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
Mine
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little white house with black wooden shadows
A porch with its columns all covered with vine
My broken dream house where he lives with another
But this was supposed to be mine
Two little children that look like their daddy
With the same smile and the same eyes that shine
But they were supposed to be mine
He's given to her what he promised to me
The plans that we made never can be
For each night he holds and carresses another
And she is supposed to be me
He's given to her what he promised to me
The plans that we made never can be
For each night he holds and carresses another
And she is supposed to be me
And he is supposed to be mine
In Dolly Parton's song "Mine," the singer reflects on a house that was once supposed to be hers, a dream shattered by the presence of another woman. The opening lines describe a picturesque little white house adorned with black wooden shadows and a porch covered in vines, symbolizing the beauty and potential of a life that was meant to be shared with her partner. However, the reality is that the man she loves now resides in this house with another woman, turning it into a broken dream house.
The lyrics further express the pain and heartache the singer experiences as she observes the two children the man shares with the other woman. She notices their resemblance to their father, with the same smile and shining eyes, which only adds to her turmoil. Although she longs to be their mother, she resents the fact that the role has been assumed by someone else.
The chorus emphasizes the betrayal and deception the singer feels. The man has given the other woman all the promises and plans that were once shared between them, leaving her in a state of bitterness and disbelief. The physical and emotional intimacy he now shares with the other woman should have belonged to her. The lyric repeats this sentiment to underscore the pain and longing the singer experiences.
Overall, "Mine" is a poignant song that delves into themes of loss, disappointment, and the emotional turmoil that can arise from unfulfilled expectations in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
A little white house with black wooden shadows
A small house with shadows cast by the black wooden elements, symbolizing the presence of darkness or secrets within the seemingly innocent home.
A porch with its columns all covered with vine
The porch, adorned with vines, representing the facade of a happy and harmonious relationship, but hiding the truth of infidelity.
My broken dream house where he lives with another
Referring to the shattered dream of a perfect home, as the person she loves now resides in that house with someone else.
But this was supposed to be mine
Expressing the disappointment and longing for what was once expected to belong to her, but now taken away by someone else.
Two little children that look like their daddy
Describing the presence of children who bear a striking resemblance to their father, emphasizing their shared traits and genetic connection.
With the same smile and the same eyes that shine
Highlighting the similarity in appearance and cheerful expression between the children and their father, reinforcing their bond.
The only thing wrong I'm not their mommy
Acknowledging the absence of her role as their mother, despite the emotional connection she feels toward the children.
But they were supposed to be mine
Expressing the sense of longing and missed opportunity, as she believed those children were intended to be a part of her life.
He's given to her what he promised to me
Referring to the betrayal of promises made, as the person she loved now fulfills those promises with someone else.
The plans that we made never can be
Acknowledging the impossibility of fulfilling the plans and dreams they once shared due to the current circumstances.
For each night he holds and carresses another
Highlighting the emotional intimacy and physical affection shared between her partner and someone else, emphasizing her feelings of betrayal.
And she is supposed to be me
Expressing the emotional pain and longing for the other person to be in her position, being the one loved and cared for.
And he is supposed to be mine
Conveying the deep desire and expectation for the person she loves to belong to her exclusively, emphasizing her feelings of possessiveness and lost love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Romy K.
on Gypsy Joe And Me
As a matter of fact she's contemplating suicide standing on the bridge, that's how they'll be together again.