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
Starting Over Again
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Daddy sold the house
They split up the money
And went on their way
And all the king's horses
And all the king's men
Couldn't put mommy and daddy back together again
Where should they begin
Cause they've never been out on their own
Starting over again
Where do you begin
When your dreams are all shattered
And the kids are all grown
And the whole world cries
Got an apartment
She moved in with her sisters
He's scheming big deals with one of his friends
While she sits at home
Just sorting out pieces
Of left over memories
From thirty odd years
Starting over again
Where do you begin
You've never been out on your own
Starting over again
Never any end
What will the neighbors say?
They're talking talk, it's small town news
Facing fifty years old
Making up a happy home
And this far down the road
You find yourself alone
Two fools
Starting over again
Now where do you begin
When you've never been out on your own
Starting over again
Never any end
When your dreams are all shattered
And the kids are all grown
And all the king's horses
And all the king's men
Could never put mommy and daddy back together
Back together, again
The song "Starting Over Again" by Dolly Parton talks about the aftermath of a broken marriage and a family's attempt to pick up the pieces and start anew. The opening lines describe the separation of the couple, as the mother moves out and the father sells the house. Despite the effort to split up their assets fairly, there is no way that they could reconcile and fix their broken relationship, as the nursery rhyme reference to "all the king's horses and all the king's men" implies.
The song then moves on to the couple's attempt to rebuild their lives after divorce, with the older generation facing this task in a world they never knew without each other. The lyrics describe how both parents took different paths, with the mother moving in with her sisters and the father scheming with friends. Meanwhile, the two of them are left to reconcile their own set of memories, as they built a life together over thirty years but now have to come to terms with being apart.
The song is a poignant reflection of how difficult it can be to start over again after a long-term bond has been severed. It also touches on the societal pressures that people often face when taking on this challenge, such as the nosiness of neighbours and small-town gossip. Ultimately, the track acknowledges that starting over again is rarely easy, and that couples who separate face the challenge of building new lives alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Momma moved out
Dolly refers to the divorce of her parents where her mother left the house.
Daddy sold the house
Dolly's father had to sell their house and distribute the money with her mom after their divorce.
They split up the money
After her parents' divorce, they divided the money they got from selling their house.
And went on their way
Dolly's parents separated and went their separate ways, leaving Dolly to choose which parent to live with.
And all the king's horses
Dolly reflects on the futility of trying to repair a relationship that has been severely damaged, comparing it to the nursery rhyme involving all the king's horses.
And all the king's men
Dolly continues the reference to the nursery rhyme, suggesting that no amount of effort could undo the damage caused by the divorce of her parents.
Couldn't put mommy and daddy back together again
Dolly emphasizes that the divorce of her parents was too much to undo, and the damage caused couldn't be repaired, no matter how much effort was put into it.
Starting over again
Dolly highlights the need to get back on the saddle and start anew after a tumultuous experience like divorce.
Where should they begin
Dolly wonders where her parents would begin in starting over again, considering the traumatic experience they just had.
Cause they've never been out on their own
Dolly understands that her parents have never been alone and thus the experience of getting back up after their divorce would be like starting afresh.
Where do you begin
She continues the line of thought, asking where one should start after such an experience and how one can move on.
When your dreams are all shattered
Dolly acknowledges the heartbreak that comes with divorce and how it can shatter one's dreams and aspirations for the future.
And the kids are all grown
Dolly highlights that the absence of dependent children to care for after a divorce presents a different sort of challenge for parents, who are now faced with dealing with their own grief and trauma.
And the whole world cries
Dolly acknowledges the universality of the trauma and heartbreak that comes with divorce and how it affects the individual and the world at large.
Got an apartment
Dolly refers to her mother moving on after the divorce and getting a new apartment to start afresh.
She moved in with her sisters
Dolly references her mother seeking comfort from family after the divorce by moving in with her sisters.
He's scheming big deals with one of his friends
Dolly portrays a stereotypical post-divorce male agenda where her father is trying to pick up the pieces by making big investments and taking risks.
While she sits at home
Dolly juxtaposes the contrasting experiences where her mother is quietly mending her wounds away from the world's view, while her father is out in the world trying to make it once again.
Just sorting out pieces
Dolly refers to her mother's emotional state where she is piecing herself back together after the emotional trauma of the divorce.
Of left over memories
Dolly alludes to the memories that come with divorce, which are hard to erase or forget, even in a fresh start.
From thirty odd years
Dolly highlights the length of time her parents spent together before the divorce, giving context to the magnitude of the experience for them.
What will the neighbors say?
Dolly speaks to the stereotypical small-town judgment that comes with divorce, where people are judged for their choices and mistakes.
They're talking talk, it's small town news
Dolly emphasizes the invasive nature of small town gossip, highlighting the toll it can take on someone's psyche and reputation after a divorce.
Facing fifty years old
Dolly speaks to the demographic that often goes through a divorce- the middle-aged, thus the trauma of starting over again is even more profound.
Making up a happy home
Dolly acknowledges the hard work and effort it takes to make a home happy and comfortable after such a traumatic experience like divorce.
And this far down the road
Dolly highlights the inevitability of time and how life still goes on even after such a traumatic experience like divorce.
You find yourself alone
Dolly draws attention to the loneliness that can come with a divorce and how it affects one's outlook on life.
Two fools
Dolly acknowledges that couples who get divorced are often judged as foolish for their inability to work things out, but that the reality is often far more complicated.
Now where do you begin
Dolly brings the song back to the recurring theme of starting over again, reflecting the struggle and the uncertainty that comes with starting anew.
Never any end
Dolly acknowledges that the journey of starting over again never truly ends, as the trauma of the divorce often lingers on for a lifetime.
Could never put mommy and daddy back together
Dolly ends the song on a somber note, reiterating the fact that some damages can never be undone, even with the best intentions and efforts.
Back together, again
The line brings the song full circle, as it repeats the opening sequence, emphasizing the cyclical and endless nature of some experiences, like the effects of a divorce.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GOODMAN, RYLES
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.