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
When I Get Where I'm Going
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the far side of the sky
The first thing that I'm gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly
I'm gonna land beside a lion
And run my fingers through his mane
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here
I'm gonna walk with my grandaddy
And he'll match me step for step
And I'll tell him how I missed him
Every minute since he left
Then I'll hug his neck
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here
So much pain and so much darkness
In this world we stumble through
All these questions I can't answer
So much work to do
But when I get where I'm going
And I see my Maker's face
I'll stand forever in the light
Of His amazing grace
Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
Hallelujah
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
"When I Get Where I'm Going" is a touching ballad by Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley that contemplates the beauty of what lies beyond our mortal existence. The song reflects on the idea of heaven, where feelings of sadness, pain, and struggle fade away, and only happiness and love remain. The opening lines of the song refer to the "far side of the sky," which symbolizes the afterlife. The singer anticipates a glorious reunion with loved ones who have passed away, including granddaddy, who will match her step for step.
The lyrics of the song encourage listeners to live without fear and to keep their hearts wide open, filled with love. The singer looks forward to shedding the sins and struggles of this life and being able to stand forever in the light of God's grace. The ballad offers a message of hope and comfort, assuring audiences that good things await beyond this life.
Overall, "When I Get Where I'm Going" is a beautiful song that speaks to the universal human experience of longing for a place of eternal peace and happiness beyond this life. Its message of love and hope is timeless and inspiring, reminding listeners that there is much more to life than what we see before us.
Line by Line Meaning
When I get where I'm going
When I reach my final destination in this life
On the far side of the sky
In the afterlife or spiritual realm
The first thing that I'm gonna do
The initial action I plan to take
Is spread my wings and fly
To explore and experience the freedom of the afterlife
I'm gonna land beside a lion
I will have the opportunity to encounter majestic creatures
And run my fingers through his mane
To interact with animals in a meaningful and respectful way
Or I might find out what it's like
Another possibility I consider
To ride a drop of rain
To experience the wonder and beauty of nature in a new way
There'll be only happy tears
My emotions will be positive and joyful
I will shed the sins and struggles
I will be free from the burdens of my past mistakes and challenges
I have carried all these years
That I have held with me throughout my life
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will be vulnerable and receptive to love
I will love and have no fear
I will embrace love and peace instead of fear and doubt
Don't cry for me down here
Do not mourn for me while I am still on this earth
I'm gonna walk with my grandaddy
I will be reunited with my beloved grandparent
And he'll match me step for step
He will accompany me on my journey and support me in my new experiences
And I'll tell him how I missed him
I will express my feelings of longing and sadness for his absence
Every minute since he left
From the moment of his passing up until my own
Then I'll hug his neck
I will embrace him tightly in a loving hug
So much pain and so much darkness
This world is full of suffering and uncertainty
In this world we stumble through
As humans, we often struggle to find our way and navigate the complexities of life
All these questions I can't answer
There are many unknowns and uncertainties in life that I cannot comprehend
So much work to do
There are many problems in the world that need solving
And I see my Maker's face
When I come face to face with my creator
I'll stand forever in the light
I will be forever basked in the beauty and brilliance of God's love
Of His amazing grace
I will experience the wonders of God's mercy and love
Hallelujah
A joyful expression of praise and thanksgiving
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGE TEREN, RIVERS RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@candicelumpkin6364
tara schley I'm truly sorry for your loss. I can only imagine that she was an amazing young lady and i can promise you that she is watching over you always!!!
A few years ago I was told that I would be lucky to reach the age of 25 years old myself. I was TOTALLY and COMPLETELY devastated. I had a 3 1/2 year old little girl that depended on me for EVERYTHING & then all of the sudden I was told that I wouldn't be alive to see the child that I so desperately wanted even get her 1st lil boyfriend, go on her 1st date, go to her prom, graduate high school, get married and have babies of her very own!!! I was told that I wasn't going to be there to wipe away her tears when she got her heart broken for the 1st time. It was going to take a miracle for me to even get to be there on her 1st day of Kindergarten!!! Like I said I was COMPLETELY devastated, crushed I felt like someone had ripped my heart right out of my chest and then stomped all over it. I didn't get out of bed for days & then once I finally did, I walked around in a daze like I was a zombie or something!!!
After several days, I got to the point that I just couldn't cry anymore. I accepted this as my new reality. I decided not to sit and dwell on all the negative things about my situation. Instead I chose to spend EVERY SINGLE MOMENT THAT I POSSIBLY COULD SHOWING MY DAUGHTER HOW MUCH I LOVED HER AND JUST HOW SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT SHE WAS TOO ME!!! Do to the fact that she was still at such a very young age, I made sure that I did things so that she would for sure ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have her Mommy there with her WHEN EVER SHE NEEDED ME!!! I made different videos for different stages in her life. Some videos were as simple as me reading bedtime stories to her & one for when she lost her 1st tooth. I made one for her 1st day of Kindergarten. I made a video for the night she went on her 1st real date and even made the more somber one for her 1st broken heart. Then the time came for me to make the harder videos and believe me when I say that it took me what felt like an eternity to make the more important ones like for her graduation day, her wedding day and the day of the birth of her 1st child.
This song helped me get through all of that somehow and by the grace of God I'm still here almost 9 years later!!!
My precious daughter is now almost 12 years old and an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING YOUNG LADY that continues to make me more and more proud EVERY moment of EVERY day. Her and I actually just had a discussion recently and I told her that when the time did come for me to leave this earth I wanted this played at my funeral and bless her sweet loving heart. with tear filled eyes while choking back tears she told me I PROMISE MOMMA!!!
I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS SONG CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!!! And I realize that you don't know me but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, please feel Free to message me your number or tell me and I will send you mine!!!
💔💖💓CANDICE💔💖💓
@murphyr31
I’ve never known my real dad and my step dad was just a mean bastard. At 21 I got out of the Army with a bad drinking problem. I ended up at an AA meeting and met a man named Ben D. and for the next 28 years he was about the closest thing to a dad I’d ever known. He was absolutely one of the finest men I’ve ever known. In November he had a major back surgery and then caught COVID at the rehab facility. He passed away on the 8th at 85 years old. I miss him terribly, his viewing is tonight. I love you Ben and I’ll continue to make you proud of me. I celebrated 13 years of sobriety in December, it took me 15 years after our first meeting for me to get it but I did and I know he was always proud of me.
@rhondaboncutter5812
God Bless You!
@GrislyAtoms12
richard murphy I will pray for you!!!!!!! Many times.
@brandy777
I'm praying for you and your friend Ben. May his soul rest in peace and may you find comfort knowing that you will see him again. 🙏
@joemontgomery7372
Our condolences to you Mr. Murphy and to you sir i am very proud of you you are a true blooded warrior stand tall, stand proud my brother in the fact that you now have a warrior brother that will walk beside you you will know he is there with you.
@combinetractor1773
God bless you! 🙏
@johnferguson185
I lost my mother last night . She held on just long enough to hear my voice and know her 3 kids were together . 77 years of a hard life , she is now at peace with my father .
@rickstandishjr2339
I understand your pain, my mother held on fighting against cancer until me and my little sister told her it was okay to let go. She fought for 8 years.
@someonewhoknows1000
@@rickstandishjr2339 I'm sorry for your loss also 😪. May God continue to bring those of us still here, comfort and blessings.
@audreygardner8305
Condolences and sympathy