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 Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn't hear me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom, fast asleep
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
I saw it with my own two eyes
Not only were they kissing
They were drinking milk and eating cookies together
Now I know how to keep a secret
'Cause I want to stay on Santa's good side
You don't just tell everything you know
Nu-uh
(I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus)
(Underneath the mistletoe last night)
She didn't hear me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom, fast asleep
But I wasn't
I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
Don't you go telling it either
It's our secret, ha, ha
In Dolly Parton's song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," the lyrics follow the perspective of a child who witnesses their mother kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe. The child sneaks downstairs, unbeknownst to their mother, and watches as the playful interaction takes place. The child feels a sense of excitement and intrigue, as they are discovering a secret that their parents are unaware of. They express their amusement at the situation, imagining how funny it would have been if their father had witnessed their mother's affectionate encounter with Santa Claus.
The lyrics imply that the child understands the importance of keeping this secret to stay on Santa's good side. They assure themselves that they won't tell everything they know, emphasizing the idea of maintaining secrecy. The song concludes with a playful reminder to the listener not to reveal the secret, as it's something meant to be kept between the child and Santa Claus.
Overall, the song portrays the innocence and wonder of childhood during the Christmas season. It captures the magic and imagination surrounding Santa Claus and his role as a symbol of joy, love, and gift-giving.
Line by Line Meaning
You're not gonna believe what I saw, ha
I witnessed something unbelievable and I can't wait to share it with you
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
I observed my mother kissing someone dressed as Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
This happened beneath the mistletoe during the previous night
She didn't hear me creep
My mother was unaware of my sneaky presence
Down the stairs to have a peep
I quietly descended the stairs to catch a glimpse
She thought that I was tucked up
My mother believed I was comfortably sleeping
In my bedroom, fast asleep
She assumed I was soundly asleep in my bedroom
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
Later, I witnessed my mother playfully teasing Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
This happened while Santa Claus's white beard was present
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
It would have been incredibly amusing
If Daddy had only seen
If my father had witnessed this
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
My mother kissing Santa Claus during the previous night
I saw it with my own two eyes
I personally witnessed this event
Not only were they kissing
They weren't just exchanging kisses
They were drinking milk and eating cookies together
They were also enjoying some milk and cookies as part of their encounter
Now I know how to keep a secret
From this experience, I have learned the importance of confidentiality
'Cause I want to stay on Santa's good side
I desire to maintain a positive relationship with Santa Claus
You don't just tell everything you know
It's not appropriate to divulge every piece of information one possesses
Nu-uh
Absolutely not
(I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus)
I want to emphasize that I saw this unusual interaction
(Underneath the mistletoe last night)
It specifically occurred beneath the mistletoe during the previous night
She didn't hear me creep
My mother remained unaware of my sneaky approach
Down the stairs to have a peep
I descended the stairs quietly to take a quick look
She thought that I was tucked up
She mistakenly believed I was snugly positioned
In my bedroom, fast asleep
Specifically in my bedroom, deeply asleep
But I wasn't
Contrary to her assumption, I was not sleeping
I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
I observed my mother teasing Santa Claus playfully
Underneath his beard so snowy white
This incident took place while Santa Claus's white beard was present
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
It would have been incredibly amusing
If Daddy had only seen
If my father had only caught sight of this scene
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
My mother engaging in a kiss with Santa Claus on the previous night
Don't you go telling it either
I'm warning you not to disclose this information
It's our secret, ha, ha
This knowledge is to be kept solely between us and is a source of amusement
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: Tommie Connor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@imahashtagloser4794
here queen you dropped this 👑
@lay10vids
for real🥰
@dreamitable
@@lay10vids Queen of Country !!!!!
@mamamugre9195
You stay on that good side love you dolly
@TennesseeBlues4642
What song can’t she sing? She’s the Queen.... awesome job Dolly!!
@ulfbjereld1267
Dolly - the greatest gift of all!
@sweetgapeach888
Love Dolly💖💖💖
@Mike-xk3cl
Fun fact as a little man I was introduced to country music and the first song I ever heard was of Dolly Parton I don't actually remember the song because it was like 4:00 in the morning and we were going to Pittsburgh but I remember before I fell asleep such a beautiful voice the voice of an Angel and I've Loved country music ever since and that was back in 1980 something
@sarvagyasingh3036
Love you dolly......love how you never stop she can sing every song beautifully!!
@christianferguson6447
Christmas came early!!