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
Holdin' On To You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take me home and take care of me
Treat me just the way you never do
But I'm here on your door step
Something I can't seem to help
Like a fool, I'm holdin' on to you
[Chorus:]
You place everything above me
Like a fool, I'm holdin' on to you
You don't want me, you don't want me
You just hurt and disappoint me
Like a fool, I'm holding on to, ooh, ooh
Like a fool, I'm holding on to you
What is this spell that's on me
Make me think you own me
Why do I keep holding on to you
I just can't shake the feeling
I only know it's real
And I keep holding, holding, holding on to you
[Chorus:]
In Dolly Parton's song "Holdin' On To You," she sings about a love that is unrequited and toxic. The singer acknowledges that there are those who would love and care for her, but she can't help but hold on to this person who doesn't love or care for her. She recognizes that she is being foolish by holding on to this person, but she can't seem to let go. The chorus highlights the fact that this person puts everything else above her and consistently hurts and disappoints her.
The lyrics suggest a certain level of desperation and a lack of self-love on the part of the singer. She is so caught up in this person and their hold on her that she can't see her own worth or value. The line "What is this spell that's on me" implies that the hold this person has over her is beyond her control. The fact that she acknowledges her own foolishness and yet continues to hold on suggests that she is trapped in this cycle of toxic love.
Overall, "Holdin' On To You" is a poignant commentary on the power dynamics of unhealthy relationships and the strong hold they can have on people. It speaks to the universal experience of being trapped in a love that isn't reciprocated and the pain and confusion that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
There are those who'd love to love me
There are people who would be happy to have a relationship with me and love me.
Take me home and take care of me
They would take me to their home and provide me with care and affection.
Treat me just the way you never do
They would treat me in a way that you never have and provide me with the attention that you lack.
But I'm here on your door step
Despite those options, I find myself back at your doorstep.
Something I can't seem to help
I can't help my desire to be with you despite knowing it's not healthy.
Like a fool, I'm holdin' on to you
I know it's foolish to hold on to you, but I can't seem to let go.
Oh, you don't love me, you don't love me
You don't have feelings of love for me.
You place everything above me
You prioritize everything above our relationship and my needs.
You don't want me, you don't want me
You don't desire to be with me.
You just hurt and disappoint me
You consistently hurt me and cause me to feel disappointed.
What is this spell that's on me
I feel as though something has a hold over me and causes me to stay despite the negative impact of our relationship.
Make me think you own me
Your actions make me feel as though I am powerless and must obey you.
Why do I keep holding on to you
I am unsure why I continue to hold onto a relationship that brings me pain.
I just can't shake the feeling
I can't let go of the emotions I have for you.
I only know it's real
Despite the unhealthy nature of our relationship, my feelings towards you are genuine and strong.
And I keep holding, holding, holding on to you
Despite everything, I choose to continue holding onto a relationship that ultimately causes me more harm than good.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES DUBOIS, CHRIS DUBOIS, JOHN LOVELACE, KELLEY LOVELACE, BRAD PAISLEY
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.