s wearing her clothes too high, drinking, going wild, and not raising her daughter properly.
Mrs. Johnson then attends a meeting of the P.T.A and confronts them about their hypocrisy. She calls out Bobby Taylor for constantly asking her out, Mrs. Taylor for using too much ice whenever her husband is away, Mr. Baker for his secretary leaving town, and widow Jones for not keeping her window shades closed. She even accuses the P.T.A of being a little Peyton Place and Harper Valley hypocrites.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to tell you all the story 'bout
I would like to share with you the tale about
A Harper Valley widowed wife
A woman who is a widow and resides in Harper Valley
Who had a teenage daughter
That had a daughter who was a teenager
That attended Harper Valley Junior High
And this daughter went to the local school called Harper Valley Junior High
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon
One day, her daughter returned home in the afternoon
And didn't even stop to play
And didn't waste any time playing or lingering
And she said, "mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA"
She told her mother, "Mom, I received a note from the Harper Valley Parent-Teacher Association"
Well, the note said, "Mrs. Johnson
The note read, "Dear Mrs. Johnson,
You're wearin' your dresses way too high
You've been wearing dresses that are much too revealing
It's been reported you've been drinking
People have told us that you have been consuming alcohol
And running round with men and goin' wild
And that you've been hanging out with men and behaving recklessly
Now we don't believe you ought to be bringin' up
We don't think that it's right for you to raise
Your little girl this way"
Your daughter in such an inappropriate manner"
And it was signed by the Secretary
And the signature was that of the Secretary'
Harper Valley PTA
Of the Harper Valley Parent-Teacher Association
Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet
As luck would have it, the Parent-Teacher Association was going to have a meeting
That very afternoon
That very same afternoon
And, boy, were they surprised
They were taken aback
When Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
When Mrs. Johnson decided to wear a miniskirt into the meeting room
And as she walked up to the blackboard
And as she confidently approached the blackboard
I can still recall the words she had to say
I vividly remember the things she said
She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA
Mrs. Johnson said, "I would like to speak to the Harper Valley Parent-Teacher Association
Now, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there
Bobby Taylor happens to be in attendance
And seven times he's asked me for a date
He has asked me out on a date seven times already
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lotta ice
Mrs. Taylor sure uses a lot of ice in her drinks
Whenever he's away
Whenever her husband is not around
And Mr. Baker, can you tell us why
And Mr. Baker, perhaps you can enlighten us as to why
Your secretary had to leave this town?
Your secretary had to depart from this community?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep
Also, shouldn't widow Jones be instructed to keep
Her window shades all pulled completely down?
Her window shades completely drawn down?
Now, Mr. Harper couldn't be here
Unfortunately, Mr. Harper could not grace us with his presence today
'Cause he stayed too long at Kelly's Bar again
Because he spent too much time at Kelly's Bar once again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath
Furthermore, if anyone were to smell Shirley Thompson's breath
You'll find she's had a little nip of gin
They would ascertain that she's taken a small drink of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me
And then you have the audacity to tell me
As a mother, you think that I ain't fit
As a mother, you believe that I am unsuitable
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place
Well, this seems like a small community full of drama and secrets
And you're all Harper Valley hypocrites"
And all of you are hypocrites of the Harper Valley community"
Now, I wouldn't put you on because it really did
I would never deceive you about this fact because it is actually true
It happened just this way
It occurred precisely as I have recounted it to you
That day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
That day my mother confronted and upbraided the members of the Harper Valley Parent-Teacher Association
That day my mama socked it 'em at the Harper Valley PTA
That day my mother gave it to them straight at the Harper Valley Parent-Teacher Association
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tom T. Hall
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.