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
Just Because I'm a Woman
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the way you look at me
And I'm sorry that I'm not
The woman you thought I'd be
Yes, I've made my mistakes
But listen and understand
My mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
So when you look at me
Don't feel sorry for yourself
Just think of all the shame
You might have brought somebody else
Just let me tell you this
Then we'll both know where we stand
My mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
Now a man will take a good girl
And he'll ruin her reputation
But when he wants to marry
Well, that's a different situation
He'll just walk off and leave her
To do the best she can
While he looks for an angel
To wear his wedding band
Now I know that I'm no angel
If that's what you thought you'd found
I was just the victim of
A man that let me down
Yes, I've made my mistakes
But listen and understand
My mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
No, my mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
In Dolly Parton's song "Just Because I'm A Woman," the female protagonist is defending herself against the judgment and disappointment of a man who expected her to be someone she's not. She apologizes for not living up to his expectations, but reminds him that her mistakes are no worse than his own simply because she is a woman. She urges him to not feel sorry for himself but instead consider the possible shame he may have brought upon others as well. She concludes by acknowledging that she is not an angel, but rather a victim of a man who let her down.
The song highlights gender inequality and the societal double standard that exists for men and women when it comes to morality and shame. The singer recognizes this within her own life and the experiences of other women who have been wronged and blameless. Women's reputations and honor are often judged more harshly than men's, and the song sheds light on this unfortunate reality.
Overall, "Just Because I'm A Woman" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that challenges traditional gender roles and perceptions. Dolly Parton's passionate delivery captivates the listener and emphasizes the importance of fairness and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see you're disappointed
I can sense the disappointment from your looks
By the way you look at me
From the way you gaze at me
And I'm sorry that I'm not
I apologize for not being
The woman you thought I'd be
The woman you envisioned me to be
Yes, I've made my mistakes
Indeed, I have committed errors in my life
But listen and understand
Please pay attention and comprehend
My mistakes are no worse than yours
My errors aren't any graver than yours
Just because I'm a woman
Purely because I am female
So when you look at me
Therefore, when you stare at me
Don't feel sorry for yourself
Abstain from feeling pity for yourself
Just think of all the shame
Instead, contemplate on all the disgrace
You might have brought somebody else
You might have caused somebody else
Just let me tell you this
Allow me to tell you
Then we'll both know where we stand
We'll both know our positions
Now a man will take a good girl
Typically, a man would take away an honorable woman
And he'll ruin her reputation
He will ruin her character
But when he wants to marry
However, when he desires to wed her
Well, that's a different situation
That's a different case altogether
He'll just walk off and leave her
He will simply abandon her
To do the best she can
To try to survive on her own
While he looks for an angel
While he searches for the perfect woman
To wear his wedding band
To be his wife
Now I know that I'm no angel
I acknowledge that I am not perfect
If that's what you thought you'd found
If that's what you assumed you had discovered
I was just the victim of
In reality, I was just a target of
A man that let me down
A man who disappointed me
No, my mistakes are no worse than yours
No, my faults aren't any more severe than yours
Just because I'm a woman
Simply because I am a female
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@latoya3872
[Verse 1]
I can see you're disappointed
By the way you look at me
And I'm sorry that I'm not
The woman you thought I'd be
[Verse 2]
Yes, I've made my mistakes
But listen and understand
My mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
[Verse 3]
So when you look at me
Don't feel sorry for yourself
Just think of all the shame
You might have brought somebody else
Just let me tell you this
Then we'll both know where we stand
[Bridge]
My mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
[Verse 4]
Now a man will take a good girl
And he'll ruin her reputation
But when he wants to marry
Well, that's a different situation
[Verse 5]
He'll just walk off and leave her
To do the best she can
While he looks for an angel
To wear his wedding band
[Verse 6]
Now I know that I'm no angel
If that's what you thought you'd found
I was just the victim of
A man that lets me down
[Outro]
No, my mistakes are no worse than yours
Just because I'm a woman
@JohnDonovanProductions
Who DOESN’T love Dolly? She’s so pure. So loving.
I love this quote: “I believe in rights for all people , Dolly says . " I think there are many women that are qualified for many jobs , and everybody should be paid well for what they're qualified to do think children and blacks and reds and all people should have an equal shot . I just think we're all God's children and should be treated with respect .”
@howardslicker1737
God bless you all thank you so very much..xoxoxo
@LeeBee1111
Pure and Free Spirited. <33 : )
@Thabo_Modisakeng
I guess the year is 2025 and we're still hooked on to this masterpiece.
@ayamusic7976
Yhoo she is too much❤️❤️❤️❤️😭😭😭💎💎💎, who’s still here in 2023. The wild is crazy as hell but this kind of purity lives on…I wasn’t born when she released this music but hell ,this music takes me back and I don’t know where but it’s a place im find off❤️❤️. She is a living legend 🤞🏽
@ayamusic7976
Wild* world !!!
@LeeBee1111
"I've struggled enough in my life to be appreciated and understood. I've had to go against all kinds of people through the years just to be myself. I think everybody should be allowed to be who they are, and to love who they love. I don't think we should be judgmental. Lord, I've got enough problems of my own to pass judgment on somebody else."
Dolly Parton (Inspired by)
@nomaswazitshabalala1438
Same here hope I find a way to breakthrough and find myself because I'm hurting and unstable now
@LeeBee1111
@@nomaswazitshabalala1438 Today (7th) is tull moon... time of transition... everything seems crazy these days. Hope you're doing well.
@FreedomofSpeech865
This woman is a national treasure