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 Little Drummer Boy
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum. rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
When we come
I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King pa- rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum
on my drum?
Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him pa -rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
The Little Drummer Boy is a classic Christmas carol that tells the story of a poor boy who visits the newborn King with nothing to offer except his drumming. The carol begins with the boy being told by others to come and see the newborn King. The boy then acknowledges that he is poor and has no gifts to bring. However, he offers to play his drum for the King as a means of honoring Him. Mary, the mother of Jesus, nods approvingly as the boy plays, and even the animals in the stable keep time with his drumming. The boy plays his best for the baby Jesus, and in response, Jesus smiles at him.
The carol is a beautiful reminder of the true spirit of Christmas, which is not about material possessions or wealth but about giving from the heart. The little drummer boy, who has nothing to offer except his music, gives everything he has to honor the King. In doing so, he receives the greatest gift of all - the smile of Jesus.
Overall, The Little Drummer Boy is a poignant and meaningful Christmas carol that reminds us of the true meaning of the holiday season. Through the story of the little drummer boy, we are reminded that the greatest gift we can give is that of ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum
They informed me to come with the rhythm of the drum beats
Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
To see our newly born King with the rhythm of the drum beats
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
We offer our best gifts with the rhythm of the drum beats
To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
To present the gifts to the King with the rhythm of the drum beats
Rum pum pum pum. rum pum pum pum
The sound of the drum beats
So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
To pay respect to Him with the rhythm of the drum beats
When we come
Upon our arrival
Little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum
A small baby with the sound of the drum beats
I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
I am also a destitute boy with the sound of the drum beats
I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
I don't have any gift to present with the sound of the drum beats
That's fit to give our King pa-rum pum pum pum
That is appropriate to give to our King with the sound of the drum beats
Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum on my drum?
Can I play my drum for you with the sound of the drum beats?
Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
Mary acknowledged with the sound of the drum beats
The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb matched the rhythm of the drum beats
I played my drum for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him with the sound of the drum beats
I played my best for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him with the sound of the drum beats
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
The sound of the drum beats
Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me with the sound of the drum beats
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, INTERNATIONAL KORWIN CORP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Simeone, Henry V Onorati, Katherine Kennicot Davis, Lorenzo Definti
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josip Tito
thank you dolly for taking me home for christmas during this strange holiday season 💞
Snarkerella
I'm so happy to hear some of Dolly's earlier Christmas classics!
Marie Clark
This is one of my favorite songs ever since I was little to Drummer Boy and I just love the way Dolly Parton does it so pretty🤟🤟👍👍💛🧡❤💝💖💗💓😇🙏👏👏👏👏
Wendy Ramirez
I love this song from Dolly Parton amazing voice for such a beautiful Christmas 🎄 song 🎧 Rip to my mom was one of her favorite songs around Christmas 🎄 time what a memorable song 🎵 around this time
toni powder
Oh yes the good old Christmas music's I love it ❤️🎄
Elma Ware
I love Dolly's version it's a joy to listen to her Christmas songs Thank you❤🙏💄👠💋
actuallyfactuallynofirstname Wilgen
this is beautiful! she can make everything sound good!
Ash
This song always makes me emotional, but particularly when Dolly songs it. I think that's because it reminds me of the meaning of "Coat of Many Colors"
Brenda Leah
Both songs are expressing the beauty in the human simplicity giving of the self to love.
Craig Brown
My favourite christmas song ever. And of course sung by one of the worlds most favourite legends of all time.