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 Star Spangled Banner
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?...
The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States of America. The first verse of the song highlights the resilience, bravery, and patriotism of the American people. The opening line, "Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light," sets the stage for the rest of the song, painting a vivid picture of a battle-weary America at the break of dawn. The second line, "What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming," refers to the American flag that was flying at Fort McHenry at the end of a battle with the British in the War of 1812.
The third line, "Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight," continues this imagery, describing how the flag withstood the "perilous fight" of the battle. The fourth line, "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?" indicates that the flag was visible from the ramparts of Fort McHenry, signaling to the American troops that their country was still holding its own against the onslaught of the British.
The second half of the song is a question, "Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave? O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" It's a call to action, asking Americans whether they are still the land of the free and home of the brave.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light
Can you see what's going on at this early hour?
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
Do you remember what we celebrated last night?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
During a difficult and dangerous battle, our flag remained strong and beautiful with its wide red and white stripes and shining stars.
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
We stood on the fort's walls, watching the flag as it flew proudly and bravely.
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
We could see the bright red light of rockets and the explosion of bombs in the sky.
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
Seeing the flag amidst all the chaos and destruction gave us the confidence that our country was still standing strong.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
Is our flag still flying high?
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Is it still waving over our nation, the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Baby Drako
Dolly can sing any can of music and it's special. I could listen to her all day .Thank you Dolly.
Tracy Massa
She sings like an angel, would love to see her in concert
A L
Beautiful Dolly! You are a national treasure🙏🙏
Christina Beach
Love you Dolly parton😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Marion Manuel Hunt
Dolly, your voice is a gift.
Nadia pi
A lot of chills when I hear this song🥰
Holly Hernandez
Dolly your voice came from heaven 💗💓 and kids don't usually have good ears for music but I am a kid
Tina Jeppesen
Dolly’s voice so sweet and beautiful
Jeremiah Aragon
What a beautiful voice 💕😍
theHentySkeptic
an anthem of hope for the whole world