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
Randy
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The promise of a love like I have never known
Randy, cradled in your arms, I feel like I'm in heaven
And heaven knows I've needed someone like you for so long
So Randy take me with you, for that's where I want to be
Teach me how to fly on these new wings you've given me
Randy, let me show you what your love has meant to me
Randy, let me be the only one you'll ever need
Randy, you have given me reason to live again
Reason to love again and reason to smile
Randy, you have given me new inspiration
New dreams to dream and a reason to try
So Randy take me with you for that's where I want to be
Teach me how to fly on these new wings you've given me
Randy, let me show you what your love has meant to me
Randy, let me be the only one you'll ever need
In this song, Dolly Parton is expressing her love and gratitude for her partner, Randy. She sings about how she sees a promising future and a love that she has never experienced before in his eyes. She feels like she is in heaven when she is in his arms and has been longing for someone like him for a long time. Dolly is willing to follow Randy wherever he goes and learn from him because he has given her a new sense of purpose and inspiration. She wants to show Randy how much his love means to her and to be the only one he will ever need.
The lyrics show Dolly's vulnerability and her willingness to surrender herself to the person she loves. Her voice is soft and emotional, adding to the sincerity of the message. The song is simple but powerful, showing the beauty of a strong and loving relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Randy in your eyes, I see the promise of a future
When I look at you, I see the hope for a future together
The promise of a love like I have never known
I believe that the love we share is unlike any other love I have experienced before
Randy, cradled in your arms, I feel like I'm in heaven
When you hold me, I feel safe and loved. It's a feeling of pure joy and happiness
And heaven knows I've needed someone like you for so long
I have been longing for someone like you to come into my life for a very long time
So Randy take me with you, for that's where I want to be
I want to be with you always, wherever you go
Teach me how to fly on these new wings you've given me
With you by my side, I feel like I can achieve anything. Show me how to reach my full potential
Randy, let me show you what your love has meant to me
I want to express to you how much your love has impacted my life in a positive way
Randy, let me be the only one you'll ever need
I want to be the one you turn to for love and support always, and I promise to do the same for you
Randy, you have given me reason to live again
Before I met you, I didn't feel like life was worth living. But you have given me a reason to keep going
Reason to love again and reason to smile
With your love, I have found happiness and joy that I thought was lost forever
Randy, you have given me new inspiration
You inspire me to be a better person and reach for my dreams
New dreams to dream and a reason to try
With your love and support, I am excited to dream bigger and work harder to achieve my goals
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.