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
Love Is Like a Butterfly
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
I feel it when you're with me It happens when you kiss me
That rare and gentle feeling that I feel inside
Your touch is soft and gentle
Your kiss is warm and tender
Whenever I am with you, I think of butterflies
Love is like a butterfly (soft and gentle as a sigh)
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Your laughter brings me sunshine
Every day is springtime
And I am only happy when you are by my side
How precious is this love we share
How very precious, sweet and rare
Together, we belong like daffodils and butterflies
Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
(Love is like a butterfly)
Dolly Parton's song "Love Is Like a Butterfly" depicts love and compares it to a butterfly's soft and gentle nature. She explains how love's multicolored moods are like the satin wings of the butterfly. The lyrics suggest that love makes one's heart feel strange inside and can flutter like soft wings in flight. Parton expresses how she feels a rare and gentle feeling when her lover is with her and how their touch and kiss are soft, gentle, warm, and tender. Additionally, the song suggests that love brings happiness, sunshine, and a sense of belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is like a butterfly
Love possesses an ephemeral beauty and fragility, akin to the delicate nature of a butterfly.
As soft and gentle as a sigh
Love embodies a quiet tenderness, much like the lightness of a soft breath escaping one's lips.
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
The diverse emotions associated with love resemble the vibrant and lustrous patterns found on a butterfly's wings.
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
Experiencing love challenges and transforms your emotional state, creating a sense of profound and puzzling feelings.
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love manifests with a lightness and grace, akin to the fluttering motion of a butterfly in the air.
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
True love is a unique and delicate experience, much like encountering a beautiful, rare butterfly.
I feel it when you're with me
The presence of my partner evokes the profound sensations of love within me.
It happens when you kiss me
The sweet expression of love becomes evident through the tender connection of a kiss.
That rare and gentle feeling that I feel inside
There exists within me a cherished emotion that is both tender and uncommon, ignited by love.
Your touch is soft and gentle
The physical contact from my partner is soothing and delicate, enhancing the experience of love.
Your kiss is warm and tender
A kiss from my partner conveys warmth and gentleness, deepening our emotional bond.
Whenever I am with you, I think of butterflies
The beauty and delicacy of our love remind me of the graceful presence of butterflies.
Love is like a butterfly (soft and gentle as a sigh)
Reiterating that love shares qualities of delicacy and calmness, mirroring a gentle exhale.
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
The various emotions that accompany love reflect the colorful and smooth patterns observed on a butterfly's wings.
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
The experience of love can create unexpected and bewildering emotional sensations within.
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love engages the heart in a light and free-spirited manner, similar to the graceful movement of butterflies.
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Once again emphasizing that genuine love is a precious and soft experience, much like a uniquely beautiful butterfly.
Your laughter brings me sunshine
The joy found in your laughter brightens my life, much like the warmth of sunshine on a bright day.
Every day is springtime
With you, each day feels refreshing and full of life, akin to the joy and renewal associated with spring.
And I am only happy when you are by my side
My happiness is intrinsically linked to your presence, underscoring the importance of our togetherness.
How precious is this love we share
The bond we have is incredibly valuable and meaningful, deserving of deep appreciation.
How very precious, sweet and rare
Reiterating the uniqueness and sweetness of our love, emphasizing its rarity in the world.
Together, we belong like daffodils and butterflies
Our connection is as harmonious and natural as the relationship between blooming flowers and the butterflies that visit them.
Love is like a butterfly
Reaffirming once more that love captures the delicate and beautiful essence of a butterfly.
As soft and gentle as a sigh
Reiterating the tenderness and softness found within love, mirroring the gentle sound of a relaxed breath.
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Restating that love's diverse emotions reflect the beautiful and intricate patterns seen on butterfly wings.
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
Reaffirming that love stirs unusual feelings within, prompting personal transformation.
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Emphasizing once again how love moves and fills the heart gently, mirroring the grace of a butterfly's flight.
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Concluding with a reminder that true love is both a unique and delicate experience, akin to the fleeting presence of a butterfly.
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Ending on the note that the essence of love is beautifully fragile and uncommon, much like the rare butterfly.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pre-debutera6941
Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
I feel it when you're with me
It happens when you kiss me
That rare and gentle feeling that I feel inside
Your touch is soft and gentle
Your kiss is warm and tender
Whenever I am with you I think of butterflies
Love is like a butterfly
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Your laughter brings me sunshine
Everyday is spring time
And I am only happy when you are by my side
How precious is this love we share
How very precious, sweet and rare
Together we belong like daffodils and butterflies
Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
@ritaflores613
never heard a Dolly Parton song before, in fact I'm not even a country fan. But yesterday, I heard that song by accident on a friend's facebook story, it touched my heart, I felt like heaven, my breath calmed down, I became relaxed instantly, I played it on loop like I never wanted to leave, I wondered what this angelic song could be and found out it's a Dolly Parton song names Love is Like a Butterfly. Wow!!!! this song brings my soul to life. Thank you Dolly <3
@--pussypatroll--
There's a reason why she's an American icon.
@thestingyham1188
You have heard her songs, but didn't know it. She wrote many songs for other artists, including "I will always love you," sang by Whitney Houston.
@davidsouthwood5106
Are you serious you must been born in 2010
@KarenYoder-f4b
I wrote that song and let her have it and shouldn't have
@rjoettesquire9358
The sweetest commentary! Poetic in itselfโค
@solopixiedust
โLove is like a butterfly, a rare & gentle thingโ โฅ๏ธ๐ฆ
@maxwellmark8077
Hello SoloPixieDustโฆโฆโฆ.
@alfredstark1653
Her voice is like the Ray of light passing through the drop of water, at the tip of a leaf...
That beautiful it sounds to my ears..
@christiandavis2916
I even heard her voice in the way you describe her voice. Very cool.