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
The Fire That Keeps You Warm
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the someone that you need
Let me be your strength when you are weak
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the one always around
Let me help you up when you are down
Let me make a smile out of a frown
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the fire that keeps you warm
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "The Fire That Keeps You Warm" speak to the singer's desire to be a source of comfort and support for someone they care about. The song begins by expressing a desire to bask in the joy and happiness of the other person's smile and find solace in the depth of their eyes. The singer longs to find safety and security in the embrace of their loved one's arms. They yearn to be the fire that keeps this person warm and provide them with comfort and protection.
The lyrics continue to emphasize the singer's willingness to be the person their loved one needs, acting as a shelter during times of vulnerability and weakness. They want to be a source of strength and support, able to lift them up when they are feeling down and turn their sorrows into smiles. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the singer's desire to be the fire that provides warmth and security for their loved one.
Overall, these lyrics paint a picture of unconditional love and devotion. The singer is eager to be a constant presence in their loved one's life, offering emotional support, comfort, and a sense of warmth and protection.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Allow me to bask in the joy that radiates from your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Grant me the refuge and comfort found in the depths of your gaze
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
Allow me to find solace and security within your embrace
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Give me the privilege of being the source of comfort and love that warms your heart
I'll keep you warm
I will ensure your emotional and physical wellbeing, providing warmth in every aspect
Let me be the someone that you need
Allow me to fulfill the role of the person you require in your life
Let me be the shelter that you seek
Provide me with the opportunity to be the protective refuge you search for
Let me be your strength when you are weak
Grant me the chance to be your pillar of support during times of vulnerability
Let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Enable me to be the constant source of love and care that brings you comfort
Let me be the one always around
Give me the privilege of being consistently present in your life
Let me help you up when you are down
Allow me to extend a helping hand when you find yourself in difficult moments
Let me make a smile out of a frown
Grant me the opportunity to turn your sadness into joy and bring a smile to your face
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Continue allowing me to be the source of love and warmth that brings you happiness
I'll keep you warm
I will always ensure your emotional, physical, and spiritual warmth as long as you let me
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Allow me to experience the radiance and happiness emanating from your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Give me the opportunity to find comfort and shelter within the depths of your gaze
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
Grant me the privilege of finding security and peace within your loving embrace
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Continue allowing me to be the flame of love and affection that brings you comfort
I'll keep you warm
I will always ensure your comfort and wellbeing, providing warmth in every possible way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tropicwave1
The Fire That Keeps You Warm
Dolly Parton
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the someone that you need
Let me be the shelter that you seek
Let me be your strength when you are weak
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the one always around
Let me help you up when you are down
Let me make a smile out of a frown
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Let me walk in the sunshine of your smile
Let me hide in the shadows of your eyes
Let me lie in the safety of your arms
And let me be the fire that keeps you warm
I'll keep you warm
Let me be the fire that keeps you warm
Just Jeff (Jeff Penque)
I love this song, and the whole vibe that this album had... Great choir-like backing vocals throughout...
Shawna
This song was recently featured in an episode of the now canceled show, A.P. Bio.
1nvisible1
Lynette for the win!
Nate Shu
Not so cancelled anymore!
Shawna
@Kevin Casas Yep. That entire show had amazing music. It's where I discovered this song. 😎
Pepe Silvia
There's one person on this planet that is still cold.
1nvisible1
Jack Griffin!