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 Don't Want You Around Me Anymore
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't at your feet every time that you walk by
But I, I got news for you cause I don't care for you and
I don't care honey if you love me or not
If you were half as smart as you think you are
The world would be a-standing at your door
But I, I won't be there cause I no longer care and
I don't want you around me anymore
Because you can't have your way you tell me every day
I should grow up stop acting like a child
But I, I think its you that's got some growing to do
And honey I think its gonna take you quite a while
If you were half as smart as you think you are
The world would be a-standing at your door
But I, I won't be there cause I no longer care and
I don't want you around me anymore
In Dolly Parton's song "I Don't Want You Around Me Anymore," the singer is speaking directly to a former lover who believes he is smarter and more important than he actually is. The first few lines set the tone for the song, as the singer tells the ex-lover that he thinks he can toss her heart aside and that he believes he has power over her. However, she quickly makes it clear that this is not the case and that she doesn't care about him or his feelings anymore, encouraging him to move on and find someone else to bother.
As the song goes on, Parton continues to mock the ex-lover's supposed intelligence, claiming that if he were really as smart as he thought he was, he would have the entire world at his feet. The chorus is particularly biting, as Parton repeats the phrase "I don't want you around me anymore" to really drive home the point that the relationship is over and she has no interest in continuing it.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Don't Want You Around Me Anymore" capture a sense of frustration and annoyance with someone who thinks very highly of themselves but doesn't deserve it. Parton's sharp lyrics and no-nonsense attitude make it clear that she is not interested in putting up with this person's behavior any longer, and that she is more than capable of standing on her own.
Line by Line Meaning
You think you're so smart you think that you'd throw my heart
You believe that you can manipulate me with your intelligence and charm.
Don't at your feet every time that you walk by
I won't fall for your sweet talk and empty promises anymore.
But I, I got news for you cause I don't care for you and
I have realized that I do not have any feelings left for you, and it's time for you to know that.
I don't care honey if you love me or not
Your love or lack of it doesn't matter to me anymore.
If you were half as smart as you think you are
You overestimate your intelligence and abilities, and it's becoming clear to me.
The world would be a-standing at your door
If you had the actual brainpower and potential that you think you possess, people would flock to you.
But I, I won't be there cause I no longer care and
I've moved on from you, and I won't be swayed by your words or actions anymore.
I don't want you around me anymore
I am done with you, and I don't want to have any connection or association with you from now on.
Because you can't have your way you tell me every day
You continue to argue and manipulate me because you can't control the situation.
I should grow up stop acting like a child
You blame my reactions and behavior for the issues between us, while it's you who needs to mature and take responsibility.
But I, I think its you that's got some growing to do
It's now clear to me that you need to change and improve as a person, not me.
And honey I think its gonna take you quite a while
You have a lot of work and introspection to do, and it won't be easy or quick.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL PHILLIPS, DOLLY PARTON, ROBERT PHILLIPS
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.