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
Same Old Fool
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chorus:
I was the same old fool but in any fantasy same old fool with the same old dream still the same old me show me have life can be now the same old fool has got a brand new dream
Repeat chorus
Instrumental break
Repeat chorus to fade out
The lyrics of Same Old Fool by Dolly Parton depict a woman who recognizes her own mistakes in the past and longs to learn from them. She is aware that she was a girl who was often disliked by others but was loved by someone, and yet she could not understand the love she was receiving. She admits to being foolish and naive, but at the same time hopes to get another chance to prove herself. The chorus talks about how she was always the same old person with the same old dream, but now she has a new perspective on life and is ready to move on from her past mistakes. She is ready to embrace a new beginning with a brand new dream, and let go of her old ways.
Overall, the song presents a message of growth and change, where the singer has learned from her past and feels empowered to make changes in her life. She recognizes that she was a fool, but now has a new understanding of love and life. The song illustrates that it is never too late to start over and embrace a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
there I was the girl that you love to hate but hate to love alone I guess you might say yes I was
I used to be the girl who was disliked by all, but secretly desired by all. That's who I was, all alone.
and there you were giving me love enough for any girl to understand this girl couldn't see
But you were there, willing to love me unconditionally. Anyone could see that, except me.
I was the same old fool but in any fantasy same old fool with the same old dream still the same old me
I was a fool who had the same desires and dreams, no matter the circumstance. I'm still the same person I always was.
show me have life can be now the same old fool has got a brand new dream
You showed me a different way of life and now, even though I'm the same person, I have a new dream to pursue.
One more chance is all that I ever need 'cause you gave to me a shred of hope more than most receive
All I need is another chance to prove myself because you gave me the hope that not many people receive in their lives.
and here I am now that I finally, finally, finally found what real love means this brand new dream won't end
And now, that I have experienced real love, my new dream will never fade away.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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.