Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S… Read Full Bio ↴Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S.) is an American country singer, songwriter, composer, producer, entrepreneur, author and actress.

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

Ooo-eee
Dolly Parton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I just came by to let you know
I'll never ever let you go, oh my
Ooo-eee my love
And if you ever, ever stray
I know that that will be the day
That I die, oh my
Ooo-eee my love

Ooo-eee, ooo-eee my baby
Ooo-eee my baby
Ooo-eee my love

I've been around the world a bit
But you're the best thing I've seen yet, oh my
Ooo-eee my love
And if you want to take me on
We might be at it until dawn, oh my
Ooo-eee my love

Ooo-eee, ooo-eee my baby
Ooo-eee my baby
Ooo-eee my love

Hey baby
You see where I've been and you know where I'm going
Oh come on boy
My heart's on my sleeve and my love is showing

And if you stay around
I'm never ever gonna let you down, oh my, oh my
Ooo-eee my love

Ooo-eee, ooo-eee my baby

Ooo-eee my baby
Ooo-eee my love

Overall Meaning

In Dolly Parton's Ooo-eee, the lyrics convey a deep and unconditional love that has overcome distance and time. The singer opens by letting their beloved know that they will never let them go, solidifying their commitment to their relationship. The chorus, "Ooo-eee my love," is an exclamation of the passion and intensity of their love. The singer acknowledges that while they have been around the world, their beloved is the best thing they've seen yet, highlighting the depth of their affection. They suggest that if their beloved wants to spend more time with them, they are ready to go all night until dawn. Later in the song, the singer calls out to their lover to join them, expressing how much their love means to them. The singer offers a promise to always be there and never let their beloved down.

Overall, the song is a declaration of love that is timeless and unwavering, a fitting sentiment for an artist known for her authentic and heartfelt lyrics. The simple yet profound words of the song showcase the depth of the singer's emotions and their devotion to their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

I just came by to let you know
I'm here to tell you that you mean everything to me.

I'll never ever let you go, oh my
I will always be here for you, no matter what.

Ooo-eee my love
I am deeply in love with you.

And if you ever, ever stray
If you ever leave me, it will break my heart.

I know that that will be the day
I cannot even imagine a world without you.

That I die, oh my
Losing you would be the end of me.

Ooo-eee my love
I am deeply in love with you.

Ooo-eee, ooo-eee my baby
I am expressing my affection to you.

I've been around the world a bit
I have seen many things in my life.

But you're the best thing I've seen yet, oh my
Nothing compares to the love I have for you.

Ooo-eee my love
I am deeply in love with you.