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
Raven Dove
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There will come a day when sorrow fades away,
And anguish and heartache shall ease,
No mothers cryin', no soldiers dyin',
And turmoil and misery shall cease.
The hungry shall be fed, the aimless shall be led
The last shall be first, through heaven he'll burst
With his heavenly host from the East
Weapons to plowshares, hate turns to love,
Descending from heaven he'll sweep down to us
In radiant splendor; oh, won't it be sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
(Raven dove)
Oh, there will come a day when I'll fly away
Forever to be in his keep
Eternal life in the sweet by and by
When raven dove, raven dove speaks
When lambs walk with lions, a child tames the beast
Nations shall gather and bow at his feet
And loved ones shall rise up from their earthly sleep
And he'll separate all the chaff from the wheat.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, how sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
Raven dove, behold he cometh in the clouds
And every eye shall see him
Sweet bird, sweet bird of peace
Raven Dove
In Dolly Parton's song Raven Dove, she sings about a day where all grief and suffering will disappear. She envisions a future where there will be no more crying or death, where the hungry will be fed and the sad will no longer weep. Parton believes that the last shall be first, and when it comes time to enter heaven, it will be in glorious fashion with a host of angels from the East. She imagines a future where weapons are turned into plowshares and hate is transformed into love. Parton believes that the raven of darkness will turn into a white dove of peace, where nations will gather at the feet of Jesus and loved ones will rise from the dead.
The lyrics in Raven Dove have strong biblical references, drawing from the book of Isaiah and the book of Revelation. Parton's interpretation of these scriptures gives hope to many who face struggle and sorrow in this life, as they can look forward to a time where all the pain will be replaced with eternal peace in heaven. It is important to consider the context of the song, as Parton's faith plays a significant role in her music and personal beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
There will come a day when sorrow fades away,
A future time when all pain will disappear and bring relief
And anguish and heartache shall ease,
Distress and emotional suffering will subside
No mothers cryin', no soldiers dyin',
There will be no more war or violence resulting in tears and loss
And turmoil and misery shall cease.
All chaos and agony will vanish
The hungry shall be fed, the aimless shall be led
All those who lack direction and sustenance will find guidance and nourishment
And sad eyes will no longer weep,
Eyes that were once filled with sorrow and pain will be dry and happy
The last shall be first, through heaven he'll burst
Even the least important people will be prioritized and come into heaven with a bang
With his heavenly host from the East
Joined by a large group of angels from the East
Weapons to plowshares, hate turns to love,
People will stop fighting and instead will focus on working and cultivating the land, and love will replace hate
Descending from heaven he'll sweep down to us
Descending from heaven, Jesus will come down to us
In radiant splendor; oh, won't it be sweet
He will come in great glory, and it will be wonderful
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
The state of being uneasy and sad will turn bright and peaceful
(Raven dove)
A description of this change/transition
Oh, there will come a day when I'll fly away
The singer recognizes that they will eventually leave earth
Forever to be in his keep
They will stay with Jesus for eternity
Eternal life in the sweet by and by
They will have everlasting life in the pleasant future
When raven dove, raven dove speaks
When the transition from sadness to joy occurs
When lambs walk with lions, a child tames the beast
In this world, there will be no hostility or violence, nor will there be any fear of it
Nations shall gather and bow at his feet
All nations of the world will come together and respect Jesus
And loved ones shall rise up from their earthly sleep
The dead will be resurrected and reunited with their loved ones
And he'll separate all the chaff from the wheat.
Jesus will discern and separate good from evil
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, how sweet
This event will be greatly celebrated and cherished
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
The transformation from lament to joy
Raven dove, behold he cometh in the clouds
Jesus is coming soon
And every eye shall see him
Everyone will witness his arrival
Sweet bird, sweet bird of peace
Another reference to the change depicted in this song
Raven Dove
The title of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lukebarnes02
There will come a day when sorrow fades away,
And anguish and heartache shall ease,
No mothers cryin', no soldiers dyin',
And turmoil and misery shall cease.
The hungry shall be fed, the aimless shall be led
And sad eyes will no longer weep,
The last shall be first, through heaven he'll burst
With his heavenly host from the East
Weapons to plowshares, hate turns to love,
Descending from heaven he'll sweep down to us
In radiant splendor; oh, won't it be sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
(Raven dove)
Oh, there will come a day when I'll fly away
Forever to be in his keep
Eternal life in the sweet by and by
When raven dove, raven dove speaks
When lambs walk with lions, a child tames the beast
Nations shall gather and bow at his feet
And loved ones shall rise up from their earthly sleep
And he'll separate all the chaff from the wheat.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, how sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
Raven dove, behold he cometh in the clouds
And every eye shall see him
Sweet bird, sweet bird of peace
Raven Dove
Roxanne Shannon
This is one of those songs that just stays with you, Definitely a favorite of mine 🙏🏻♥️
Jayden Bluebell
I agree.
Tobias Dubose
I've been listening to Dolly for years and years. I never could understand why this album never was on Spotify until 2020. It's such an amazing album to listen to, especially if you like bluegrass and mountain music.
Ruth music
Great song of faith.There'll come a day......good one,Dolly!
Gail Coley
I love to listen to her sing. You can see her heart is so full of love. ❤
KLAY1946
One of my very favs
ZAYA REUM
this album is just too good
Uniquely Adequate
My Favorite Dolly Parton Song
lukebarnes02
There will come a day when sorrow fades away,
And anguish and heartache shall ease,
No mothers cryin', no soldiers dyin',
And turmoil and misery shall cease.
The hungry shall be fed, the aimless shall be led
And sad eyes will no longer weep,
The last shall be first, through heaven he'll burst
With his heavenly host from the East
Weapons to plowshares, hate turns to love,
Descending from heaven he'll sweep down to us
In radiant splendor; oh, won't it be sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
(Raven dove)
Oh, there will come a day when I'll fly away
Forever to be in his keep
Eternal life in the sweet by and by
When raven dove, raven dove speaks
When lambs walk with lions, a child tames the beast
Nations shall gather and bow at his feet
And loved ones shall rise up from their earthly sleep
And he'll separate all the chaff from the wheat.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, how sweet
When the raven of darkness turns into a white dove of peace
Raven dove, behold he cometh in the clouds
And every eye shall see him
Sweet bird, sweet bird of peace
Raven Dove
Uniquely Adequate
My favorite Dolly Parton song