These 4 Dolly Parton Lyrics Still Stop Us in Our Tracks

In every way that Dolly Parton was a stellar performer, she was also equally matched by her songwriting chops. Here are four lines from Parton’s discography that we still can’t get enough of.

“Coat Of Many Colors”

“But they didn’t understand it / And I tried to make them see / That one is only poor / Only if they choose to be.”

Parton wrote this song on the back of a dry cleaning receipt while on Porter Wagoner’s tour bus. “Coat Of Many Colors” is inspired by her life growing up in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

“9 to 5”

“Tumble outta bed and stumble in the kitchen / Pour myself a cup of ambition.”

This iconic song isn’t necessarily a tearjerker, and it certainly isn’t the most lyrically profound song in Parton’s catalog. Still, there’s definitely something about the lyric, “a cup of ambition,” that always hits the spot. Say what you want about Parton, but she knew how to give a song a beat while also giving it meaning, which is exactly what “9 to 5” is.

“Backwoods Barbie”

“Don’t judge me by the cover / ’cause I’m a real good book.”

In “Backwoods Barbie”, Parton talks about her appearance, a topic that has long been a focus of conversation. She explains that as a child, she wanted to be beautiful more than anything. That doesn’t take away from the person she is, however, which is where most people get it wrong. As Parton puts it, she “might look artificial,” but she’s real as can be where it matters.

“Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?”

“Oh, sometimes I go walking through fields where we walked / Long ago in the sweet used-to-be / And the flowers still grow, but they don’t smell sweet / As they did when you picked them for me.”

Parton wrote this song, which she and Chet Atkins recorded for his album, The Best Of Chet Atkins and Friends. Then, in 1982, she released her own solo version on Heartbreak Express. This song is simply about wondering if your old flame ever thinks of you, if you ever cross their mind.

Photo by: John Seakwood/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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