Dorothy Marie Marsh was born in Tennessee on October 11, 1932. A survivor a… Read Full Bio ↴Dorothy Marie Marsh was born in Tennessee on October 11, 1932. A survivor at heart, Dottie lived through a childhood of savage beatings and sexual abuse from her father. The always hopeful Dottie was always dreaming of making a profession out of singing. While in college Dottie meet her first husband Bill West, who would give her her name. Together the couple would get gigs on local tv and clubs. it wasn't until the success of Dottie’s singles "An Angel on Paper" and "Let Me Off At the Corner" did Dottie start to make a name for herself. Those minor hits were followed by a top 10 hit with Jim Reeves called "Love Is No Excuse." There was no doubt that Dottie west was one of the hottest rising stars and her follow up #1 "Here Comes My Baby" proved it.

Throughout the sixties, seventies, and eighties Dottie pumped out chart toppers like no other. she was selling out concerts, selling millions of records, staring in movies, winning Grammies, Clieos and any other kind of awards you can think of. There is no doubt that the little girl from Tennessee came a long way. Dottie West earned herself the respect of everyone in the music industry and countless fans. If not for her music, most people remember her for either her stage presence or overall good nature. She was always looking out for others and going out of her way to do things for fans, family and friends. Despite Dottie's constant chart presence and sold out concerts her foundation fell out from under her when she discovered that she was a victim of a sneaky accountant and was overpowered by the IRS to give up all she owned. And ALL is ALL. The list of Dottie's personal momentous included the rights to all her music (I believe she wrote well over 400). All Dottie did was look out for others and this is how she was treated...disgusting if you ask me! But Dottie had dignity and started to rebuild her empire.

On august 30, 1991 Dottie was scheduled to appear at The Grand Old Opry. Her car broke down and, determined to keep her promise, she flagged down a passing driver and got a ride. On the way the driver lost control of the car and crashed. Battered, beaten and suffering from the wreck, Dottie pulled the driver from the car herself. She died due to injuries from the accident days later while in the hospital.

House Of Love
Dottie West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why don't you and I build a house of love
Just the two of us is all we'll need to warm it up
Make it yours and mine part of me and you
Let it always be where we come running to
Why don't you and I build a house of love

Let's fill it up to the brim
Oh light it up with loving and keep it shining

Where the late night hours will find us in each other's arms

Then we'll hide away and you'll be all mine
And we won't come out until we're satisfied

Why don't you and I build a house of love
Let's just you and I build a house of love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dottie West's song House of Love are a plea to build a home with someone special, a haven to which both can run to when things get tough. The house is not just a physical structure, but instead, it's a metaphor of a relationship built on love, trust, and mutual respect, where a couple can feel safe and secure in each other's arms. The song's lyrics speak to the intimacy and passion that a couple can have for each other, where they will light up each other's lives with their love.

The lyrics use imagery that describes the home as filled to the brim with love and affection, where the late-night hours will find them wrapped in each other's arms. The song underscores the importance of prioritizing each other's needs over everything else and building a strong foundation for a relationship that will stand the test of time. In a world where love seems fleeting and relationships can be challenging, the song reminds us that it's possible to create a sanctuary of love with the right person.

Line by Line Meaning

Why don't you and I build a house of love
Let's create a place of love and warmth that is exclusively ours.

Just the two of us is all we'll need to warm it up
We only need each other to fill this home with love and make it feel warm.

Make it yours and mine part of me and you
This will be our shared space, a part of both of us and our love for each other.

Let it always be where we come running to
Our home of love will be our safe haven, a place where we always come to find comfort in each other.

Let's fill it up to the brim
We will fill our house of love with a complete and overflowing amount of love for each other.

Oh light it up with loving and keep it shining
We will keep the love in our home bright, shining, and always present.

Where the late night hours will find us in each other's arms
Our love will be so strong and passionate that we will spend many late nights cuddled up in each other's arms inside our home of love.

Then we'll hide away and you'll be all mine
We will retreat to our house of love and enjoy each other's company away from the outside world. I will have all of you to myself.

And we won't come out until we're satisfied
We will stay inside our home of love for as long as we need, until we are both fully satisfied and content together.

Let's just you and I build a house of love
Our love is all we need to create a beautiful and fulfilling home together.

Writer(s): Kenny O'dell

Contributed by Abigail V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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