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
Those Were The Days
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
The song Those Were the Days by Dolly Parton is a nostalgic reflection on youth in which the singer looks back on a time where she and her friends would meet at a local tavern to drink, laugh, and talk about their futures. In the first verse, the singer reminisces about the past when life was filled with promise and anything seemed possible. The lyrics reveal a yearning for the past, when the future was full of hope and boundless possibilities.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on how time has changed since those carefree days. The lyrics suggest that life has become busier and that the dreams that once seemed so plausible have been lost along the way. The singer acknowledges that if she were to see her old friends again they would only smile at each other and remember the past.
Finally, in the third verse, the singer stands outside the tavern and sees her own reflection in the glass. She realizes that she has grown older, and the person she sees in the mirror is not the same as the one who used to dance and laugh the night away. However, when she hears familiar laughter coming from inside the tavern, she is filled with a feeling of joy and optimism. As it turns out, her old friends are there waiting for her, and they reminisce about the good old days when they were young and full of hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time there was a tavern
In the past there used to be a place where people gathered.
Where we used to raise a glass or two
We used to drink and have a good time.
Remember how we laughed away the hours
We were happy and carefree, spending time with friends.
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
We had big dreams and aspirations for our future.
Those were the days my friend
The past was a happy time that we remember fondly.
We thought they'd never end
We believed that our happiness and carefree spirits would last forever.
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We enjoyed singing and dancing, and believed we would always be able to do so.
We'd live the life we choose
We had the freedom to live our lives as we wanted.
We'd fight and never lose
We were confident in our abilities and believed we could overcome any obstacle.
For we were young and sure to have our way
We were young and had a sense of invincibility and confidence in our abilities.
La la la la
Then the busy years went rushing by us
As time passed, we became busier and had less time to spend with friends.
We lost our starry notions on the way
Over time, we became more practical and less idealistic.
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
If I were to see you again in the place we used to gather...
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
...we would greet each other warmly and reminisce about the past.
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Recently, I found myself outside the tavern again.
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
Things have changed and the place is not the same as it was in the past.
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw a version of myself I didn't recognize.
Was that lonely woman really me
I felt alone and disconnected from my past self, wondering if that was truly who I had become.
Through the door there came familiar laughter
Suddenly, I heard the sound of people laughing and having a good time, much like we used to in the past.
I saw your face and heard you call my name
I saw you again and was reminded of our friendship and the good times we had.
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
Even though we've grown older, we still face the same struggles and uncertainties we did in the past.
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Despite the passage of time, we still hold onto the same hopes and ambitions we had in our youth.
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
The past was a simpler time and we will always cherish the memories we made together.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, T.R.O. INC.
Written by: GENE RASKIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elizabetakatalinic9369
This melodiy is both well-known and an original song to me. I understand 70% Russian without ever learning it, it's because Russian like my Croatian belongs to the Slavic languages. Dolly you sang it great like always. Na zdarovje ( cheers on Russian) and Nazdravlje ( on Croatian). Love you Dolly forever, your Eli. from Switzerland ( and Croatia ).💝🥰🥰💝🇭🇷❤🇨🇭
@SantiagoRengstorff-ws5vh
SendingallmylovetoyouDplly
@DeutscherDon
This entire album will forever hold a special place in my heart--but the wistful joy imparted by this title track might be the most special of all...thank you, Dolly, for assembling this perfect group to capture the essence of life in this tune...
@justingarza3189
My parents used to play this in the car when I was a young child, and I remember how enchanting dollys voice was and still is today, and oh my lord is this an almost haunting cover.
@debbers
Hey Dolly, I've loved you since I was a teen, I am 66 years old now and still love you. You must have been a baby when you started singing because you are still looking pretty good and still number one in my book.
@KEscano88
I love this rendition!💖
@Vytas.
I absolutely love Dolly Parton. She is such a sense making person. So logical. Once she was asked how she feels about men. She answered "with my fingers". She sings beautifully and donates money to the Covid problem solution. She is as good as it gets. The South has produced great singers. Taylor Swift, for instance. Dolly Parton is not to be overlooked. She is the true icon.
@mickiedebellot7057
I love Dolly Parton love her singing and because of her I listen to country music my favorite star of country thank you Dolly your the best🙂👍👍👍👏👏👏👏😘
@scotttucker5306
This is my favorite version of this song! ❤️U Dolly! 🤗
@livingace
im in love with dolly and nothing can change my mind !