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

Loneliness Found Me
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Porter Wagoner)

Loneliness found me one time too many
And I cheated ? I cheated on you
But I'd give my soul now if only I hadn't
But you see what loneliness can do
It seems that you're gone so much from me
And I try to find things to do while you're gone

But I get so lonesome just staying at home
And it's hard to enjoy things alone

Loneliness found me just one time too many
And I cheated - yes, I cheated on you
But I'd give my life now if only I hadn't

But you see now what loneliness can do
Loneliness found me

Overall Meaning

In Dolly Parton's song "Loneliness Found Me," the singer is admitting to cheating on their significant other because they were struggling with feelings of loneliness. The lyrics suggest that the person they cheated on was away from them often, and while they tried to distract themselves with activities, they still found themselves feeling incredibly lonely. The chorus repeats the phrase "loneliness found me one time too many" and emphasizes how the singer recognizes the mistake they made in cheating but can now see how powerful loneliness can be.

This song is a poignant reminder of how difficult long-distance relationships can be and how important it is to communicate with your partner about your feelings. The singer in the song never discusses their feelings of loneliness with their significant other, and instead, they let their emotions build until they make a hurtful decision. The singer is sharing their experience to warn others about the dangers of loneliness and how it can lead someone astray.

Overall, "Loneliness Found Me" is a song about recognizing mistakes, regret, and the destructive power of loneliness. It serves as a reminder to prioritize open communication in relationships and to be mindful of the loneliness that can creep up on individuals when they are apart from their loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

Loneliness found me
The feeling of isolation and being alone came over me.

one time too many
This feeling has been experienced an excessive amount of times.

And I cheated - yes, I cheated on you
As a result of the feeling of loneliness, I betrayed and was unfaithful to you.

But I'd give my life now if only I hadn't
If I could undo my actions, I would go to great lengths to make things right and be faithful to you.

But you see now what loneliness can do
The negative influence of loneliness has become apparent to me.

It seems that you're gone so much from me
You are frequently not present and I am left alone.

And I try to find things to do while you're gone
To combat loneliness, I attempt to fill my time with activities.

But I get so lonesome just staying at home
Despite my efforts, being at home alone still leaves me feeling sad and isolated.

And it's hard to enjoy things alone
The pleasure of activities is reduced while I am by myself.