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.

Someone Before Me
Dottie West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Someone before me still turns you inside out
When we're together she's all you talk about
You're always wanting me to do the things she used to do
Someone before me sure left her mark on you
I've tried to get inside your heart but I don't stand a chance
I can see she's on your mind with every little glance
You're living on old mem'ries my love can't get through to you
Someone before me sure left her mark on you

[ guitar ]

I've tried to get inside your heart...

Overall Meaning

The song Someone Before Me by Dottie West talks about a lover who is still haunted by memories of their past relationship. The singer feels that the person they are with is still hung up on the person they were with before. The lyrics suggest that the previous love still holds a place in the current lover's heart, with the current lover constantly talking and reminiscing about the previous person, making it hard for the new partner to connect with them. The singer is aware of their partner's attachment to the past and has tried to break through their wall, but the memories of the previous lover are too strong to overcome.

The song captures the emotions of someone who is struggling to be with someone who is still not over their previous love. The lyricist does a great job of describing the pain and frustration of trying to connect with someone who is still living in the past. It is a relatable song for anyone who has experienced a relationship where their partner could not let go of past loves.

Line by Line Meaning

Someone before me still turns you inside out
You are still deeply affected by someone you were with before me

When we're together she's all you talk about
Whenever we spend time together, you seem to bring up this other person a lot

You're always wanting me to do the things she used to do
You're constantly comparing me to her and expect me to do the same things that she did

Someone before me sure left her mark on you
This other person had a significant impact on you and it's affecting our relationship

I've tried to get inside your heart but I don't stand a chance
I've attempted to understand your feelings, but it seems like I'm unable to do so

I can see she's on your mind with every little glance
I can tell that this other person is on your mind even when you don't mention her

You're living on old mem'ries my love can't get through to you
Your attachment to these old memories is preventing you from fully accepting my love

Someone before me sure left her mark on you
This other person has made an indelible impression on you that I'm struggling to overcome

[ guitar ]
Instrumental break

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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