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'm Running Out Of Love
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm running out of love and I'm running out of patience
You seem to get worse every day
I'm running out of love, better learn to resist temptation
Or someday you'll wake up and I'll be far away
How long did you think you could keep on doing me wrong
How long did you think I'd stay quiet and take it
And I ain't gonna let you take my heart and break it
I'm running out of love and I'm running out of patience
You seem to get worse every day
I'm running out of love, better learn to resist temptation
Or someday you'll wake up and I'll be far away
You come and go just any time you want to
And you never bother to tell me where your going
And I wonder if there's anything you don't do
Someday you'll pay for the wild seed your sewing
I'm running out of love and I'm running out of patience
You seem to get worse every day
I'm running out of love, better learn to resist temptation
Or someday you'll wake up and I'll be far away
The song "I'm Running Out of Love" by Dolly Parton is set in a tone that seems like a warning to the person whom the lyrics are addressed to. It appears that the singer's patience and love towards the addressed person are slowly fading away. The lyrics discuss the repercussions of the person's actions, which have resulted in the singer losing love and patience towards them.
The lyrics "I'm running out of love and I'm running out of patience" showcase the frustration of the singer. The addressed person seems to be getting worse with their actions every day, and the singer feels like they can't take it anymore. The singer warns the person to stop their wrongdoings and learn to resist temptation, or they will end up losing the singer one day. The lyrics "How long did you think you could keep on doing me wrong? How long did you think I'd stay quiet and take it?" showcase the singer's anger and pain caused by the addressed person's repeated wrongdoings.
The singer also expresses her feelings of being taken for granted by the person by saying "You come and go just any time you want to, and you never bother to tell me where your going." The lyrics also imply that the person has a history of irresponsibility, as the singer warns them by stating "Someday you'll pay for the wild seed your sewing." Overall, the song portrays the singer's frustration, warning, and eventual dissatisfaction with the addressed person's behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm running out of love and I'm running out of patience
My affection for you is dwindling and my tolerance for your behavior is running low.
You seem to get worse every day
Your actions and attitude are becoming more unbearable with each passing day.
I'm running out of love, better learn to resist temptation
If you don't start changing your ways and resisting your temptations, I may not be around for much longer.
Or someday you'll wake up and I'll be far away
If you don't start treating me with more respect and taking our relationship seriously, I will leave without hesitation.
How long did you think you could keep on doing me wrong
You've mistreated me for too long and I won't put up with it forever.
How long did you think I'd stay quiet and take it
I'm not one to stay silent and let you walk all over me without any consequences.
The love I had for you is almost gone
My love for you is fading and there's only so much of it left to give.
And I ain't gonna let you take my heart and break it
I won't allow you to hurt me any longer or damage my heart any further.
You come and go just any time you want to
You're unpredictable and unreliable, coming and going as you please without any consideration for my feelings.
And you never bother to tell me where your going
You don't communicate with me or show any accountability for your actions.
And I wonder if there's anything you don't do
I'm starting to question if there's anything you won't do or anyone you won't hurt to get what you want.
Someday you'll pay for the wild seed your sewing
Your reckless and selfish actions will catch up to you and you'll face the consequences for your behavior.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL OWENS
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.