Dolly Parton is a phenomenal songwriter. Who can argue with the beauty and timelessness of a song like "I Will Always Love You"? Whitney Houston hugely amplified its success and popularity when she sang it in her film, The Bodyguard. But not all of Parton's musical creations attained that kind of stratospheric renown. Some are massively under-recognized. Many are sweet, winsome tearjerkers. We want to try and remedy that by turning a bright spotlight on four of them.
Videos by Wide Open Country
'Me And Little Andy'
Parton wrote this sentimental tune and its lyrics. It appears on her 1977 album, Here You Come Again. When you listen to it, be sure to bring a big supply of hankies with you because it's a weepy one. The song describes Sandy, a little girl who unexpectedly arrives on the narrator's doorstep with her little dog, Andy. They are standing outside in a fierce storm. She says her mom is very neglectful and her dad drinks to excess, so she pleads for shelter. Well, things take a sharp turn for the worse. Both child and dog tragically pass away during the night, but at least they are both together in the next life.
Per Songfacts, "While critics dismissed the tune for being too maudlin, the Tonight Show audience gave Dolly lots of love when she performed it during her debut appearance on January 19, 1977 - which also happened to be her 31st birthday."
'To Daddy'
This song about a wife and mother's silent, uncomplaining misery in the face of never getting the love she craves will strike a sad chord for many women. The lyrics tell of the cards and flowers she does not get from her husband, who leaves her alone way too much. The gentle kisses and tender hugs she longs for don't come her way, either. "Being took for granted was a thing she accepted...." At last, worn out and dejected, the woman abruptly leaves her home and family. "I've gone in search of love I need so badly / I have needed you so long but I just can't keep holding on...."
'My Tennessee Mountain Home'
Today, Parton is a multimillionaire. Her recordings and business ventures have made her a globally respected tycoon. Even so, she remembers and honors the modest place she came from at every turn. In "My Tennessee Mountain Home," Parton reverently pays tribute to the rural way of life she knew and cherished as a youngster. The song is filled with richly evocative images that conjure up that rustic locale. Even a die-hard urban dweller will respond to it. Per American Songwriter, "From soaring hill tops to songbirds chirping along, Parton's Tennessee Mountain Home seems taken straight out of a storybook."
'Do I Ever Cross Your Mind'
When I first read the lyrics of this song, I immediately thought of the theme of Faith Hill's "Like We Never Loved At All." The narrator wonders if her special someone ever thinks of her after they part. A melancholy mood pervades the whole tune. Anyone who has loved and lost their dear one will grasp it. Parton did the song with Chet Atkins, released it herself in 1982, then joined Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for yet another version. A gem that's worth doing multiple times.
