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 Get a Kick Out of You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at'all
So tell me why should it be true?
That I get a kick out of you
Some people go for cocaine
I'm sure that if I took even one sniff
That would bore me terrifically too
Still I get a kick out of you
I get a kick every time I see you
Standin' there before me
I get a kick though it's clear to see
You obviously don't adore me, aww
I get no kick in a plane
Flying too high with some guy in the sky
Is my idea of nothin' to do
Still I get a kick out of you
Yes I get a kick out of you
In Dolly Parton's version of "I Get a Kick Out of You," the lyrics express the idea that substance abuse does not have any appeal for the singer. She specifically mentions champagne and cocaine as two substances that do not give her a "kick" or a feeling of excitement or pleasure. However, despite her lack of interest in these substances, she confesses that she does get a kick out of a person in her life whom she admires, even though it is clear that this person does not reciprocate her feelings.
The first verse suggests that the singer does not understand why others get pleasure from drinking champagne or using drugs like cocaine. She is not judgmental about others' choices; rather, she simply expresses her own perspective. In the second verse, the lyrics reveal that the person who gives the singer a "kick" is someone who seems to be uninterested in her. Despite this, the sight of this person still makes her heart race.
In the third verse, the singer mentions her dislike for flying, and specifically flying with a partner. This stanza reinforces the idea that thrill-seeking is not the singer's preference. However, she still affirms the enduring appeal of the person who "gives her a kick." Overall, the song seems to be a tribute to the power of personal connections, as opposed to the rush of substances or other dangerous activities.
Line by Line Meaning
I get no kick from champagne
Drinking champagne doesn't excite me or give me pleasure
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at'all
Just alcohol alone doesn't excite me or thrill me
So tell me why should it be true?
I am questioning why I should feel differently about someone else
That I get a kick out of you
But when it comes to you, I do feel excited and get a thrill
Some people go for cocaine
Some people turn to drugs like cocaine for excitement and pleasure
I'm sure that if I took even one sniff
I believe that even trying cocaine just once would not be exciting to me
That would bore me terrifically too
If I tried it, I'm confident that it would be very boring for me
Still I get a kick out of you
Regardless, being around you still makes me feel excited and happy
I get a kick every time I see you
Every time I see you, I feel a wave of excitement and happiness
Standin' there before me
Just having you nearby and in my presence is enough to make me feel happy
I get a kick though it's clear to see
Even though it's obvious that you don't feel the same way, I still feel this excitement
You obviously don't adore me, aww
It's clear that you don't love me back, which makes me feel sad, but I still feel excited when I'm around you
I get no kick in a plane
Flying in a plane doesn't excite me or make me feel happy
Flying too high with some guy in the sky
Even flying in a plane with someone I love doesn't give me the thrill that being around you does
Is my idea of nothin' to do
Flying in a plane doesn't seem like something exciting or fun to do with someone I care about
Still I get a kick out of you
Despite not enjoying certain activities, I still feel excited and happy when I'm with you
Yes I get a kick out of you
I truly do feel happy and excited when I'm around you, even though it may not make sense to others
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RanAcc
a combination of jass and bluegrass- amazing <3
Sarah Mitchell-Rogers Music
I love this song so much, it always makes me smile - especially the intro; the musicianship is outstanding.
G.A.
A living legend who's still going even though she's heading into her 60's. Relate to and love ❤️ this tune🤙👌
musiclover9361
Dolly is 76!