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 Last One to Touch Me
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If there ever was an angel, then surely you must be one
If there ever was a perfect love when I look at you I see one
If there's heaven on earth, then this must surely be
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
The last thing I remember before I go to sleep
Is the touch of your sweet lips softly kissing me
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
And when it's time to lay me down for my eternal sleep
Once more let your fingers softly touch my cheek
If I know that you have touched me, then I can sleep in peace
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
And when the night is over and time will be no more
They say that we shall meet again upon the golden shore
And so when I awaken from my eternal sleep
I want you to be the first one to touch me
I want you to be the first, the last, the only one to touch me
In the song "The Last One to Touch Me", Dolly Parton has depicted the concept of true love and a profound connection between two individuals. She explains that if there ever was an angel or a perfect love, the person she is referring to would be the epitome of both. The singer goes on to say that she considers her partner's touch as heaven on earth, and that she wants them to be the last one to touch her, even before she goes to her eternal sleep.
The lyrics reveal the idea of how a person's touch has the power to provide comfort and solace, especially when it is from someone who truly loves you. Parton emphasizes the significance of the touch of her loved one, as it is the last thing she wants to feel before she passes away, saying that it would bring her peace of mind. The last verse of the song further highlights the significance of her loved one's touch, as she asks for them to be the first one to touch her when she wakes up from eternal sleep.
Overall, the song highlights the depth of love between two people and how touch can play a crucial role in expressing emotions and providing comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
If there ever was an angel, then surely you must be one
You are the epitome of goodness and purity, so much so that you remind me of an angel.
If there ever was a perfect love when I look at you I see one
When I see you, I can see the embodiment of true love.
If there's heaven on earth, then this must surely be
Being with you makes me feel like I'm in heaven, even when I'm on earth.
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
Out of everyone in the world, I want you to be the last person to touch me, because you mean the most to me.
The last thing I remember before I go to sleep
Before I go to sleep, the last thing I think about is you and your love.
Is the touch of your sweet lips softly kissing me
I remember the tender feeling of your lips gently kissing me, which is still so vivid in my mind even as I drift off.
And I go to sleep athinking how happy you make me
Every night before I sleep, I feel grateful for how much joy you bring to my life.
And when it's time to lay me down for my eternal sleep
When I come to the end of my life and pass away, my wish is for you to be there with me.
Once more let your fingers softly touch my cheek
Before I finally leave this world, let me feel the touch of your fingers one more time as a reminder of your love.
If I know that you have touched me, then I can sleep in peace
Having you touch me is the assurance I need to be able to peacefully rest in my eternal sleep.
And when the night is over and time will be no more
Eventually, time will come to an end and so will our lives.
They say that we shall meet again upon the golden shore
It is said that after death, we will be reunited on the other side, where everything is golden.
And so when I awaken from my eternal sleep
When I am resurrected from my eternal slumber, I will be overjoyed to see you again.
I want you to be the first one to touch me
After my rebirth, my first desire is to feel your touch once again, to confirm that we are indeed reunited.
I want you to be the first, the last, the only one to touch me
All I need is your touch, and yours alone, to feel whole and complete in life and death.
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.