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
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I called on dear old Santa Claus
To see what I could see
He took me to his workshop
And told his plans to me, so
[Chorus]
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're a wake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Oh! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
You'd better write your letter now
And mail it right away
Because he's getting ready
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
[Chorus]
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" begins with her sharing her fantastic journey through the galaxy to the North Pole, where she pays a visit to the venerable symbolic figure of goodwill, Santa Claus. He takes her inside his workshop and reveals his plans to her. The lyrics then go on to remind people, both young and old, that they are being watched and judged by Santa, who will be checking his list twice to find out who has been naughty or nice. The song describes the buildup of excitement as the holiday approaches, as young children prepare to receive their favorite toys and gifts in a jubilant celebration.
The lyrics are fun and playful, filled with visual imagery and whimsical details about Santa Claus and his workshop. Dolly's rendition of the song captures the joyful nature of Christmas, showcasing her vocal range and talent, with elements of pop and country music. The lyrics are a reminder that the spirit of Christmas is not only about receiving gifts but also embodying good behavior and treating one another with kindness and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
I just came back from a lovely trip along the Milky Way
I returned from a faraway journey through space
Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I visited the winter wonderland in the Arctic region for some rest and relaxation
I called on dear old Santa Claus
I paid a visit to the beloved white-bearded gift-giver
To see what I could see
To observe the magical happenings at the North Pole
He took me to his workshop
He showed me around his factory of toys
And told his plans to me, so
And revealed his intentions for the upcoming Christmas season
You better watch out, you better not cry
You should be on your best behavior and avoid tears
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Don't sulk or complain, as I have a good reason
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The jolly man with gifts is making his rounds
He's making a list and checking it twice
He's creating a roster, checking it twice to ensure fairness
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
He'll determine which children have behaved well and who haven't
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He monitors your sleep through his mystical powers
He knows when you're a wake
He can tell if you're alert or snoozing
He knows if you've been bad or good
He's aware of your conduct, both positive and negative
So be good for goodness sake
Behave well just for the sake of being good
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Including small horns and toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Also featuring joyful sounds of various instruments
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Also dolls with curly hair that walk and make cute sounds
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
In addition to elephants, boats, and small cars
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
Children everywhere will be ecstatic with joy
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
They'll create a festive atmosphere around the centerpiece of the holiday
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
Santa is swamped with work and doesn't have the luxury of leisure time
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
He has to fill a massive amount of Christmas stockings with presents
You'd better write your letter now
You ought to write a letter to Santa as soon as possible
And mail it right away
Send it off promptly
Because he's getting ready
Because Santa is preparing
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
Preparing his means of transportation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: John Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Unholy Triforce
Oh Dolly, this brings back so many childhood memories of me and my parents gathered around the tree on Christmas, opening presents and listening to your "Home For Christmas" album on audiocassette! Thank you for uploading these wonderful holiday memory songs to YouTube! Happy Holidays, Dolly!
Chrioni Johnson
You can never make a bad song. Thanks for all the great music over the year's!! 🎶 🎵
Jojo Sanrio
Will be playing this one , love it 🥰 🎄 Merry Christmas. Thanks for keeping us some what said this year ❣️❣️
Allen Trice
Merry Christmas to you, Dolly Parton! 👱🎅🎄❄⛄
Dylan Hubbard
Blessings dolly, have a great holiday!!
Lydia Le Gros
I love your music so much that I can't stop listening to it
Anshu Kalra
Amazing song ❤️ Queen 👑 wow 😍 i have a lot many dolly stuff for this Christmas 🎄 it's gonna be a great Christmas 😊😍🎁i love u Dolly 😘 Thank you so much ❤️
Tori Mack
I LIVE U SM DOLLY IM FIRST U WONT SEE THIS BUT U SHOWED ME GOOD MUSIC TY
Timoci Ratulevu
Dolly sounds Fresher than ever 🙏🔥🔥💖
Kim J
Thank you Ms Dolly ! Cheerful Music . Merry Christmas 🎄