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
If I Cross Your Mind
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I cross your mind, please let me cross it slowly
Let me stop and reminisce with you for a while
And if I cross your mind, please remember only good things
Think of me as happiness if I cross your mind
There must be a million thoughts rushing through your mind
And if there's one of me love, among them that you find
When you think of me love, if I cross your mind
If you must hide my memory when you're with someone else
Then make mine very special when you're by yourself
For only in a memory can one turn back the time
To lovely tender moments that linger in your mind
There must be a million thoughts rushing through your mind
And if there's one of me love, among them that you find
Won't you stop for just a little while and treat it extra kind
When you think of me love, if I cross your mind
Think of only good things if I cross your mind
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "If I Cross Your Mind" express the singer's desire to be remembered fondly by someone who may have moved on from their relationship. The singer asks the listener to take their time when thinking about them, "crossing their mind" slowly and reminiscing about happy times. The singer also asks the listener to focus on the good memories and treat them "extra kind" when thinking about them. The lyrics show a bittersweet longing for someone who is no longer present in the singer's life, but who they hope fondly remembers their time together.
The chorus of the song contains the key message of the lyrics, emphasizing the importance of thinking kindly about the singer when they come to mind. The use of the phrase "cross your mind" suggests that the singer's memory may be fleeting, but they hope to leave a positive impression nonetheless. The verse that follows speaks to the power of memories, highlighting the idea that thinking of someone can transport you back to a different time and place.
Overall, "If I Cross Your Mind" is a poignant reflection on the nature of memory and the way that we hold onto the people we care about. The lyrics express a hope that even if the singer and the listener are no longer together, they can still hold onto the joy of their time together.
Line by Line Meaning
If I cross your mind, please let me cross it slowly
If my memory comes to you, take your time to think about me and don't rush it.
Let me stop and reminisce with you for a while
Allow me to stay in your thoughts and remember the good times we shared together.
And if I cross your mind, please remember only good things
When you think of me, focus only on the positive memories we made together.
Think of me as happiness if I cross your mind
Let me be a source of joy and happiness when you recall our time together.
There must be a million thoughts rushing through your mind
You have a lot on your mind and I am only a small part of it.
And if there's one of me love, among them that you find
If you remember me at all, let it be with love and affection.
Please stop for just a little while and treat it extra kind
Take a moment to cherish the memory of me and be gentle with it.
If you must hide my memory when you're with someone else
If you need to keep your thoughts of me to yourself around others.
Then make mine very special when you're by yourself
Let your private thoughts of me be full of love and tenderness.
For only in a memory can one turn back the time
Memories can be powerful, allowing us to relive happy moments from the past.
To lovely tender moments that linger in your mind
Remember the sweet and loving moments we shared that still hold a place in your heart.
Think of only good things if I cross your mind
Remember me with happiness, as I hope to have left a positive impact on your life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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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.