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
Paradise Road
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I grew up dirty and I grew up poor
The wolf didn't even hang 'round our door
Not a crumb to spare and the cupboard bare
And I had the gift of imagination
I could change my situation
Anytime I choose I could always go
I found a kingdom deep within
A place dream and to pretend
And to prepare for the world out there
A dream can dress you when you're ragged
Fill you up when hunger's naggin'
I warmed my soul when life was cold
On Paradise Road
Chorus:
Paradise is a state of mind
The sun shines warm and all the time
And the rain don't flow and the wind don't blow
On Paradise Road
A place no one can take from me
A place of everlasting peace
Where dreamers go; It's never closed
Paradise Road
Paradise is a state of mind
Down the road of life and time
And the friends we meet
Make the travlin' sweet
On Paradise Road
Sometimes now when the world is mad
I find that place I've always had
Inside my soul; It's paved in gold
Paradise Road
I grew up dirty and I grew up poor
The wolf didn't even hang 'round our door
Not a crumb to spare and the cupboard bare
But I had the gift of imagination
I could change my situation
Anytime I choose I could always go
Down Paradise Road
In the song "Paradise Road," Dolly Parton reminisces and reflects on her humble beginnings, growing up in poverty and scarcity. Despite these difficult circumstances, she found solace in her own imagination, creating a world in which to dream and escape. She describes this internal haven as a kingdom, one that was always accessible to her should she need to retreat and recharge. This mental refuge was vital to her survival and provided her with the hope and motivation to persevere through hardships she may face.
Dolly also mentions that Paradise Road is not a tangible location but rather a state of mind, a place of everlasting peace that she can access whenever she needs it. She stresses that nobody can take this state of mind from her and that it continues to provide comfort and nourishment even during times of chaos or unrest. The song highlights the importance of self-care, taking time to reflect and cultivate peace within oneself, and the power of imagination to uplift and inspire.
Overall, "Paradise Road" is an inspiring and uplifting ode to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of mental wellness.
Line by Line Meaning
I grew up dirty and I grew up poor
I had a difficult childhood and we lacked financial stability
The wolf didn't even hang 'round our door
We were so poor that even the wolves didn't bother visiting our place
Not a crumb to spare and the cupboard bare
We had no food and the cupboards were always empty
And I had the gift of imagination
I had a vivid imagination that allowed me to escape my difficult reality
I could change my situation
I had the power to change my circumstances
Anytime I choose I could always go
I had a place to go to escape from reality
Down Paradise Road
This place was called Paradise Road
I found a kingdom deep within
I found solace within myself
A place dream and to pretend
A place where I can dream and pretend to be whoever I want to be
And to prepare for the world out there
A place to prepare myself for the outside world
A dream can dress you when you're ragged
Dreams can uplift and inspire you even in your darkest moments
Fill you up when hunger's naggin'
Dreams can satisfy your hunger for success
I warmed my soul when life was cold
A place to warm my soul during tough times
On Paradise Road
This place was called Paradise Road
Paradise is a state of mind
Paradise is something you create within yourself
The sun shines warm and all the time
A place where everything is perfect
And the rain don't flow and the wind don't blow
A place without any problems
A place no one can take from me
This place belongs only to me and can't be taken away by anyone
A place of everlasting peace
A peaceful place that lasts forever
Where dreamers go; It's never closed
A place where dreamers can go to escape reality anytime they want
Down the road of life and time
On the journey of life
And the friends we meet
The people we meet along the way
Make the travlin' sweet
Make the journey sweeter
Sometimes now when the world is mad
During chaotic times
I find that place I've always had
I find the place within myself that I've always had
Inside my soul; It's paved in gold
A place within myself that's valuable and precious
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.