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
Wildflowers
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was as wild, even wilder than they
For at least I could run
They just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place
Just a wild mountain rose
Needing freedom to grow
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
And the flowers I knew
In the fields where I grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were common and close
I had no room for growth
And I wanted so much to branch out
So I uprooted myself from my home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the road
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
I grew up fast and wild
And I never felt right
In a garden so different from me
I just never belonged
I just longed to be gone
So the garden one day set me free
I hitched a ride with the wind
And since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we'd go
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I chose
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
The song "Wildflowers" by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris is an ode to individuality and the search for freedom. The lyrics compare the singer to a wild mountain rose, needing space to grow and refusing to wither in one place. The singer feels out of place in a garden, longing to branch out and explore new places. The chorus emphasizes the resilience of wildflowers, which can grow anywhere and survive any condition. The singer hitchhikes with the wind, seeking new adventures and refusing to be confined to one place. The song celebrates the power of self-discovery and rejecting societal norms.
One interesting fact about "Wildflowers" is that it was written by Dolly Parton, who first recorded it on her 1977 album "New Harvest...First Gathering." The song had a new life when it was rerecorded by Parton, Ronstadt, and Harris for their 1987 album "Trio." The album went on to be a huge success, earning them a Grammy award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's producer, George Massenburg, has said that the trio's harmony on "Wildflowers" was some of the best he had ever heard.
Another interesting fact is that the song has been covered by many other artists, including Tom Petty, who recorded his version for his 1994 album "Wildflowers." Petty was a fan of the song and chose it as the title track for his album. In an interview, he called the song "one of my favorite songs ever written."
"Wildflowers" has also been used in a variety of TV shows and films, including "Sex and the City," "This Is Us," and "Big Little Lies." The song's message of independence and resilience has resonated with audiences across generations.
Chords: G, C, D, G (verse), G, C, G, D (chorus)
Line by Line Meaning
The hills were alive with wildflowers and I
I found myself surrounded by beautiful wildflowers and felt as free as they did.
Was as wild, even wilder than they
I was untamed and free-spirited, just like the wildflowers around me.
For at least I could run
Unlike the flowers that just wilted in the sun, I had the ability to move and explore.
They just died in the sun
The flowers around me couldn't handle the hot sun and withered away.
And I refused to just wither in place
I wasn't going to settle down and fade away like the flowers around me.
Just a wild mountain rose
I was like a wildflower, growing freely and unencumbered.
Needing freedom to grow
I needed to be unchained and able to grow in my own way.
So I ran fearing not where I'd go
I took off without looking back, not knowing where my journey would lead me.
When a flower grows wild
Wildflowers have the ability to thrive on their own, without any interference.
It can always survive
No matter what, wildflowers will adapt and make it through.
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Wildflowers are not concerned with fitting in, they'll grow wherever they please.
And the flowers I knew
The flowers I was familiar with were content to blend in with the rest.
In the fields where I grew
The fields where I grew up were full of common, unremarkable flowers.
Were content to be lost in the crowd
The flowers around me were satisfied with just being like everyone else.
They were common and close
The flowers were generic and unexceptional, lacking any originality.
I had no room for growth
I knew that if I stayed in that place, I wouldn't be able to reach my full potential.
And I wanted so much to branch out
I had a strong desire to explore and try new things, to not be held back by norms.
So I uprooted myself from my home ground and left
I knew I had to leave to find myself and grow in a way that was true to me.
Took my dreams and I took to the road
I held onto my dreams and started a journey down a road with an uncertain destination.
I grew up fast and wild
I matured quickly and independently, taking on the world without fear.
And I never felt right
I knew that the place I came from wasn't where I belonged.
In a garden so different from me
The environment I was in was at odds with who I truly was.
I just never belonged
I was always out of place and viewed as an outsider.
I just longed to be gone
I had an unshakeable desire to be elsewhere, to experience new things.
So the garden one day set me free
I was able to break free from the restricted and hindering environment and move forward.
I hitched a ride with the wind
I surrendered myself to the great unknown and let fate carry me along.
And since he was my friend
I became comfortable and familiar with the path I was on.
I just let him decide where we'd go
Going where the wind took me felt like the best and most freeing decision.
Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
I was a curious and adventurous wildflower pushing the boundaries and going down a path less traveled.
No regret for the path that I chose
I had no second thoughts or doubts about the unconventional and unique path I took.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Warui
Dolly Parton - Wildflowers
The hills were alive with wildflowers
And I was as wild, even wilder than they
For at least I could run, they just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place
Just a wild mountain rose, needing freedom to grow
So I ran fearing not where I'd go o o o
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
And the flowers I knew in the fields where I grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were common and close, I had no room for growth
And I wanted so much to branch out
So I uprooted myself from my home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the ro o o ad
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
I grew up fast and wild and I never felt right
In a garden so different from me
I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone
So the garden, one day, set me free
I Hitched a ride with the wind and since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we'd go o o o
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Just a wild rumbling rose Seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I cho o o se
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
16/5/2020
Skwila Tapiwa
The hills were alive with wild flowers and I
Was as wild, even wilder than they
For at least I could run, they just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place
Just a wild mountain rose, needing freedom to grow
So I ran fearing not where I'd go-o-o
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
And the flowers I knew, in the fields where I grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were commonly close, I had no room to grow
And I wanted so much to branch out
So I uprooted myself, from my home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the road-o-oad
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
I grew up fast and wild and I never felt right
In a garden so different from me
I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone
So the garden one day, set me free
I hitched a ride with the wind, and since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we'd go-o-o
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Just a wild ramblin' rose, seeking mysteries untold
No regrets for the path that I chose-o-ose
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Four Kings
Last verse....
Just a wild rambling rose, seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I chose
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Chuba King
I listen to this song everyday because my mom dedicated this song to me before she passed away with tears on my eye I listen to this song dolly parton was her favourite.....π
Shadrack Mbishai
Sorry, at least she left you inspiration
Elise Mikuska
π€
eve Robinson
My thoughts are with you my darling.
jesse parrish
That's so precious
Diet van der Maden
Your posting brought tears to my eyes. You will think of your Mom and love her forever, as I do mine. She died age 103 and the last few years I sang with her every day, it was about all she could do by then. During her last few hours the music therapist of the nursing home sang for her, accompanying herself on the guitar. I filmed it on my cellphone and watch it often. Music can often say more than words. Thank you for sharing this, hang in there.
michael munene
One of the best songs Dolly has done it has a deep message that can relate to human life
Fuff Fuff Fuff
So true
DragonWithAGirlTattoo
My mom loved this song. She was raised in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia. She always loved the wildflowers. I miss her terribly. Love you always mom β€
Debra Brown
Dolly has written and recorded many very pretty songs. She is one talented lady. I like this song very much.