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
My Eyes Can Only See You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your eyes meet mine, my heart beats out of time
And I burn with desire through and through
I can't help myself, I can see no one else
'Cause my eyes can only see you
My eyes can only see you
My eyes can only see you
Oh, and my eyes can only see you
I want you so much and I long for your touch
And your eyes tell me you want me too
Oh, it may not be right, but I'm too weak to fight
And my eyes can only see you
My eyes can only see you
My eyes can only see you
Your face is always in view
And my eyes can only see you
And my eyes can only see you
In Dolly Parton's song "My Eyes Can Only See You," the lyrics paint a picture of a passionate love affair where two individuals are so consumed by each other that they are unable to see anyone else. From the very beginning of the song, it is clear that there is a deep attraction between the two individuals as their eyes meet, causing their hearts to beat out of time. Dolly Parton's use of imagery and metaphors, such as "I burn with desire through and through," creates a sense of intensity and urgency, as if the singer is overwhelmed by the emotions that she feels towards her lover.
The chorus repeats the line "My eyes can only see you," emphasizing the idea that the singer is so transfixed by her lover that she is unable to focus on anything or anyone else. Despite the fact that the singer admits that the relationship may not be "right," she is unable to resist her feelings for her lover, proclaiming that she is "too weak to fight." Again, the use of language in this verse creates a sense of desperation and powerlessness, as if the singer is trapped in her feelings for her lover.
In conclusion, "My Eyes Can Only See You" is a powerful love song that captures the intensity of a passionate love affair. Dolly Parton's use of vivid imagery and metaphors, combined with the repetition of the chorus, create a sense of urgency and desperation that perfectly captures the emotions felt by the singer towards her lover.
Line by Line Meaning
When your eyes meet mine, my heart beats out of time
Whenever our eyes meet, the feeling is so overwhelming that my heart beats faster and it seems like time slows down.
And I burn with desire through and through
My desire for you is so intense that it consumes me completely from within.
I can't help myself, I can see no one else
I am unable to control my feelings or attention, as I am fully focused on you and unable to see anyone else.
'Cause my eyes can only see you
The reason why I can only see you is that my mind, heart, and soul are completely captivated by your presence.
Your face is always in view
I constantly picture your face in my mind and can't help but glance at you whenever you're around.
Oh, and my eyes can only see you
No matter what happens, or where I look, my eyes always come back to you, as I am deeply in love with you.
I want you so much and I long for your touch
I crave your intimacy and physical touch, as there is nothing I desire more than to be close to you.
And your eyes tell me you want me too
Your eyes speak volumes, showing me that you share my feelings and want to be with me just as much as I want to be with you.
Oh, it may not be right, but I'm too weak to fight
I know that pursuing this relationship may not be socially acceptable or easy, but I am unable to resist my attraction to you.
And my eyes can only see you
No matter what obstacles we may face, my eyes and my heart will always be focused on you and the love that we share.
My eyes can only see you
The love that I have for you fills my whole being and nothing else can distract me from that. My eyes can only see you.
My eyes can only see you
No matter where I look, who I am with or what I am doing, my heart and my soul knows that my eyes can only see you.
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.