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 Salt In My Tears
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've tried and I've tried for so long to please you
Gave you every bit of my time
Gave you everything I could possibly give you
My body, my heart, and my mind
I turned my family and good friends against me
Listened to my own heart break
Gave up myself for your sake
And you never cared about me
You only hurt and deceive
I realize after all of these years
That you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You've cheated, you've lied and you've hurt me
Over and over again
You promised to love me forever
But forever reached a bitter sweet end
Been blinded by love to your actions
But at last I can see my way clear
I've cried and I've tried, and I've tried and I've cried
But you, you've never shed one tear
'Cause you never cared about me
You only hurt and deceive
I realize after all of these years
That you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You ain't worth, you ain't worth the salt in my tears
Treated like dirt, I'm hurt, I ain't hangin' 'round here
You've left me crying, left me crying for years
But you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You never cared about me
You only hurt and decieve
I realize after all of these years
That you ain't worth the salt in my tears
No you ain't worth the salt in my tears
The Salt In My Tears by Dolly Parton is a poignant song about love and heartbreak. Throughout the song, Dolly sings about giving everything she had to please her lover, including her time and her heart. She even turned her family and friends against her in order to please her lover. However, despite her efforts, her lover continued to be unfaithful and cause her heartache.
In the chorus, she explores the realization that her lover was not worth her tears, despite the fact that she had been blinded by love and had cried and tried for years. The lyrics, "you ain't worth, you ain't worth the salt in my tears," highlight the idea that her lover was not even worth the salt in her tears, indicating that he was not worth any of the pain she had suffered for him.
One of the most impactful aspects of this song is the vulnerability in the lyrics. Dolly shares her pain and heartbreak through her words, creating a relatable story for listeners. The song is a powerful reminder that sometimes we have to let go of what is hurting us, even if it is something we love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tried and I've tried for so long to please you
I made countless efforts and spent a lot of time trying to make you happy
Gave you every bit of my time
I devoted all of my precious time to you
Gave you everything I could possibly give you
I gave you everything I had, and even more than I could afford
My body, my heart, and my mind
I gave you my physical self, my emotions, and my thoughts
I turned my family and good friends against me
I made my loved ones angry and pushed them away by prioritizing you over them
Listened to my own heart break
I suffered emotional pain, even to the point of heartbreak
And I did it all in the name of love
I made these sacrifices because I thought that it was true love
Gave up myself for your sake
I abandoned my own needs and desires for your sake
And you never cared about me
You never truly cared about me, my feelings, or my well-being
You only hurt and deceive
Your actions only caused pain and betrayal
I realize after all of these years
After a long time, I finally realize
That you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You are not even worthy of the salt that has been wasted in the tears I cried over you
You've cheated, you've lied and you've hurt me
You have been unfaithful, dishonest, and have caused me pain
Over and over again
Repeatedly, many times
You promised to love me forever
You made a pledge to love me eternally
But forever reached a bitter sweet end
Our 'forever' finally came to an unhappy conclusion
Been blinded by love to your actions
I was too in love with you to see the bad things you did
But at last I can see my way clear
Finally, I can see clearly now
I've cried and I've tried, and I've tried and I've cried
I have shed countless tears and made many attempts
But you, you've never shed one tear
But you have never shown any remorse or sadness
'Cause you never cared about me
Because you never truly cared for me, my feelings, or my happiness
You ain't worth, you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You are not even worth the salt that has been wasted in the tears I cried over you
Treated like dirt, I'm hurt, I ain't hangin' 'round here
I feel like I have been treated poorly and I am not going to stick around
You've left me crying, left me crying for years
You have left me in a state of sadness and despair for many years
No you ain't worth the salt in my tears
You are not even worth the salt in my tears, let alone my love or my life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johnathon Walls
Heck yea Dolly, too many people in the world are just out for themselves, in my opinion, they arent worth the "salt in our tears"! Great song, Great woman, Great message! Thanks for posting!
Johnny Diaz
Such a great catchy uplifting song with an empowerment message
Juan I. M.
Dolly and her classical style!!
TwoWheelingTom
Love it! Love Dolly too! She is a timeless beauty.
Johnny J
Dolly cares for the world! Fantastic artist!
Rome Goodlow
One of my first country songs I ever remember listening to as a child lol...gotta love Dolly
Brenda Buffkin
love her music
Bernadette Allsworth
This was written for me. Love it!
reguy n roxann desamours
i love this lady she is the best of the best
Mylady
love all your music keep on making it