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
We're Through Forever
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love's a war we all survive, a never ending compromise
We always seem to say we're through, just to say tomorrow
Babe, I'm still in love with you
Every now and then we fight
So very sure we're both right
Saying things we never mean
And admit how wrong we've been
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
That's all we really seem to say
We can't go on with all this sorrow
We've got to find a better way
Many times we would fight and I would leave you
Then I'd find, just how much I really need you, and love you
Oh, oh, candle light, a glass of wine
Can bring back vision to the blind
Making love is sweet revenge
And when the battle's over
We're back in love, and we both win
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
That's all we really seem to say
From here, where is our love to go
And from us, what is left to say
Hey, hey, we're through forever 'til tomorrow
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
Dolly Parton's "We're Through Forever (Till Tomorrow)" speaks to the tumultuous nature of love relationships. The song reflects on the common struggle we all face in trying to maintain a long-term relationship with someone we love. Love is an ever-evolving battlefield where compromise and understanding are crucial to its success. The song's lyrics explore the theme of survival in love, where two individuals are determined to work through their issues to preserve their relationship.
The opening lines of the song set the tone and highlight the ongoing struggle, "Love’s a war we all survive, a never-ending compromise." Despite the constant disagreements and fights, the singer expresses their love and affection for their partner, saying, "Babe, I’m still in love with you." The chorus, "We’re through forever 'til tomorrow, that’s all we really seem to say," suggests that they have had many conversations about ending their relationship, but always come back to each other, and this endless cycle of breaking up and getting back together has become routine.
Towards the end of the song, the singer holds onto hope, acknowledging that the love prevails in the end, "And when the battle’s over, we’re back in love, and we both win." The lyrics of "We're Through Forever (Till Tomorrow)" capture the emotional turmoil and complexity of maintaining a long-term relationship with someone, love’s war that we all fight with a never-ending compromise.
Line by Line Meaning
Love's a war we all survive, a never ending compromise
Love is a constant battle that we all go through, with each partner having to make continuous sacrifices to make it work.
We always seem to say we're through, just to say tomorrow
We often say that we're breaking up in the heat of the moment, only to take it back the next day.
Babe, I'm still in love with you
Despite our fights and differences, my love for you remains strong.
Every now and then we fight
We have occasional disagreements.
So very sure we're both right
We are both convinced that we are right during an argument.
Saying things we never mean
We often say hurtful things that we don't really mean during an argument.
Just to take them back tomorrow
We apologize for the hurtful things we said and express regret for our actions in the heat of the moment.
And admit how wrong we've been
We acknowledge our wrongdoings and make an effort to improve our behavior.
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
We often threaten to end our relationship when we fight, only to make up and move on the next day.
That's all we really seem to say
Our fights often end in us saying that we're done with the relationship.
We can't go on with all this sorrow
We cannot continue to in a relationship filled with sadness and anger.
We've got to find a better way
We realize that we need to communicate better and find healthier ways of resolving our conflicts.
Many times we would fight and I would leave you
There have been instances in the past where we have fought and I have ended the relationship.
Then I'd find, just how much I really need you, and love you
After some reflection, I realized how much I love and need you in my life.
Oh, oh, candle light, a glass of wine
Romantic gestures such as candle light and wine can create an intimate and passionate atmosphere.
Can bring back vision to the blind
These romantic moments can help us see things more clearly and appreciate each other.
Making love is sweet revenge
Intimacy and physical connection can bring us closer and heal past wounds.
And when the battle's over
After we have resolved our conflicts and made up with each other,
We're back in love, and we both win
Our love and relationship is rejuvenated, and we both feel like winners.
From here, where is our love to go
In the midst of our fights, we wonder how our love can continue and what direction it will take.
And from us, what is left to say
We are often left speechless and struggling to express our emotions when we argue.
Hey, hey, we're through forever 'til tomorrow
We often use this phrase to express our frustration and anger during an argument, but it never seems to stick for very long.
We're through forever 'til tomorrow
This phrase encapsulates the cyclical nature of our fights and makeups.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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.