Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S… Read Full Bio ↴Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S.) is an American country singer, songwriter, composer, producer, entrepreneur, author and actress.

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 Couldn't Wait Forever
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I couldn't wait forever
Did you expect me to
I guess you thought I'd never
Find somebody new
I lived on dreams and promises
As long as I could
I couldn't wait forever
The way you thought I would

The lonely nights grew longer
As I prayed for time to fly
I lived on hopes that you'd return
And that's how I got by
The agony of loneliness
Just got too much for me
I couldn't wait forever
Needing love so desperately

So I found new lips to kiss me
New arms to hold me tight
I found new love and happiness
To fill these empty nights
You took my love for granted
Now my heart has found a new home
I couldn't wait forever
Forever's just too long

I couldn't wait forever
Forever's just too long

Overall Meaning

In the song I Couldn't Wait Forever, Dolly Parton sings about a past relationship where she was left waiting for her lover to return. The song depicts the emotional turmoil that she faced while waiting endlessly for her lover, living on dreams and hopes that they would come back. However, she eventually realized that waiting forever was not possible, and moved on to find new love and happiness that would fill her life instead. The lyrics speak about the agony of loneliness, and the desperate need for love that she felt.

Throughout the song, Dolly's soulful voice conveys the feeling of yearning and sorrow. The chorus of the song is particularly powerful and memorable, as it speaks about her decision to move on: "I couldn't wait forever. Did you expect me to? I guess you thought I'd never find somebody new." The lyrics suggest a sense of resignation, as Dolly accepts that waiting forever is not an option, and that she must move on to find love and happiness.

In conclusion, I Couldn't Wait Forever is a moving song that explores the emotions and struggles that come with waiting for love. The lyrics are powerful and thought-provoking, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. The song is a testament to Dolly Parton's ability to connect with her audience on an emotional level, and to convey the complexities of human relationships through her music.

I Couldn't Wait ForeverDolly Parton Lyrics

Romy K.

on Gypsy Joe And Me

I Couldn't Wait Forever
Dolly Parton Lyrics