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
Teach Me To Trust
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe because I want it so much
Maybe I fear you don't really mean it
For I feel I'm never enough
But I want you more
Than I ever wanted
Anything I can recall
Keeps saying you'll hurt me
Do I dare to trust it at all
Teach me to trust
Darling you must
Or else I'll go out of my mind
When I'm not near you
I always fear you
Have somebody else on the line
Is it a fear
Or is it a knowing
A jealousy born out of truth
'Cause I watch you flirt
And it's how you embrace
Them with your eyes
That say I could lose
Teach me to trust
Make me feel loved
Tell me I've no need to fear
Just make me feel safe
Whatever it takes
Tell me what I need to hear
'Cause I need to feel
Important and special
Your cherished and only true love
And sometimes I think
I'll die from this feeling
If you don't teach me to trust
Can't you reach me
And teach me to trust
The lyrics of Dolly Parton's "Teach Me to Trust" convey a sense of vulnerability, insecurity, and fear of betrayal that comes with loving someone. The singer is torn between her intense desire for her partner and her fear of being hurt by them. She questions whether her fears are rooted in something real, as she watches her partner flirt with others with a pang of jealousy. She admits her need to feel important, special, and loved but struggles to trust her partner.
The singer's plea to her partner to teach her to trust exemplifies a common relationship struggle. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, and once it is broken, it's hard to rebuild. Often, trust issues stem from past experiences of betrayal, which can create a cycle of mistrust that's hard to overcome. The singer's vulnerability and willingness to admit her fears and insecurities are relatable, highlighting that trust cannot be forced, but must be earned over time.
Overall, "Teach Me to Trust" is a poignant portrayal of the complexities of love and the importance of trust in a relationship. It's a song that resonates with anyone who has loved and struggled to trust.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe because it's too good to be true
I am unsure if this is real and genuine or if it's just too good to be true.
Maybe because I want it so much
I really desire this, so I'm unsure if it's actually possible.
Maybe I fear you don't really mean it
I am afraid that you are not being truthful or sincere about your feelings towards me.
For I feel I'm never enough
I often feel inadequate and like I'm not good enough for you.
But I want you more
Despite my doubts and fears, I still want to be with you more than anything.
Than I ever wanted
I have never wanted anything as much as I want to be with you.
Anything I can recall
I cannot remember wanting anything as much as I want to be with you.
But something inside
I have an inner voice or feeling that is holding me back from fully trusting you.
Keeps saying you'll hurt me
That inner voice or feeling is warning me that I may be hurt or let down by you.
Do I dare to trust it at all
I'm not sure if I should listen to that voice or ignore it and take a chance on trusting you.
Teach me to trust
I really want to trust you, but I need your help to do so.
Darling you must
I am relying on you to teach me how to trust you and reassure me of your love.
Or else I'll go out of my mind
If I can't learn to trust you, I will become anxious and possibly lose my sanity over it.
When I'm not near you
When we are apart from each other,
I always fear you
I am always afraid that you may be with someone else or not being faithful to me.
Have somebody else on the line
I'm worried that you may be talking to or seeing someone else and not being honest with me.
Is it a fear
I wonder if my anxiety is simply a fear or if it's based on something more concrete.
Or is it a knowing
I wonder if my anxiety is actually based on intuition or something that I 'know' to be true.
A jealousy born out of truth
If I am jealous, it may be because there is some truth to my fears or suspicions.
'Cause I watch you flirt
I observe how you interact with others,
And it's how you embrace
Especially when you greet others with a hug or embrace,
Them with your eyes
And the way you look into their eyes suggests that you may be interested in them romantically.
That say I could lose
This makes me feel like I could lose you to someone else and reinforces my fears and anxiety.
Make me feel loved
I need you to show me that you truly love me and value our relationship.
Tell me I've no need to fear
Please reassure me that I have no reason to be anxious or worried about our relationship and that you are committed to me.
Just make me feel safe
Above all else, I need to feel safe and secure in our relationship.
Whatever it takes
I am willing to do whatever it takes to learn to trust you and make our relationship strong and healthy.
Tell me what I need to hear
I need you to tell me the things that will help me trust you and let go of my doubts and fears.
'Cause I need to feel
It is crucial that I feel,
Important and special
Like I am valued and cherished by you.
Your cherished and only true love
I want to be your one and only true love, and I need your help to believe that I am.
And sometimes I think
At times, I have thoughts and feelings that tell me
I'll die from this feeling
That I may not be able to handle my anxiety and distrust and that it will consume me entirely.
If you don't teach me to trust
Without your help and guidance, I'm not sure if I will ever be able to fully trust you and feel secure in our relationship.
Can't you reach me
I am asking you to help me overcome my anxieties and doubts and teach me to be secure and trusting in our relationship.
And teach me to trust
By showing me love, honesty, and commitment, you can help me learn to trust you and build a strong relationship together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, AUTOTRAIN MUSIC
Written by: EUGENE GOLDEN, 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.