Dolly Parton passed away at age 80 and left a legacy of music, bravery and love. Parton was an artist of many contradictions who wore many hats….she was a country artist who put out a rock album…she said that she did not consider herself a feminist but recorded tracks against domestic violence and for women’s rights in relationships…she said that she wasn’t an activist but had songs banned from the radio….she was legendarily non-political but recorded a pro-trans song with millions of downloads….Dolly would say that these aren’t contradictions at all. She would say that she was being herself, calling it like it is and everything she did was in the name of love. For Dolly, we are all God’s children and deserve love and respect…which her music is equally at home in a patriotic country bar, drag show, punk concert or LGBTQIA+ bar.
Her love and kindness towards everyone was her way of leading by example. If we could love others and have one tenth of Dolly’s faith, we could overcome the conflicts that continue to divide us. Her faith in God and unconditional love of all people stemmed from her upbringing in the Smokey Mountains and manifested itself in her charity work. For example, Dolly’s Imagination Library touched countless countries…including Australia…and gave millions of children books. But it wasn’t the book that was important…it was the message behind the book. The message from that gift was that these children were loved and valued.
Dolly Parton touched and inspired hundreds of millions of people for how she carried herself, her bravery and her unconditional love for others. There are countless Dolly songs that inspire me everyday, but I will focus on five songs that I find inspirational and sum up what makes Dolly such an amazing human being.
This is the track which was banned from radio play. In it the narrator talked about how her boyfriend got her pregnant, left her with the baby and then she kills herself by jumping off the bridge where they met. Not a happy tune, but showed the bravery of Dolly to speak up for women and give single mothers a voice. Men often sing country songs about one night stands, but Dolly wanted a song from the woman’s perspective to turn that male trope on its head. It’s a brave song…let alone a song recorded in 1968. For me this track embodies Dolly’s fearlessness and dedication to justice.
To me, Backwoods Barbie sums up a ton of Dolly’s themes. It celebrates the pride she has in coming from the country, but most importantly the pride in herself. Where The Bridge is a feminist song about holding men accountable for their actions, this is a feminist anthem about loving yourself. About women not being ashamed of who they are and living out and loud. This core theme of loving yourself in this track also has been championed by people who identify as LGBTQIA+. The song is about living your truth in the face of the doubters and loving yourself, which shows the universality of Dolly’s message of love.
First off, this song is just a banger…so we need to praise it for that. Also, Dolly was very proud of her upbringing and the love she found in her family. This track highlights that love and making do with what you had. It’s about how a family and their love cam come together and give you something magical you never thought you could have. Moreover, this is praising the love and kindness of her mother and how a loving caregiver can help you through difficult times. This songs has been made into a book and a movie, which shows how touching it is for people.
I think this is one of my favourite and most badass Dolly songs. She sings about how you can underestimate her at your own risk. You can write her off as a “dumb blonde” with nothing but a cute smile…but she’ll get you. The great thing about this song is how she is singing it while still part of Porter Wagoner’s show/duo, but rapidly outgrowing him. She will continue to care about him and care for him long after she went solo….but part of me sees this as a shot at Porter for underestimating her.
As part of the Transamerica soundtrack, this is probably the most inspirational Dolly song for me. It really highlights her unconditional love for everyone. This song was written and recorded for a movie about being trans in America, but the song is not overtly about being trans at all. It’s about how all people are just trying to go through life the best they can and living their truths. It is up to us to support and love them no matter what road they find themselves on. It is this unconditional love and respect that flies in the face of the shame and hate propagated from anti-trans movements. It is Dolly’s love that cures all and is why I am so touched by this song. Plus her vocal and the hook on this is fire.
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