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
Welcome Home
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He waited at the door
His only son was due from overseas
For months now he'd been waiting
Since he'd gone off to war
And his eyes were filled with tears of great relief
Wecome home, son
Welcome home, son
I've been prayin' and been hopin' and I never did give up
I knew that you'd return to me
The place where you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
I heard him say as the embraced
"I've waited so long for this day
My son, my very own
Welcome home."
But a dreary rain was fallin'
While another soldier fell
And a mother wakes up crying in the night
She thought she'd heard him calling
In that moment she could tell
Her only son had passed into the light
Wecome home, son
His loving arms held open and his heart so full of love
Welcome home, son
As Jesus stood there glowing
Their hands reached out and touched
I knew that you'd return to me
The place where you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
As they embraced I heard him say
"I've waited so long for this day
My son, my very own
Welcome home."
I think of all the families
Who've lost a darling one
I think how Jesus died for all their sins
And I think how much God loved us
To send His only Son
To live and die and then to live again
"Welcome home, son"
I hear God saying when they nailed Christ
To the cross that day
"Welcome home, son"
And when he sent his angels
To roll that stone away
"I knew that you'd return to me
The place where you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long."
I hear God say as they embrace
"I've waited so long for this day
Well done, my faithful Son
Welcome home."
Welcome home
I hope to hear God saying
When it's my time to go
Welcome home
While the angel band is playing
And God comes to claim my soul
The angels will be singing
And joy-bells will be ringing
Rejoicing, I'll shout and sing along
When there are no more wars to fight
And we're all children of the Light
When the father and the Son
Say, "Welcome home"
Welcome home
Welcome home
The song "Welcome Home" by Dolly Parton captures the emotions of a father eagerly waiting for his son to return from overseas after being away at war for months. The father is overjoyed and relieved to finally welcome his son back home, embracing him with open arms and overflowing love. However, the mood of the song takes a somber turn as a mother mourns the loss of her son, who had died while serving in the war. The song explores the concepts of life, death, and faith by alluding to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Parton's voice is tender and comforting yet powerful, giving weight to the emotional lyrics of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
With great anticipation
The father was very excited and looking forward to his son's arrival.
He waited at the door
The father eagerly awaited his son's arrival at the door.
His only son was due from overseas
The father's son was returning from serving overseas.
For months now he'd been waiting
The father had been waiting for his son's return for many months.
Since he'd gone off to war
The son had been away at war.
And his eyes were filled with tears of great relief
The father was emotional and full of relief when he saw his son returning home safely.
Welcome home, son
The father is welcoming his son home after a long time away.
His loving arms held open and his heart so full of love
The father is very happy and excited to see his son and embraces him with love.
I've been prayin' and been hopin' and I never did give up
The father had been praying and hoping for his son's safe return and never gave up hope.
I knew that you'd return to me
The father always had faith that his son would return home.
The place where you were meant to be
The father believes that his son belongs at home with him.
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
The father wants his son to rest after being away for a long time.
I heard him say as they embraced
The father said these words to his son as they hugged each other.
"I've waited so long for this day
The father expresses his joy and relief at finally seeing his son return home.
My son, my very own
The father affectionately calls his son his own.
But a dreary rain was fallin'
It was raining heavily at the time.
While another soldier fell
As the father was rejoicing, another family was mourning the loss of their soldier.
And a mother wakes up crying in the night
A mother wakes up in the middle of the night crying, realizing that her son has died.
She thought she'd heard him calling
The mother thinks she hears her deceased son's voice.
In that moment she could tell
The mother realizes that her son has passed away.
As Jesus stood there glowing
The son who passed away meets Jesus.
Their hands reached out and touched
Jesus embraces the son who passed away.
Well done, my faithful Son
God is expressing his happiness at the son's return to Heaven after living a faithful life.
And when he sent his angels
God sent his angels to roll away the stone from Jesus' grave.
I hear God saying when they nailed Christ
God expresses his joy when Jesus is crucified and returns home.
When it's my time to go
The singer is looking forward to when they pass away and can reunite with God.
While the angel band is playing
At the singer's arrival in Heaven, there is music from an angel band.
And God comes to claim my soul
The artist believes that when they die, God will come to take their soul back to Heaven.
The angels will be singing
There is happiness and rejoicing when people arrive in Heaven.
And joy-bells will be ringing
Bells of joy and celebration will ring out when the singer arrives in Heaven.
Rejoicing, I'll shout and sing along
The singer is looking forward to singing and celebrating when they arrive in Heaven.
When there are no more wars to fight
A world with no wars and conflicts is the ultimate destination the artist hopes for.
And we're all children of the Light
The artist hopes that there will be unity and that everyone will be a child of God.
When the father and the Son
God and his son, Jesus, are mentioned here.
Say, "Welcome home"
They are welcoming the singer to their new home in Heaven.
Welcome home
A warm greeting extended to all who've arrived back home.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donovan Edwards
If this song doesn't bring a tear to your eye as well as make you get up and sing along I will do back flips!!
Mary Maina
I listen to it over and over again, can't get enough😢🎶
ArcoZakus
Donovan Edwards,
"If this song doesn't bring a tear ... I will do back flips!"
Well, time to warm up and get to flipping. A stream is not "a tear", right? (Or is that being too technical?)
Christopher Johnson
This song always makes me cry.
ArcoZakus
Christopher Johnson,
I hope that is not because it hits too close to home.
Christopher Johnson
@ArcoZakus Not personally, it's just a powerful song and message.
Missy Chadwick
❤ I love the way Dolly sings this song about soldiers and stuff how many people have sent us fights in the war for a country how the families wait for them to come home I love the way she sings this song it’s very uplifting and amazing I love this song is a special song from the heart for our soldiers❤ Dolly is amazing love always Melissa❤
Elizabeta Katalinic
My homeland(Croatia) was fitting for freedom and independence and we knew how it is when our loved ones died for freedom and when Dolly sing this song it hits me in the middle of my heart. Thank you dear to my hearth for such iconic song, thank you for being Dolly Parton and I love you our mountain nightingale, love you from Switzerland and (Croatia), your Eli. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🇭🇷❤🇨🇭❤🇺🇲❤🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
KC
He’s welcoming a lot of children home!! When I’m released at the beach this song will be playing 🙏💕
Nathaneal Satela
This is a very nice song.🔥 Very touching to the soul.