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 Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who is sailing all over the sea
And I'm thinking tonight of him only
And I wonder does he ever think of me
Could been better for us both had we never
In this wide wicked world had never met
For the pain and the pleasures he's brought me
So I'm thinking tonight of my blues eyes...
Oh you told me once dear that you love me
And you swore that we never would part
But a linking the chain has been broken
Leaving me with a sad broken heart
Yes I'm thinking tonight of my blues eyes
And I wonder does he ever think of me
In this emotional song 'I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes' by Dolly Parton, the singer reflects upon the memory of a past lover who is currently sailing over the sea. Parton's nostalgic and wistful tone creates an aura of sadness, as she ponders on whether her lover ever thinks of her. However, she also suggests that perhaps if they had never met, both their lives may have been better off. Through the pain and pleasure that he brought her, she has been left with memories that she can never forget. Even though her lover once swore his undying love and promised that they would never part, the chain has since been broken, leaving her with a sad and broken heart.
Overall, the song is a reflection on love, loss and the power of memories. Dolly's genuine, sorrowful voice reaches deep into the hearts of the listeners, making many people wanting to find something special that will help them remember their former loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I'm thinking tonight of my blues eyes
Tonight I am consumed with thoughts of my lover who has blue eyes
Who is sailing all over the sea
My lover is traveling and exploring the world far away from me
And I'm thinking tonight of him only
All of my thoughts tonight are focused solely on my lover
And I wonder does he ever think of me
I cannot help but ponder whether or not my lover thinks of me while he is away
Could been better for us both had we never
Perhaps our lives would be better if we had never met
In this wide wicked world had never met
In a world as harsh and cruel as ours, it may have been better for us to have never been introduced
For the pain and the pleasures he's brought me
Although my lover has caused me both happiness and sorrow, I will never forget him
I am sure I will never forget
I am positively certain I will never forget about my lover
Oh you told me once dear that you love me
My beloved once professed his love for me
And you swore that we never would part
My lover vowed that we would never be separated from one another
But a linking the chain has been broken
Unfortunately, the connection that bound us together has been shattered
Leaving me with a sad broken heart
As a result, my heart has been rendered heavy with a great deal of sadness and despair
Yes I'm thinking tonight of my blues eyes
Once again, all of my current thoughts are centered around my lover's eyes
And I wonder does he ever think of me
I continue to wonder if my lover is capable of thinking of me in the same way that I think of him
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: A.P. CARTER
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.