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 Never Forget
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweeter than honey, as soft as a sigh
Gentle as snowflakes but warm as July
This is the way I remember your kiss
If I live forever, I'll never forget
Misty as morning, as blue as the sky
Reflections of Heaven in your loving eyes
And if I live forever, I'll never forget
If I live forever, I'll never forget
It's you that I'm wanting to spend my life with
Do I still love you? The answer is yes.
And if I live forever, I'll never forget
Two loving arms that I felt welcomin'
Arms that I've run to again and again
How do you erase sweet memories you miss
If I live forever, I'll never forget
Sad circumstances that stood between us
Wouldn't let us share our precious, sweet love
Do you remember, do you feel like this?
If I live forever, I'll never forget
If I live forever, I'll never forget
It's you that I wanted to share my life with
Do I still love you? The answer is yes.
And if I live forever, I'll never forget
Do you remember, do you feel like this?
If I live forever, I'll never forget
In the song "I'll Never Forget," Dolly Parton reflects on a past love and the memories that still linger. She describes their love as being "sweeter than honey, as soft as a sigh" and "gentle as snowflakes but warm as July". The kiss she remembers as being "misty as morning, as blue as the sky" and the love in their eyes as "reflections of Heaven." Even though in the chorus she questions whether she still loves this person, she answers with a resounding yes, stating that she would never forget them, even if she lived forever.
The verses describe the longing she still feels for this person's arms that she has run to time and time again. She acknowledges the sad circumstances that kept them apart, but even with the distance, she remembers their love fondly. The final lines repeat the question, "Do you remember, do you feel like this?" indicating that she wonders if this past love still thinks of her and the love they shared.
Overall, the song is a nostalgic ode to a past love that still lingers in the heart and mind of the singer. It captures the essence of the idea that even though love may fade, the memories and the feelings will always remain.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweeter than honey, as soft as a sigh
Your kiss was so sweet and gentle, like honey, and made me feel light and peaceful, like a sigh.
Gentle as snowflakes but warm as July
Your touch was gentle like snowflakes, but it also made me feel warm and happy like in summertime.
This is the way I remember your kiss
Whenever I think of your kiss, this is how I remember it - sweet, soft, and gentle.
If I live forever, I'll never forget
No matter how long I live, I will always remember the way you made me feel and the love we shared.
Misty as morning, as blue as the sky
Your eyes were misty, soft and calming like a morning fog, and blue like the sky on a clear day.
Reflections of Heaven in your loving eyes
Looking into your eyes was like looking into heaven, filled with love, warmth, and comfort.
Eyes that said more than your words ever did
Your eyes expressed your love and feelings better than your words ever could.
And if I live forever, I'll never forget
No matter what happens, I will always remember the love and happiness we shared.
If I live forever, I'll never forget
This line repeats the previous one and emphasizes the importance of never forgetting the love they shared.
It's you that I'm wanting to spend my life with
The singer still wants to spend her life with her lover, and her feelings for them have not changed.
Do I still love you? The answer is yes.
The singer confirms that she still loves her lover deeply and strongly.
Two loving arms that I felt welcomin'
The singer remembers feeling safe and loved in her lover's embrace, and always running back to them.
Arms that I've run to again and again
This line reinforces the previous one, showing that the singer sought comfort and love in her lover's arms repeatedly.
How do you erase sweet memories you miss
The singer wonders how she can forget the sweet memories she misses and the love she once had.
Sad circumstances that stood between us
Something sad, like unfortunate events, separated the singer and her lover and prevented their love from growing.
Wouldn't let us share our precious, sweet love
These circumstances prevented the singer and her lover from sharing their love, which was important to them.
Do you remember, do you feel like this?
The singer wonders if her lover still remembers and feels their love the same way she does.
If I live forever, I'll never forget
This line repeats the importance of never forgetting their love, even if they cannot be together now.
It's you that I wanted to share my life with
The singer confirms that her lover was the one she wanted to spend her life with.
Do I still love you? The answer is yes.
Once again, the singer confirms that she still loves her lover deeply and strongly.
Do you remember, do you feel like this?
This final line repeats the singer's earlier question, wondering if her lover still remembers their love and feels it the same way she does.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
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.