Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S… Read Full Bio ↴Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S.) is an American country singer, songwriter, composer, producer, entrepreneur, author and actress.

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

Heaven's Just A Prayer Away
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you're trying to reach Heaven
You talk to Jesus, you talk to Him every day
'Cause Jesus knows, He knows that you are coming
And Heaven's just a prayer away

If you go, if you go to church on Sunday
You get down on your knees and pray
And give your heart and your soul to Jesus

Heaven's just a prayer away

You are just one prayer from Heaven
As you travel down life's highway
Just when you think that you can't make it
Well, Heaven's just a prayer away

Of, if you go, if you go to church on Sunday
You get down on your knees and pray
And give your heart and give your soul to Jesus
Heaven's just a prayer away

Heaven's just a prayer away

Away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Heaven's Just A Prayer Away" are a testament to faith and the power of prayer. In the first stanza, she urges the listener to confide in Jesus every day if they are trying to reach Heaven. This suggests that prayer is a vital part of living a spiritual life and keeping a connection with God. She emphasizes that Jesus knows we are coming, which could mean that we have a destiny that awaits us in Heaven. The phrase "Heaven's just a prayer away" is a reminder that we can always turn to prayer in times of desperation, and that through faith, we can achieve the ultimate reward of Heaven.

In the second stanza, Dolly encourages the listener to attend church on Sundays, where they can pray and give their heart and soul to Jesus. This reinforces the idea that prayer and spiritual practice are an essential part of reaching Heaven. She also mentions that we are just one prayer away from Heaven, which suggests that we are never too far from receiving the blessings of Heaven. Lastly, she notes that even when we feel like we can't make it, Heaven is still within reach through prayer. Overall, the song portrays the message that with faith, anything is possible, and through prayer, we can connect with a higher power that will lead us to ultimate reward.

Line by Line Meaning

If you're trying to reach Heaven
When you desire to go to Heaven

You talk to Jesus, you talk to Him every day
You communicate with Jesus regularly

'Cause Jesus knows, He knows that you are coming
Jesus is aware of your arrival

And Heaven's just a prayer away
You can access Heaven by simply saying a prayer

If you go, if you go to church on Sunday
If you attend church on Sundays

You get down on your knees and pray
You kneel down and pray

And give your heart and your soul to Jesus
You surrender yourself to Jesus

Heaven's just a prayer away
Accessing Heaven is only a prayer away

You are just one prayer from Heaven
A single prayer can help you reach Heaven

As you travel down life's highway
While on your life's journey

Just when you think that you can't make it
At the moment you feel you cannot go on