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
He's Alive
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness
And rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow
And half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breaking through
To drag us all away
And just before the sunrise
I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle
And a voice began to call
I hurried to the window
Looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet
But there was no one there but Mary
So I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me
As she told me where she'd been
She said they've moved Him in the night
And none of us knows where
The stone's been rolled away
And now His body isn't there
So we both ran towards the garden
Then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and empty tomb
Just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
Was just an empty shell
And how or where they've taken Him
Was more than I could tell
Oh, something strange had happened there
Just what I did not know
John believed a miracle
But I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation
Couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him
Then I saw Him die
Back inside the house again
The guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him
Just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices
I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same
But suddenly the air was filled
With a strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere
Drove shadows from the room
And Jesus stood before me
With His arms held open wide
And I fell down on my knees
And I just clung to Him and cried
Then He raised me to my feet
And as I looked into His eyes
The love was shining out from Him
Like sunlight from the skies
Guilt in my confusion
Disappeared in sweet release
And every fear I'd ever had
Just melted into peace
He's alive, yes, He's alive
Yes, He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, yes, He's alive
Oh, He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive
Hallelujah, He's alive
He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive
I believe it, He's alive
Sweet Jesus
Dolly Parton's "He's Alive" tells the story of Jesus' resurrection from the perspective of one of his disciples, who is hiding in fear of being arrested by soldiers. The song is divided into two parts: the disciple's fear and desperation before Jesus arrives, and his redemption and salvation when he sees Jesus face to face.
In the first part of the song, the disciple describes the fear and uncertainty he feels after Jesus' death. He's barricaded the doors and windows, and spends the night in "hopeless sorrow" and fear that soldiers will come to drag them all away. However, just before sunrise, he hears a voice calling his name and sees Mary, who tells him that Jesus' body is missing. The disciple and John race to the tomb to investigate, and find that Jesus has risen from the dead.
In the second part of the song, the disciple describes the guilt and shame he feels for denying Jesus and his subsequent redemption when he sees Jesus alive again. He is overwhelmed by the love that shines out of Jesus' eyes and falls to his knees, crying. Jesus forgives him and raises him to his feet, filling him with peace and a sense of release from all his fears.
Overall, "He's Alive" is a powerful expression of faith, hope, and redemption. It shows how even the most flawed and fearful among us can find salvation in Jesus' unconditional love and forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
The gates and doors were barred
All exits were secured
And all the windows fastened down
Every window was closed tightly
I spent the night in sleeplessness
I couldn't sleep all night
And rose at every sound
I woke up every time I heard a noise
Half in hopeless sorrow
I was feeling very sad and hopeless
And half in fear the day
I was also very frightened
Would find the soldiers breaking through
I was scared that soldiers may break in
To drag us all away
and take us away by force.
And just before the sunrise
Right before the sunrise,
I heard something at the wall
I heard a noise at the wall
The gate began to rattle
The gate started shaking
And a voice began to call
A voice started calling out
I hurried to the window
I quickly went to the window
Looked down into the street
And looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
I thought I would see soldiers with swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet
Walking and marching sounds
But there was no one there but Mary
But there was no one but Mary outside
So I went down to let her in
So, I went down to let her in the house
John stood there beside me
John was next to me
As she told me where she'd been
Mary told me where she had been
She said they've moved Him in the night
She said they had moved Him during the night
And none of us knows where
And none of us knows where they took Him
The stone's been rolled away
The stone was rolled away
And now His body isn't there
And now His body is not there
So we both ran towards the garden
We both ran towards the garden
Then John ran on ahead
Then John ran faster than me
We found the stone and empty tomb
We found the tomb with the stone removed
Just the way that Mary said
Exactly the way Mary described
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
But the linen cloth He was wrapped in
Was just an empty shell
Was empty
And how or where they've taken Him
And we didn't know how or where they took Him
Was more than I could tell
I couldn't explain it
Oh, something strange had happened there
Something unusual occurred there
Just what I did not know
What exactly had happened, I didn't know
John believed a miracle
John believed it was a miracle
But I just turned to go
But I wanted to leave
Circumstance and speculation
My thoughts and assumptions
Couldn't lift me very high
Weren't making me feel any better
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him
Because I had seen Him being crucified
Then I saw Him die
Then I saw Him die
Back inside the house again
I went back inside the house
The guilt and anguish came
I started feeling guilty and anguished
Everything I'd promised Him
Everything I had promised Him
Just added to my shame
Just made me feel more ashamed
When at last it came to choices
When I had to make a decision
I denied I knew His name
I denied I knew Him
And even if He was alive
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same
It wouldn't be the same as before
But suddenly the air was filled
Suddenly the air was filled
With a strange and sweet perfume
With a lovely and unfamiliar smell
Light that came from everywhere
Light emanated from every direction
Drove shadows from the room
And made the room bright and cleared the shadows
And Jesus stood before me
And Jesus appeared in front of me
With His arms held open wide
With His arms wide open
And I fell down on my knees
I fell down on my knees
And I just clung to Him and cried
And I just held on to Him and cried
Then He raised me to my feet
Then He lifted me up
And as I looked into His eyes
And as I looked into His eyes
The love was shining out from Him
I saw the love radiating from Him
Like sunlight from the skies
Like sunlight from the skies
Guilt in my confusion
My guilt and confusion
Disappeared in sweet release
Were replaced with a wonderful sense of freedom
And every fear I'd ever had
And every fear I had ever experienced
Just melted into peace
Just melted into peacefulness
He's alive, yes, He's alive
He's alive, yes, He's alive
Yes, He's alive and I'm forgiven
And I am forgiven because He's alive
Heaven's gates are open wide
The gates of heaven are open wide
Oh, He's alive and I'm forgiven
Oh, He's alive and I'm forgiven
He's alive, He's alive
He's alive, He's alive
Hallelujah, He's alive
Hallelujah, He's alive
He's alive and I'm forgiven
He's alive and I am forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
The gates of heaven are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive
I believe it, He's alive
I believe it, He's alive
Sweet Jesus
Sweet Jesus
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Don Francisco
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dennis farabee
I have an urge to run out of my house shouting HE'S ALIVE!
Daisy Wilkerson
Amen
Atthecross
Glory to the Lamb of God!
Angie Clark
DO IT!!!!! And don’t stop!!!
🌸Gracey Gal🌸
Take your meds hun
Eagle Arrow
Still love it today. She has not given up her faith and an example to those who are gifted in music & are Christians! She is amazing.
❤🎵🎶
Sophie Neudorf
Yeah love how when she sings songs like that it just fills the house with joy
Candy Ryan
Thank you God for all you do for me... And thank you for Dolly!
Tricia Brown
I cry every time I hear this. Such a blessing!!🌷💕
Lucas Ribeiro
@Repent Rapture is near We're crying in sync.