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
I'll Miss You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And oh, he was so fine
And I said to myself
Self, I'm gonna make him mine
He owned a lot of oil wells and his bank roll sure was healthy
And I new if I married him I'd suddenly be wealthy
Oh I'll oil wells love you
I'll oil wells care
I want you oil wells dear
Well I never had no money
Not a penny to my name
And I said I'd find a rich man
And I'd love my way to fame
So he took me in his arms
And I cuddled up real near
The money bug then bit me and I whispered in his ear
Oh, I'll oil wells love you
I'll oil wells care
I'll oil wells need you
I want you oil wells dear
He looked in to my eyes and thought he saw a love light shine
Little did he know that that light was dollar signs
Now that we are married there ain't nothin' left to tell
We'll live happily ever after 'cause all is well that ends well
Oh, I'll oil wells love you
And I'll oil wells care
And I'll oil wells need you
I want you oil wells dear
I'll oil wells love you
And I'll oil wells care
And I'll oil wells need you
I want you oil wells dear
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's song "I'll Miss You" tell a story of a woman who meets a wealthy man in Texas and sees an opportunity to better her financial situation by marrying him. At the beginning of the song, she describes the man as fine and wealthy, setting the stage for her plan to make him hers. She acknowledges her own desire for wealth and the potential for a comfortable life if she marries him.
The woman admits to not having any money of her own and expresses her intention to find a rich man to elevate her status and help her achieve fame. She portrays herself as opportunistic, willing to use her charms to secure a wealthy partner. The mention of the "money bug" biting her emphasizes her focus on material wealth and the lifestyle it could provide for her.
As the woman and the wealthy man become involved and eventually marry, she reveals her true motives through the metaphor of a love light in her eyes that is actually dollar signs. This suggests that her affection for him may be more tied to his money and resources than genuine love. Despite this, she believes that their marriage will lead to a happy ending because of the financial security it offers.
The repeated chorus of "I'll oil wells love you, I'll oil wells care, I'll oil wells need you, I want you oil wells dear" symbolizes the woman's commitment to the man and the life of wealth and luxury that comes with him. However, the irony lies in the wordplay of "oil wells" which can be interpreted as a play on words for "I will as well love you." Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a woman willing to sacrifice true love for financial security and a comfortable lifestyle, ultimately leaving an undertone of materialism and superficiality in her pursuit of happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I met a man in Texas
I encountered a gentleman in Texas
And oh, he was so fine
And oh, he appeared very attractive
And I said to myself
And I stated to my inner thoughts
Self, I'm gonna make him mine
Inner self, I'm going to make him my own
He owned a lot of oil wells and his bank roll sure was healthy
He possessed numerous oil wells and his financial situation was robust
And I knew if I married him I'd suddenly be wealthy
And I understood that if I wed him, I would immediately become affluent
Well I never had no money
Well, I never had any money
Not a penny to my name
Not a single coin to my credit
And I said I'd find a rich man
And I mentioned that I would locate a wealthy man
And I'd love my way to fame
And I'd use love to achieve fame
The money bug then bit me and I whispered in his ear
I was suddenly driven by money and I privately communicated to him
He looked in to my eyes and thought he saw a love light shine
He gazed into my eyes and believed he observed a romantic glow
Little did he know that that light was dollar signs
Little did he know that the glow was symbolic of wealth
Now that we are married there ain't nothin' left to tell
Now that we are wed, there is nothing more to disclose
We'll live happily ever after 'cause all is well that ends well
We will have a joyful life together because everything that concludes peacefully is satisfactory
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bill Owens, Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rgibeli
Lyrics:(not so accurate but I did my best)
I'm gonna miss you.
You fought a good fight, may you rest in peace now
You've earned the right, you stood brave and tall
The ultimate price, we honor you now
For God and country, you gave it all
And although I'm proud of all that you stood for
My selfish heart just wants you home
Your family and friends are all so proud of you
But I can't accept the fact that you're gone
And I'm gonna miss you
When the golden sun sinks slowly o'er the crest of yonder hill
I'm gonna miss you
In the wee hours of the mornin' when the world is calm and still
When I can see you, touch you, feel you, hear your heart beating true
Even though you're gone, my love lives on
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
Your touch, your smell, your kisses, and the shelter of your eyes
I'm gonna miss you
Your laughter, tears, your humor, and that crooked little smile
And I'm gonna miss the plans and dreams we had that never will come true
God wanted you, but I did too
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'll miss you
And I'll see your face in every star
I'll be lovin' you wherever you are
I'll miss you, god how I'll miss you
While others go on with their lives
And I see you in our childrens' eyes
I'll miss you, oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, oh I will miss you
Oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, forever miss you
@sadeyowilliams6061
I'm gonna miss you, I'm gonna miss you
You fought a good fight
May you rest in peace now
You've earned the right
You stood brave and tall
The ultimate price, we honor you now
For God and country, you gave it all
And although I'm proud of all
That you stood for
My selfish heart just wants you home
Your family and friends are all
So proud of you
But I can't accept the fact that you're gone
And I'm gonna miss you
When the golden sun sinks slowly o'er
The crest of yonder hill i'm gonna miss you
In the wee hours of the morning' when
The world is calm and still
When I can see you, touch you, feel you
Hear your heart beating true
Even though you're gone, my love lives on
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you i'm gonna miss you
Your touch, your smell, your kisses
And the comfort of your eyes
I'm gonna miss you
Your laughter, tears, your humor
And that crooked little smile
And I'm gonna miss the plans and dreams
We had that never will come true
God wanted you, but I did too
And I, I'm gonna miss you i'll miss you
And I'll see your face in every star
I'll be loving' you wherever you are
I'll miss you, god how I'll miss you
While others go on with their lives
And I see you in our child's eyes
I'll miss you, oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, oh I will miss you
Oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, forever miss you
@slade2372
This song will rip at your heartstrings. I cry everytime I hear it! Dolly puts so much emotion into this song.
@Christine.Delaney
DOLLY's "For God and Country" cd is SUPER GREAT! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
@jennywren9068
You’ll see him again. DOLLY & KENNY God knows how much you must miss him. He will watch you until you meet again. “You’ll always be old friends” Your partnership made the world a better place.
@nikkizilm6533
This is my dads first father's day up in Heaven. This song was played at his funeral and I've been listening to it all day and getting my eyes all watery 😭. Love and miss you dad more than anything. May you continue to R.I.P 8/28/20
@marlenesullivan3113
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TO REMEMBER
ALL FAMILY AT THIS SAD TIME
@liverpool4170
This song was played at sis funeral
@charliebugout7778
My wife and I love your singing and song writing Miss Dolly!
@clarryclarry1112
Such great talent. Dolly, your voice is so beautiful...
@nickchagoya3938
Love 70s classics dolly keep it going!!!
@andreastupakova9394
im in love w dolly 😔❤🦋