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
Shinola
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And expensive new clothes on your back
Every short skirt on the highway
Has spent time in your bachelor pad
We dance and you look over my shoulder
And make eyes at somebody else
You swear that you're not, but you know that's a croc
Your attitude stinks and I hate it
You're arrogant, cocky and rude
You're selfish, conceited and jaded
Everything's all about you
You think that I'm lucky to have you
You think you're so handsome, so what
I'm callin' you out cause I don't need this crap
I'm gettin' myself outta dodge
Cause you don't know love from shinola
With you love is not what I found
A woman needs someone to hold her
Not someone to just lay her down
I want someone I can count on
A cool headed, warm hearted shoulder
To cry on, rely on, today and from now on
But you don't know love from shinola
You don't know love
From shinola
Oh but I gave you love and affection
But you never gave one iota
It was an early detection
That you don't know love from shinola
You don't know love from shinola
You don't know what true loves about
Well you'll find your world growin' colder
When you're alone and without
So go on, lover boy, have a big time
Drink up on your bourbon and cola
When you sober up you'll be *beep* outta luck
Cause you don't know love from shinola
I'm in it for love, but you're just plain stuck
You don't know love from shinola
In Dolly Parton's song Shinola, the lyrics tell the story of a woman who is tired of being mistreated in a romantic relationship. The woman addresses her partner and calls him out on his arrogance, rudeness, and selfishness. She describes how every woman they encounter catches his attention and how he only cares about himself. The woman then explains that she wants someone who can provide her with love, support, and someone to rely on, not just someone to lay her down. She compares her partner's lack of understanding of love to not knowing the difference between love and shinola. The song ends with the woman telling her partner to enjoy his drinks and parties, but he will eventually be alone if he continues to treat women the way he does.
The lyrics in Shinola resonate with many women who have been in similar situations as the singer. The song is powerful in its clear message about the importance of respect and love in a relationship. Dolly Parton's masterful storytelling makes the listener empathize with the woman's plight and feel her frustration and disappointment. The comparison between love and shinola is a metaphor that emphasizes the singer's belief that her partner does not understand the importance or true meaning of love, and that he is simply throwing his life away.
Line by Line Meaning
You got a snazzy new car in your driveway
You have an expensive car that is making you feel superior
And expensive new clothes on your back
You have new clothes on your back which are costly and assumed to be better than others
Every short skirt on the highway
You are a man who is having affairs with every woman he meets
Has spent time in your bachelor pad
Every woman who you've had an affair with has visited your place
We dance and you look over my shoulder
You are not interested in me while dancing and checking out other women
And make eyes at somebody else
You are trying to engage with other women while neglecting me
You swear that you're not but you know that's a croc
You know very well that you are lying when you say that you're not interested in other women
Cause you only care for yourself
You are selfish and only care about your interests
Your attitude stinks and I hate it
I dislike your arrogant and rude attitude
You're arrogant, cocky and rude
You are overconfident, and often exhibit disrespectful behavior
You're selfish, conceited and jaded
You always put yourself first, and often show a lack of gratitude
Everything's all about you
You are self-centered and don't care about anyone else but yourself
You think that I'm lucky to have you
You believe that I'm fortunate to be with you, but I don't feel the same way
You think you're so handsome, so what
You are vain, and think your looks are everything, which is unattractive
I'm callin' you out cause I don't need this crap
I'm confronting you because I can't tolerate this behavior anymore
I'm gettin' myself outta dodge
I'm leaving you to avoid dealing with your behavior any longer
Cause you don't know love from shinola
You cannot differentiate between true love and meaningless infatuation
With you love is not what I found
I thought you loved me but now I see that's not true
A woman needs someone to hold her
I want someone who can support me with their presence and affection
Not someone to just lay her down
I'm not interested in just physical intimacy
I want someone I can count on
I need someone dependable and reliable
A cool headed, warm hearted shoulder
I want someone who is emotionally supportive
To cry on, rely on, today and from now on
I want someone I can lean on not just today but for the rest of my life
Oh but I gave you love and affection
I tried to love and care for you, but I was unsuccessful in winning your affection
But you never gave one iota
You never reciprocated my love and affection in the slightest way
It was an early detection
I realized early on that you were never going to love me in return
You don't know love from shinola
You are incapable of recognizing true love
You don't know what true loves about
You have no idea what true love actually means
Well, you'll find your world growin' colder
You will be lonely and unhappy without any love or companionship
When you're alone and without
When you are alone and have no one around you
So go on, lover boy, have a big time
You can go on living life the way you were- chasing after women and neglecting emotions
Drink up on your bourbon and cola
Drink until you forget your problems or the fact that you don't know love
When you sober up you'll be *beep* outta luck
When you sober up, you will realize that you missed out on true love
I'm in it for love but you're just plain stuck
I'm here for true love, but you're stuck in your old ways
You don't know love from shinola
You are incapable of recognizing true love
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.