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
What a Heartache
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I thought I saw the promise of forever in your eyes
I thought that I was sure of what I saw
You led me to believe that I was special in your life
So I left my heart wide open for the fall
I thought I'd found a safe and loving place inside your heart;
The same soft lips that kissed me sweet were lying from the start
But I swear I thought your love was genuine
What a heartache you turned out to be
What a heartache, what a heartache,
Like a switchblade that cuts quick and deep
Oh, what a heartache, what a heart break,
Love ain't always what it appears to be
Oh, what a heartache you turned out to be
It just goes to show that you never can tell
'Cause I really thought that I knew you well
I still can't believe I could be deceived so easily
Are all these wishes I'm wishin' to myself
Just rusty coins in a wishin' well?
Wishes come true, they come false as well
It's too late for you and me
Oh, what a heartache you turned out to be
What a heartache, what a heartache,
Love is two-faced and easy to deceive
Oh, what a heartache, what a heartache,
What a mistake to think I could believe
What a heartache, what a heartache,
Like a switchblade that cuts quick and deep
Ooh, what a heartache you turned out to be
What a heartache, what a heartache,
What a heartache, what a heartache,
What a heartache.
Ooh, what a heartache you turned out to be
Ooh, what a heartache
Oh, what a heartache,
What a heart break you turned out to be
The lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "What a Heartache" express the feeling of betrayal and disappointment after falling in love with someone who ended up not being honest or genuine. The singer thought she had found a safe and loving place inside her lover's heart, but she was wrong. She even left her heart open for the fall, believing the promises and sweet kisses were real. However, she realized that love is not always what it appears to be, and it can be like a switchblade that cuts quick and deep. She was deceived easily, and the experience was a heartache that she won't forget.
The lyrics show the vulnerability of being in a relationship and how important it is to trust those we love. It's not only about falling in love, but also about the journey of dealing with heartbreak and moving on. The song suggests that love can be challenging, and it's not always easy to distinguish between genuine feelings and deception.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought I saw the promise of forever in your eyes
I believed that you were committed to me and our relationship because of the way you looked at me.
I thought that I was sure of what I saw
I was confident in my interpretation of your supposed love for me.
You led me to believe that I was special in your life
You made me feel like I was important and unique to you.
So I left my heart wide open for the fall
I became vulnerable and exposed my true emotions to you.
I thought I'd found a safe and loving place inside your heart;
I believed that you held my feelings close to your heart with care and protection;
And I was warm and willing any time
I showed unwavering affection and love for you always.
The same soft lips that kissed me sweet were lying from the start
Your words and actions were dishonest and not truthful from the beginning.
But I swear I thought your love was genuine
I earnestly believed that you truly loved me.
What a heartache you turned out to be
The disappointment and pain I feel from your treachery was immense and unexpected.
It just goes to show that you never can tell
This experience proved that you can never fully know someone's true intentions or feelings.
'Cause I really thought that I knew you well
I had complete faith in who you presented yourself as to me.
I still can't believe I could be deceived so easily
I am still in disbelief that you could lie to me so effortlessly, despite my full trust in you.
Are all these wishes I'm wishin' to myself
I wonder if all of my personal desires and aspirations for us were just fantasies I created in my own mind.
Just rusty coins in a wishin' well?
Were they all just worthless and frivolous wishes I made to myself, like those of a child tossing coins into a fountain?
Wishes come true, they come false as well
While some wishes may be realized, others may never come true or may be completely false hopes.
It's too late for you and me
Our relationship has reached a point of no return, and it's impossible to go back to how things used to be.
Love is two-faced and easy to deceive
Love can be tricky and easily manipulated, leading one to be misled and deceived.
What a mistake to think I could believe
It was a foolish error to trust and believe in you, based on the reality of your true nature.
Like a switchblade that cuts quick and deep
The hurt and pain inflicted by your deceitful behavior was sharp and severe, like that of a knife.
Ooh, what a heartache you turned out to be
Your treachery caused me incredible emotional pain and heartbreak.
What a heartache (repeat)
The feelings of heartbreak and disappointment persist and remain difficult to move past.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ever D Cobourn
Who could ever hurt such a pretty lady like Ms. Dolly with that sweet voice?! ❤
mandy Miller
love this song because it said everything so prefectly to how i am feel right now.
Michelle Ivey
Hell its good song anytime when you've realized someone done ya wrong. A best friend, an Idol, anyone.
Jill Andersson
OMG! I did not know 'bout this song. It touched my heart pretty hard. I just got out from a horrible realtionship. I wanted to change me and he succed and bad. I allmost lost my friends on the way. But now I'm doing fine.
Charlton C. Tsodzo
sorry to hear Jill...hoping it turned out better for you over the years? love and light...
odyshape
Please post also the great "It's such a heartache" from 1985 from Dolly! Thanks so much, Pat (Switzerland)
odyshape
Can you also post "It's such a hertache" from 1985? Thank you, Pat Switzerland
Lemon Juice
i love u Aubrianna....so proud of u.
odyshape
Oh can you also post Dolly's "It's such a heartache" from 1985? I would do it myself if I knew how... xD (Pat, Switzerland)
Littlewolf68
Another Home Run for the Chronic Sorrow genre that is Country music by the Goddess - so talented, so generous kind & so beautiful.