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
Mr. Sandman
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him two lips like roses and clover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic brean
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a come hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Mister Sandman, someone to hold
Would be so peachy before we're too old
Sp please turn on your magic beam
Mister Sandman, bring us
Please, please, please
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
The song "Mr. Sandman" is a classic mid-20th century tune that was written by Pat Ballard and originally performed by The Chordettes in 1954. The song is a plea to the mythical character of Mr. Sandman, who is asked to bring a dream lover to the singer. The singer wants the perfect man to come into her life while she is lonely and waiting for love. She asks Mr. Sandman to give him two lips like roses and clover and to make him the cutest man she has ever seen. The song has a call-and-response feel to it, with the singer invoking the character of Mr. Sandman to fulfill her wish for a dream lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Addressing the Sandman to request a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Dream person to be the most attractive
Give him two lips like roses and clover
Give dream person beautiful lips
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Inform dream person that their loneliness is over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Expressing loneliness to Sandman
Don't have nobody to call my own
Expressing lack of a partner in life
Please turn on your magic beam
Requesting Sandman to use their magical abilities
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Provide dream person with knowledge that the dreamer is not a wanderer
Give him a pair of eyes with a come hither gleam
Give dream person alluring eyes
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
Give dream person a romantic and sorrowful heart like a character from an opera
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Give dream person a lot of curly hair like a famous American pianist
Mister Sandman, someone to hold
Requesting for a partner to hold
Would be so peachy before we're too old
Would be great to have a partner before getting too old
Mister Sandman, bring us
Requesting a dream for everyone
Please, please, please
Urgently requesting the Sandman to fulfill the request
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
Repeating the request for a dream
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Pat Ballard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bhramarieyoga
For those like me who likes to be able to read the lyrics 😊:
"Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him two lips like roses and clover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mister sandman, bring me a dream
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mister Sandman, bring me a dream
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a come hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Mister Sandman, someone to hold
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mister Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mister Sandman, bring us a dream!"
@psychcorp4449
This might be the best harmonizing of female voices EVER!
@crankyoldbutchbuildsout2013
Psych Corp Indeed❤️🌈☮️
@alanedwards8885
What never listened to the Andrews Sisters !
@alicemaryholmes9491
Hi Hi hi Chris have to cancel the order to be done by your your your email and please
@estherleedavenport5273
listen to the Chordates' original, too. they are both amazing
@estherleedavenport5273
I hate auto-correct. Chordettes
@susancalamia9637
I’m from Tucson, I miss Linda Ronstadt
@littleboydesign
She's my cousin used to live in el centro and calexico spent time played together with them when we were younger
@danielreid3476
They were all so pitch perfect together. Nobody could do this today.
@edwardknoch4987
IMO, these girls give The Trio a run for their money:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvOCwPFhjA