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 Monkey's Tale
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Compare to yours all their tales sound so true
The way you're actin' seems to me at all the monkey should go free
You're the one that should be locked up in the Zoo
When I married you I thought you were a man
But you're the biggest ape that's living in this land
I'd like to run you up a tree for the way you lie to me
Oh the monkey's had...
Every monkey has its day so go ahead and play
Make your plans and tell your lies and stick to them
But from now on I remind you can wag your tail behind you
Cause you finally got yourself out on a limb
[ banjo ]
Every monkey has its day...
Oh the monkey's had a better tale than you
In "The Monkey's Tale," Dolly Parton uses playful metaphors and clever wordplay to express her dissatisfaction with a deceptive and manipulative partner. The song's central theme is comparing the dishonest actions of her partner to the tales of monkeys, suggesting that the monkeys' tales (both in the sense of stories and literal animal tails) are more truthful and genuine than her partner's behavior.
Dolly Parton begins by claiming that the monkeys' tales are superior to her partner's, as their stories sound more true and honest. She implies that her partner's behavior is deceitful and deserving of punishment, suggesting that it is the partner who should be locked up in a zoo, not the monkeys. This highlights her frustration and disappointment in her partner's actions, insinuating that they have acted like an unrestrained and irrational animal.
Furthermore, Dolly expresses her initial belief in her partner's character, having thought they were a mature and responsible individual when she married them. However, she now compares her partner's behavior to that of a wild and reckless ape, implying that they are a disappointment and a source of trouble. She playfully suggests that her partner's lies and erratic behavior should be met with consequences, such as being metaphorically climbed up a tree. She emphasizes that their behavior has crossed a line and has become unmanageable.
Overall, "The Monkey's Tale" is a tongue-in-cheek song where Dolly Parton uses the metaphor of monkeys to criticize a deceitful and unpredictable partner. Through the clever wordplay and humor, she expresses her disappointment and advocates for holding her partner accountable for their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the monkey's had a better tale than you
The monkeys have more convincing stories than you do.
Compare to yours all their tales sound so true
When comparing their stories to yours, theirs seem much more genuine.
The way you're actin' seems to me at all the monkey should go free
Based on your behavior, it seems like the monkey should be set free instead of being confined.
You're the one that should be locked up in the Zoo
It is you who deserves to be imprisoned in a zoo.
When I married you I thought you were a man
When I married you, I believed you were a respectable person.
But you're the biggest ape that's living in this land
However, you have turned out to be the most foolish and foolish person in this country.
I'd like to run you up a tree for the way you lie to me
I wish I could make you climb a tree as punishment for the lies you tell me.
Your swingin' round is gettin' out of hand
Your promiscuous behavior is becoming excessive and uncontrollable.
Every monkey has its day so go ahead and play
Just like every monkey gets its turn, go ahead and continue your deceitful actions.
Make your plans and tell your lies and stick to them
Make your schemes and fabricate your falsehoods, and remain dedicated to them.
But from now on I remind you can wag your tail behind you
However, I want to remind you that any success you achieve through deception will eventually catch up to you.
Cause you finally got yourself out on a limb
Because you have put yourself in a vulnerable and precarious position.
[ banjo ]
(instrumental)
Every monkey has its day...
Just like every monkey gets its turn...
Oh the monkey's had a better tale than you
The monkeys have more convincing stories than you do.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEONA REESE
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.