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
There
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was standing on a mountain top
Looking down, around in such dismay
And in my dream I heard Him say
Don't make me have to come down there
My children, you had best beware
If you don't pay attention, consequences will be dire
I've told you time and time again
You can't disobey and hope to win
I am still the boss here in case there's any doubt
You know I put you in this world and I can take you out
Don't make me have to come down there
You've always been my cross to bear
I've let you try my patience as all good Fathers do
You're on my last nerve, I have had it up to here with you
I gave you a book, you didn't read it (you didn't read it)
I gave you my word, you didn't heed it (you didn't heed it)
Gave you a map, you said you didn't need it (you didn't need it)
And now you've lost direction and you're wandering aimlessly
Don't make me have to come down there (don't make me)
This is not a game of truth or dare (don't make me)
Now I don't want to punish you, but if it has to be
This is gonna hurt you more than it hurts me
Don't make me have to come down there
Bridge this great divide and make repairs
Go to your room and pray 'til you can learn to play fair
Don't make me have to come down there (down there)
Politics, earthquakes, erratic weather
Pandemics, war, and hate, still you'd rather
Turn a deaf ear, a blind eye, I am wondering whether
I should take my Bible belt and whip you into shape
Don't make me have to come down there (don't make me)
My children you had best beware (don't make me)
Clean up this mess and put on something decent to wear
Don't make me have to come down there (don't make me have to come down there)
Don't make me have to come down there
My children you had best beware (don't make me)
Why can't you learn to listen and learn to love and share
Don't make me have to come down there
Don't make me have to come down there (don't make me, don't make me)
Don't make me come down there (don't make me come down there)
Don't make me have to come down there
Don't make me come down there (don't, don't make me, don't make me)
Don't make me come down there (don't make me come down there)
Don't make me have to come down there (don't make me, don't make me)
Don't make me come down there (don't make me come down there)
Don't make me have to come down there
Don't make me, don't make me
Don't make me have to come down there
Dolly Parton's song "Take Me There" is an invitation to a mystical, unimaginable place where everything is bright and beautiful. The singer is yearning for a city of riches beyond comprehension, with streets of gold, gates of pearl, and brilliant mansions. She asks to be shown and taken to this rare place with complete love, where peace, joy, and love linger on through the ages.
The song speaks to the human longing for a better existence, a place of refuge from the hardships of this world. It is a reminder of the value of faith and the importance of community in navigating life's difficulties. The lyrics offer a message of hope and a promise of a better existence, free from pain and sorrow. The song could also be interpreted as a metaphor for death or the afterlife, suggesting that while the journey may be difficult or uncertain, there is a peaceful place waiting for us on the other side.
Overall, "Take Me There" is a powerful expression of the human desire for a better world, for a place of peace, love, and eternal joy.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a place where the sun's always glowing
I yearn for a place where the sun never sets; where life is perpetual day and I can bask in its warmth
Meadows grow green near the streams gently flowing
I seek serenity and a place where nature thrives; where I can relax by gentle waters and vibrant greenery
A city of riches beyond comprehension
I long for a place where wealth is measured not in gold or silver, but in what truly matters- love, joy, and peace
Streets are of gold, gates of pearl, brilliant mansions
I dream of a place where even the streets and gates are made out of the finest materials, and the homes are more beautiful than anything on Earth
Take me and show me this rare place you speak of
Please take me to the place you describe; a place I have only heard about, but have yet to see
At the foot of the throne the kingdom rejoices
In my mind's eye, I see the true King of all creation; and in His presence, all of heaven is overcome with joy
The angels are singing His praise with their voices
Everywhere I turn, I hear songs of worship and adoration; and they fill me with a longing to join in and give my own heart to my Creator
Peace, joy and love linger on through the ages
I imagine a world where peace, joy, and love are not only present but everlasting; where they never fade or disappear but remain a constant in our hearts
Lambs lay with lions and lions with babies
In this place, even the most unexpected friendships are formed; predators and prey lay together in love and harmony
There is a church where they teach all about it
If you can't take me to that place, at least take me to the church where they speak of it; where I can learn more and understand the wonder of it all
There is a book we must not be without it
The book contains the secrets and stories of that rare place; it is the written witness of those who have experienced it firsthand and can lead us to it
There is an altar where sins are forgiven
I cannot enter that place in my current state; but there is a place I can go to receive forgiveness for my wrongs, and cleanse my soul before my journey there
We'll find there the God of eternal living
In the end, all of my searching will lead me to the One who reigns over that place; and I will finally be home, in the company of the One who created it all
There is no sorrow and no heartache there
In that place, my heart will experience a peace that it has never known; there will be no more pain or despair, only joy and fulfillment
There is no crying and no dying there
I'll never shed another tear, and death will be a distant memory; in that place, life is eternal, and death is swallowed up in victory
Take me there - I can't take you there
Despite my desire and longing, I cannot bring you to that place; you must discover it for yourself, just as I have
Won't you take me there - won't you take me there
I plead with you, take me to that place; take me to the home I know I was meant for
Hallelujah won't you take me there
I lift up my voice in praise, and sing hallelujah to my King; take me to that place where all creation joins in the chorus of worship
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.