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
Miss You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you miss and want to hold me now and then
And kiss me and tell me I'm your little girl again?
Daddy, when you left
Did you remove yourself from ever sweet remembrance of me?
I'm always missin' you, I hope you miss me, too
And everything we were and still could be
Miss little things like walkin' in the park
Vague mem'ries of you playing your guitar
Miss all of this, it's true
But mostly I miss you
'Cause no one else could ever take your place
And Mama, don't you miss the things that home is all about
And, oh the drama caused by the anger you keep actin' out?
Why can't you both just see, you didn't divorce me
Forgive, forget and try to get along
I miss us bein' close. I love and miss you both
Don't miss the plea I've written in my song
Your little miss is missing out on you
And you're both missing out on so much, too
Put pride aside and do what you should do
Don't make me have to choose,
I love the both of you
Just let resentment go and think of me
You've torn my world apart
It breaks my little heart
Can't you see me and see me missin' you?
I miss you, miss me
I miss you, miss me
Mm-mm, mm-mm, I miss you
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's ballad "Miss You-Miss Me" speak to the deep emotional pain experienced by a child whose parents have separated or divorced. The singer addresses both her father and mother, begging them to recognize the significance of what they have lost in their estrangement from each other and from their daughter. The chorus of "miss you, miss me" underscores the mutual longing and sense of loss that reflects the complexity of family dynamics.
In the first half of the song, the singer addresses her father, expressing the hurt and confusion she feels after his departure. She laments the loss of their relationship and the feeling that he may have removed himself entirely from her life. The vivid memories of "little things like walking in the park" and "summer nights with fireflies in a jar" demonstrate how much she misses the idyllic moments they once shared. Despite the pain of their separation, however, the daughter still clings to the hope that her father shares her feelings of loss.
The second half of the song shifts to the mother, who seems to be caught up in anger and resentment towards her ex-husband. The daughter pleads with her mother to let go of the past and work towards reconciliation, emphasizing the importance of family unity. She acknowledges that both parents have caused damage, but offers forgiveness and encouragement to move forward. The final repetition of the chorus highlights the deep sadness and longing that persist for the daughter, who cannot bear the thought of losing either parent.
Overall, "Miss You-Miss Me" is a powerful appeal for the preservation of family ties, even in the face of difficulty and pain. It reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and the need to put aside our own ego for the sake of those we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmm-mmm, miss me
I hope you miss me as much as I miss you
Don't you miss and want to hold me now and then
Sometimes I wish you were here to give me a hug and hold me tight
And kiss me and tell me I'm your little girl again?
I miss feeling loved and cherished by you, like when I was little
Daddy, when you left
When you left our family
Did you remove yourself from ever sweet remembrance of me?
Do you ever think about me and the memories we shared together?
I'm always missin' you, I hope you miss me, too
I think about you all the time and I hope you think about me too
And everything we were and still could be
I miss the bond we had and I wish we could still have a relationship
Miss little things like walkin' in the park
I miss the simple things we used to do together
Miss summer nights with fireflies in a jar
I miss the special moments we shared in the summertime
Vague mem'ries of you playing your guitar
I have faint memories of you playing guitar, and I miss those too
Miss all of this, it's true
I miss everything we had, it's not just one thing
But mostly I miss you
Above all, I miss you the most
'Cause no one else could ever take your place
You are irreplaceable to me
And Mama, don't you miss the things that home is all about
Mom, don't you miss the feeling of having a complete family and everything that comes with that?
And, oh the drama caused by the anger you keep actin' out?
I hate to see the two of you fighting all the time, it's causing so much drama
Why can't you both just see, you didn't divorce me
Your divorce doesn't mean the end of our family, I'm still here and I need your love
Forgive, forget and try to get along
Please put aside your anger and try to reconcile and work together as parents
I miss us bein' close. I love and miss you both
I miss the closeness we used to have and I love and miss the both of you
Don't miss the plea I've written in my song
Please listen to the message I'm trying to convey in this song
Your little miss is missing out on you
I'm missing out on the love and support of both my parents
And you're both missing out on so much, too
Your fighting is preventing both of you from experiencing so many beautiful moments with me
Put pride aside and do what you should do
Please forget about your pride and do what is best for me
Don't make me have to choose,
I don't want to have to pick between the two of you, please work things out
I love the both of you
I love both of you equally
Just let resentment go and think of me
Please let go of your resentment and focus on making me feel loved and supported
You've torn my world apart
Your fighting and separation has had a tremendous impact on my life
It breaks my little heart
It hurts me deeply to see my family torn apart
Can't you see me and see me missin' you?
Don't you see how much I miss you and how much I need you both in my life?
I miss you, miss me
I miss you and I hope you miss me too
I miss you, miss me
I miss you and I hope you miss me too
Mm-mm, mm-mm, I miss you
I miss you so much
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rgibeli
Lyrics:(not so accurate but I did my best)
I'm gonna miss you.
You fought a good fight, may you rest in peace now
You've earned the right, you stood brave and tall
The ultimate price, we honor you now
For God and country, you gave it all
And although I'm proud of all that you stood for
My selfish heart just wants you home
Your family and friends are all so proud of you
But I can't accept the fact that you're gone
And I'm gonna miss you
When the golden sun sinks slowly o'er the crest of yonder hill
I'm gonna miss you
In the wee hours of the mornin' when the world is calm and still
When I can see you, touch you, feel you, hear your heart beating true
Even though you're gone, my love lives on
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
Your touch, your smell, your kisses, and the shelter of your eyes
I'm gonna miss you
Your laughter, tears, your humor, and that crooked little smile
And I'm gonna miss the plans and dreams we had that never will come true
God wanted you, but I did too
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'll miss you
And I'll see your face in every star
I'll be lovin' you wherever you are
I'll miss you, god how I'll miss you
While others go on with their lives
And I see you in our childrens' eyes
I'll miss you, oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, oh I will miss you
Oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, forever miss you
@sadeyowilliams6061
I'm gonna miss you, I'm gonna miss you
You fought a good fight
May you rest in peace now
You've earned the right
You stood brave and tall
The ultimate price, we honor you now
For God and country, you gave it all
And although I'm proud of all
That you stood for
My selfish heart just wants you home
Your family and friends are all
So proud of you
But I can't accept the fact that you're gone
And I'm gonna miss you
When the golden sun sinks slowly o'er
The crest of yonder hill i'm gonna miss you
In the wee hours of the morning' when
The world is calm and still
When I can see you, touch you, feel you
Hear your heart beating true
Even though you're gone, my love lives on
And I, I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you i'm gonna miss you
Your touch, your smell, your kisses
And the comfort of your eyes
I'm gonna miss you
Your laughter, tears, your humor
And that crooked little smile
And I'm gonna miss the plans and dreams
We had that never will come true
God wanted you, but I did too
And I, I'm gonna miss you i'll miss you
And I'll see your face in every star
I'll be loving' you wherever you are
I'll miss you, god how I'll miss you
While others go on with their lives
And I see you in our child's eyes
I'll miss you, oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, oh I will miss you
Oh how I'll miss you
I'm gonna miss you, forever miss you
@slade2372
This song will rip at your heartstrings. I cry everytime I hear it! Dolly puts so much emotion into this song.
@Christine.Delaney
DOLLY's "For God and Country" cd is SUPER GREAT! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
@jennywren9068
You’ll see him again. DOLLY & KENNY God knows how much you must miss him. He will watch you until you meet again. “You’ll always be old friends” Your partnership made the world a better place.
@nikkizilm6533
This is my dads first father's day up in Heaven. This song was played at his funeral and I've been listening to it all day and getting my eyes all watery 😭. Love and miss you dad more than anything. May you continue to R.I.P 8/28/20
@marlenesullivan3113
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TO REMEMBER
ALL FAMILY AT THIS SAD TIME
@liverpool4170
This song was played at sis funeral
@charliebugout7778
My wife and I love your singing and song writing Miss Dolly!
@clarryclarry1112
Such great talent. Dolly, your voice is so beautiful...
@nickchagoya3938
Love 70s classics dolly keep it going!!!
@andreastupakova9394
im in love w dolly 😔❤🦋