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
Nobody But You
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to know I've got a love of my own
Who comes through with a love that's true
No, nobody but you
When my lips are burning with desire
Only your kisses can put out the fire
Who comes through with a love that's true
No, nobody but you my love
No, nobody but you
Can't love me just like
I know somebody should do
When the world gets so dark and gray
Seems like the blues are gonna carry it away
Who comes through with a love that's true
No, nobody but you
No, nobody but you my love
No, nobody but you
Can't love me just like
I know somebody should do
When the world gets so dark and gray
Seems like the blues are gonna carry it away
Who comes through with a love that's true
No, nobody but you, no, nobody but you
No, nobody but you, no, nobody but you
In the song "Nobody But You", Dolly Parton is expressing how much she appreciates having one person who can always come through for her when she feels alone and the world seems hard to handle. She begins by saying that when it's nighttime and she's alone, she wants to know that there's someone who loves her and loves her truly. Parton recognizes that feeling loved and desired still leaves her wanting something more, which can only be fulfilled by her lover, the one person who can provide her with genuine affection and intimacy.
The second verse conveys the intensity of her physical desire and how only her partner can quench it. Parton describes her need for romantic intimacy, which can only be fulfilled by her lover. In the chorus, she affirms her love and commitment to this person, stating that nobody but this specific person can love her in the way that she deserves to be loved.
Overall, the song speaks to the human desire for true love and intimacy with one specific person. Dolly Parton highlights how important it is to find the right person who can fill this void in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
When the night gets dark and I'm alone
During the night when I'm lonely
I want to know I've got a love of my own
I need someone to love and to love me back
Who comes through with a love that's true
Who's the one who has my heart and affection
No, nobody but you
No one else can suffice
When my lips are burning with desire
When I have an intense longing
Only your kisses can put out the fire
Only you have the power to satisfy my craving
No, nobody but you my love
You are the one I'm referring to
Can't love me just like
Nobody else can give me the love and affection that I need
I know somebody should do
I deserve to be loved
When the world gets so dark and gray
When things seem bleak
Seems like the blues are gonna carry it away
It feels like sadness will overwhelm me
No, nobody but you
Only you can help me overcome this
No, nobody but you my love
Again, I'm referring to you
No, nobody but you, no, nobody but you
I emphasize that it's only you that I need
Writer(s): Grady Martin, Robert Riley
Contributed by David D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
juha vesanen
She has energy in her singing...
Shire Geordie
A hint of Connie Francis in her voice. A lovely tune Bonneville66
Thank you
Davy
England
march149
I can see Miss Connie doing this song.
michael will
Isn't a CD release of Dolly's early rock songs way overdue?
Tango Bango
So Dolly did give RocknāRoll a try before she went Country! š„“ Not a bad sound.
Cool Daddy
her first single in 59 was R'n'r/Rockabilly. She done a handful of other R'n'R and some Pop and Soul before her Country recordings.
Timothy Rozier
They had her doing rock and roll and the girl group sound. Don't drop out was like a Shangri las tune .
Cool Daddy
@Timothy Rozier "They had her doing....." like it was against her will. She chose to do it.
Zev Feldman
lovely
countrypaul
Strong performance, weak song.