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
Milwaukee Here I Come
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna leave this town 'til you decide
Which one you want the most, them Opry stars or me
Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
Milwaukee is where we were before we came here
Working in a brewery, making the finest beer
You came to me on a payday night, said "Let's go to Tennessee"
We were watching TV, Porter Wagoner was singing loud
I said that's the man for me, I love him, there's no doubt
I'm leaving now see if I can find out where he's at
And if I can't find him, I'll settle for that bluegrass Lester Flatt
I'm gonna get on that old turnpike and I'm gonna ride
I'm gonna leave this town 'til you decide
Which one you want the most, me or Wilma Lee
Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
I'm going now and trade my old Ford for an Olds
I might get all drunked up and trade it for a Rolls
But there's one thing I know for sure, I'll always be blue
There ain't no way to get drunk enough to stop loving you
So, I'm gonna get on that old turnpike and I'm gonna ride
I'm gonna leave this town 'til you decide
Which one you want the most, me or Jerry Reed
Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
Oh, Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
I'm gonna get on that old turnpike and I'm gonna ride
I am determined to take the familiar route and embark on a journey
I'm gonna leave this town 'til you decide
I will temporarily depart from this place until you make a decision
Which one you want the most, them Opry stars or me
You must choose between your desire for the renowned Opry stars and your longing for me
Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
I am heading to Milwaukee from our previous location, Nashville, Tennessee
Milwaukee is where we were before we came here
Milwaukee served as our previous destination prior to our current location
Working in a brewery, making the finest beer
We were employed in a brewery where we contributed to the production of excellent beer
You came to me on a payday night, said "Let's go to Tennessee"
On a day when we received our wages, you approached me and suggested that we travel to Tennessee
So we came down to Nashville to the Grand Ole Opry
As a result, we journeyed to Nashville to witness the renowned Grand Ole Opry
We were watching TV, Porter Wagoner was singing loud
While we were watching television, Porter Wagoner's performance was resounding
I said that's the man for me, I love him, there's no doubt
I declared that Porter Wagoner is the ideal man for me, as my love for him is unwavering
I'm leaving now see if I can find out where he's at
Therefore, I am departing at this moment to uncover his whereabouts
And if I can't find him, I'll settle for that bluegrass Lester Flatt
In the event that I am unsuccessful in locating him, I am prepared to accept the presence of the talented bluegrass artist Lester Flatt
Which one you want the most, me or Wilma Lee
You must discern your strongest desire between me and Wilma Lee
I'm going now and trade my old Ford for an Olds
I am presently going to swap my outdated Ford vehicle for an Olds
I might get all drunked up and trade it for a Rolls
There is a possibility that I may become intoxicated and exchange it for a lavish Rolls Royce
But there's one thing I know for sure, I'll always be blue
Nevertheless, I am certain that I will perpetually feel melancholic
There ain't no way to get drunk enough to stop loving you
No level of intoxication can diminish my love for you
Which one you want the most, me or Jerry Reed
You must make a decision regarding your greater preference between me and Jerry Reed
Oh, Milwaukee, here I come from Nashville, Tennessee
Oh, Milwaukee, I am on my way from Nashville, Tennessee!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lee Fykes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Shepherd
Porter and Dolly's timing is like no one else's. They are the finest Country Duet ever! They are both great as single artists, but together they really are "The Right Combination."
Bee
WOW SO MUCH BETTER THEN THE MUSIC THE KIDS HAVE THESE DAYS. WISH WE COULD GO BACK. GOD BLESS
jan janet
And that my friends is what country music once was...
Made you feel good watching and listening, didn't it?
Jeffry Brooks
Watching Dolly and Porter together kinda makes you feel good inside... ❤
Anthony J
Every time I watch this I get the biggest grin on my face. Great vid! Thanks for the upload
mjlotus
Me too!
Margy Hart
You can tell they really enjoyed singing together. You can't fake that!!!
blessing Nhari
loving it
Johnny Dutcher
These two are amazing!
yu3p2x1
Lovely, great seeing it. Of course George and Tammy do a wonderful verions. But this isn't about comparing whose is better. Both versions are excellent and our opinions are all just subjective. I just enjoy this rendition a lot because it makes me smile, the spontaneity is marvellous. Although on TV, a lot of improvising was going on and mistakes kept in. That's why I love it. Seeing two people of their talent make it work makes it all worth while.