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
Lay Your Hands on Me
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
And You're able
To fill my empty cup at the
Master's table
'Cause I'm thirsty,
I'm hungry, my heart's breaking
You say Your love is mine
Just for the taking
Lord, what I am is
Exactly what You see
And I'm asking You to rescue me
Forgive me of my sins and set me free
Lord, if you want me then
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
I'm a sinner, I'm a loser, I'm a seeker
I need to learn to live, Lord, You're the teacher
Show me how to get my feet up off the ground
Teach me how to fly and never come back down
Everything You are is all I need
And Your satisfaction is guaranteed
You sacrificed it all to set me free
So, if You want me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lord I come before You
On my knees
So if You want me to prove my love to You
Won'tcha lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me (Lay Your hands on me)
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lord I believe, I do believe
Lay Your hands on me
Lay your hands on me
Lay your healing hands on me
Lord You know I need ya
Lord I want to please ya
Lay Your healing hands on me
Keep me out of trouble
Help me clear the rubble
Lay Your hands on me
Won't Your lay your hands on me
Lay, lay, lay
Lay Your hands on me
Lord I'm ready for a miracle
In the song "Lay Your Hands on Me," Dolly Parton sings about her need for God's presence and guidance in her life. She is asking God to fill her emptiness and quench her thirst for His love. Dolly recognizes that she is a sinner and a seeker who needs to be taught how to live and fly without coming back down. She lays before God in submission and professes her faith in Him wholeheartedly. She understands that God's love is free to take and that He wants her to be set free from her sins. Hence, if God wants her, she asks Him to lay His hands on her and make her feel whole again.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay Your hands on me
Dolly is requesting divine intervention and beseeching the Lord to physically lay His hands on her.
Lord, I'm ready, I'm willing
And You're able
To fill my empty cup at the
Master's table
Dolly has faith that the Lord is capable of quenching her spiritual thirst and hunger, and the Lord is willing to help her.
'Cause I'm thirsty,
I'm hungry, my heart's breaking
You say Your love is mine
Just for the taking
Dolly is experiencing a deep need for love and comfort from the Lord, and she knows that His love is always available to her.
Lord, what I am is
Exactly what You see
And I'm asking You to rescue me
Forgive me of my sins and set me free
Lord, if you want me then
Lay Your hands on me
Dolly acknowledges that she has sinned and needs redemption. She is willing to surrender to the Lord and is pleading for His comforting embrace.
I'm a sinner, I'm a loser, I'm a seeker
I need to learn to live, Lord, You're the teacher
Show me how to get my feet up off the ground
Teach me how to fly and never come back down
Dolly realizes she has made mistakes (sinner) and has failed (loser) but is seeking (seeker) the Lord's guidance to remake her life. She is asking to be taught how to live anew.
Everything You are is all I need
And Your satisfaction is guaranteed
You sacrificed it all to set me free
So, if You want me
Lay Your hands on me
Dolly's only requirement to live a life of true satisfaction is the Lord. He has offered salvation to her and, in return, she offers her submission.
Lord I come before You
On my knees
So if You want me to prove my love to You
Won'tcha lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me (Lay Your hands on me)
Dolly is willing to make any sacrifice the Lord wants of her, even if it means getting down on her knees to prove her love for Him. She is still symbolically asking Him to take her by the hand and guide her.
Lord You know I need ya
Lord I want to please ya
Lay Your healing hands on me
Keep me out of trouble
Help me clear the rubble
Lay Your hands on me
Won't Your lay your hands on me
Lay, lay, lay
Lay Your hands on me
Lord I'm ready for a miracle
Dolly yearns for the Lord's healing touch and wants Him to steer her away from trouble. She wants to be empowered enough to cope with life's obstacles, which is why she is willing to throw herself at the Lord's mercy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD SAMBORA, JON BON JOVI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bahamutskingdom
Wow the commentary is bordering just beyond disgusting around here huh?
First and foremost, in order for Dolly to do the song, she had to have Jon Bon Jovi's approval. Obviously he thought it good enough to allow her to sing it.....yeah that.
Two - A clue in for those who do not realize, this song in the country world, will bring them into the rock world by finding the original. It does a fantastic job of opening people to different music styles, that might have never been listened to.
Three - For a country/gospel version of this song, I personally think it is fantastic. And by no means am I a country fan. Dolly does it great justice for the audience she has.
Four - Dolly is smashing it. If it was a shitty song, it would certainly show. She keeps the spirit of the original smash hit, and still brings it a new life it might have not ever had.
No one can replace the Bon Jovi person...kind of like no one can replace Lord of the Rings. But as long as people keep the spirit of the song/book/movie/play, they can interpret it to what it means to them.
knight1705d
Lyrics
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lord, I'm ready, I'm willing
And You're able
To feel my empty cup at the
Master's table
'Cause I'm thirsty,
I'm hungry, my eyes aching
You say your love is mine
For the taking
Lord, what I am is
Exactly what you see
And I'm asking you to rescue me
Forgive of my sins and set me free
Lord, if you want me then
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
I'm a sinner, I'm a loser, I'm a seeker
I need to learn to live, Lord, you're the teacher
Show me how to get my feet up off the ground
Teach me how to fly and never come back down
Everything you are is all I need
And your satisfaction is guaranteed
You sacrificed it all to set me free
So, if you want me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Lay Your hands on me
Jeffrey Zeiss
Great rendition. And because we know Dolly is an actual believer because of her general belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior based on the interview she was given and her generous heart it's all the more special and authentic.
Denina
Wow! I never thought about this being a gospel song, but it's incredible. Dolly turns everything she touches into gold, at least music-wise. I'm so glad Jon and Richie let her cover the song like this. I'm even more glad that Jon liked how it turned out. I wonder if Richie did, too. I know Richie had some bluesy influences, Stranger in this Town album is full of it, but I don't know if he was influenced by gospel music, too. I wouldn't be surprised if he was, though. I really love Dolly's version of it, though. I might even like it better than the original.
Missy Chadwick
❤ I think this is amazing song and the way Dolly Sings it is awesome love always Melissa❤😊
Brooke
I completely agree Melissa! Dolly is incredible 😁 I hope you have a wonderful day
Missy Chadwick
❤ I like the way she said when you fly in this song but she’s still there and lots of love no matter what I love the way Dolly sings this song and put a smile on my face she’s amazing Love always Melissa❤😊
Marketerbabe
I love this rendition!! The Lord did "Lay his hands on you" because this is awesome!!! I really enjoyed it!
Wayne Tinch
Amazing song! Thank you Dolly for your amazing music and for being the real deal. God knows you better than we do, and I believe that on the day when everybody stands before God above and gives account for all they've done, you will be sent through the pearly gates with the Angels as your backup singers. God bless you, Dolly. You're beautiful!
FishingwithNate
WayneTMusic you do know she isn't the original singer
Cindy C
This is a cover of Bon Jovi’a song.
Salyx Woodbine
I love this - it's adorable. The original was written in a gospel style, so it lends itself well to this re-working. That's one of the things I've always liked about Bon Jovi - their songs often had strong elements of something other than 80s hair metal (like gospel, country, blues, soul, etc). It makes them more interesting than other bands that were considered their peers at the time.