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

Jingle Bells
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh
Hey jingle bells jingle bells
Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh

O'er the fields we go laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight

Oh jingle bells jingle bells
Oh jingle bells jingle bells

Overall Meaning

The lyrics "Jingle Bells" were written by James Lord Pierpont, and the song was published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the fall of 1857. Over time, "Jingle Bells" has become one of the most popular Christmas songs in the world. It conveys the joy and excitement of the holiday season and embodies the spirit of Christmas.

The song starts off with the ringing of jingle bells, indicating the start of the holiday season. The line "jingle all the way" depicts the excitement of the holidays, with people coming together and celebrating. The next line "Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh" invokes the imagery of a snowy winter day where people have fun riding in a sleigh with their loved one.

The second stanza describes a ride in a one horse open sleigh, where people are dashing through the snow, laughing and singing songs. The chorus repeats the same two lines from the first stanza, stirring up feelings of happiness and cheer.

Overall, "Jingle Bells" is a classic holiday song that celebrates the joy and excitement of the Christmas season. Its catchy melody and relatable lyrics have made it a popular song for caroling, parties, and other holiday gatherings.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way
We joyfully hear the sound of jingling bells throughout the entire journey

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh
It gives us immense pleasure to travel in an open sleigh drawn by one horse

Hey jingle bells jingle bells
Hello there, listen to the jingle bells and enjoy

Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh
We are moving fast through the snow in a sleigh pulled by a single horse

O'er the fields we go laughing all the way
We are passing through the fields while laughing and enjoying every moment of the journey

Bells on bobtail ring making spirits bright
The bells on the horse's tail are ringing and making our spirits happy and lively

What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight
It is amazing to take a ride on a sleigh and sing songs related to sleighing, especially in the evening

Oh jingle bells jingle bells
The sound of the jingle bells is a source of great pleasure

Lyrics © DistroKid, CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Lord Pierpont

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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