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
Walls of the Mind
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memories of a love I knew one time
So often in my thoughts I stand looking
At the memories hanging on the
Wall of my mind
I see a memory of raindrops falling in
The park on the day we met
Laughing talking as we both got soakin' wet
The memory made that day I
Could never put away
That's the day he told me he'd be mine
And that's just one of the memories
He left hanging on the wall of my mind
And I have a memory of springtime
Cherry blossoms and birds singing
All the while
And the secret place we'd hide and
Laid together side by side
And the love that shined so
Brightly in his eyes
Springtime I recall was the
Sweetest time of all
That's the season our hearts became entwined
And that's just one of the memories
He left hanging on the wall of my mind
Through the spring and summer he loved me
Then his love died with autumn leaves
His love was the wild and restless kind
When he left
He left with me so many memories
He left them hanging on the wall of my mind
On my mind
M-m-m-m hanging on the wall of my mind
On my mind he left them hanging on my mind
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Walls of the Mind" depict a person reflecting on memories of a past love that are deeply etched in their mind. These memories are depicted as pictures hanging on the walls of their mind, symbolizing the permanence and prominence of these thoughts. As the singer stands and looks at these memories, they recount various moments from their relationship.
In the first verse, the singer recalls the day they met in the park, with raindrops falling around them. Despite getting soaking wet, the memory of that day and the declaration of love made by their partner remained unforgettable. This memory becomes one of the pictures on the wall of their mind.
The second verse describes a memory of springtime, with cherry blossoms and birds singing. The couple had a special secret place where they would hide and spend time together. The love they shared is portrayed through the brightness in their partner's eyes. This beautiful and tender memory also finds its place on the wall of their mind.
The final verse reveals that the relationship eventually came to an end. The love that once bloomed like springtime faded like autumn leaves. The partner had a wild and restless kind of love that ultimately led them to leave. However, they left behind numerous memories that continue to hang on the wall of the singer’s mind, a reminder of the love they once shared.
Overall, "Walls of the Mind" evokes nostalgia and longing as the lyrics emphasize the lasting impact of love on our memories, even after a relationship has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Engraved in my mind there are pictures
There are vivid and lasting images etched in my memory
Memories of a love I knew one time
Recollections of a past romantic relationship
So often in my thoughts I stand looking
Frequently, I find myself reflecting on
At the memories hanging on the
Wall of my mind
The memories that are prominently stored and displayed in my thoughts
I see a memory of raindrops falling in
The park on the day we met
I recall the moment it rained in the park when we first encountered each other
Walking with each other through the rain
Laughing talking as we both got soakin' wet
We strolled together, sharing laughter and conversation while getting drenched
The memory made that day I
Could never put away
That particular memory from that day remains deeply ingrained in my consciousness
That's the day he told me he'd be mine
And that's just one of the memories
He left hanging on the wall of my mind
On that day, he declared his commitment to me, and it is just one of the many significant memories he left imprinted in my thoughts
And I have a memory of springtime
Cherry blossoms and birds singing
All the while
I possess a recollection of the delightful season of spring, with blooming cherry blossoms and birds serenading in the background
And the secret place we'd hide and
Laid together side by side
The secluded spot where we would seek refuge and lie together intimately
And the love that shined so
Brightly in his eyes
The intense affection that radiated profoundly from his gaze
Springtime I recall was the
Sweetest time of all
I remember spring as the most blissful period
That's the season our hearts became entwined
And that's just one of the memories
He left hanging on the wall of my mind
It was during that season that our hearts became deeply connected, and it represents only a fraction of the memories he left embedded in my thoughts
Through the spring and summer he loved me
Then his love died with autumn leaves
During the spring and summer, he loved me passionately, but as autumn arrived, his love faded away
His love was the wild and restless kind
When he left
His love was untamed and constantly seeking new adventures, and when he departed
He left with me so many memories
He left them hanging on the wall of my mind
He departed, leaving behind a multitude of memories that now remain suspended in the depths of my thoughts
On my mind
Continually occupying my thoughts
M-m-m-m hanging on the wall of my mind
Imprinted and firmly attached to the inner recesses of my consciousness
On my mind he left them hanging on my mind
He left those memories imprinted deeply in my thoughts
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Huntinbear
What a Great Writer. Lovin' her!!!!
Huntinbear
The Queen of Everything!!!!
Peggy Banda
I love this song, I was listening to this song when I was in the sixth grade, in my elder sisters house, in 1975