4 Times Dolly Parton Proved She Was One of America’s Greatest Country Songwriters

There was no one quite like Dolly Parton. And at various points in her career, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, she proved time and time again that she was one of America’s greatest all-time country songwriters. Let’s look at just a few moments and songs that prove that much.

The Narrative in “Coat Of Many Colors” (1971)

“My coat of many colors that my mama made for me / Made only from rags but I wore it so proudly / Although we had no money, I was rich as I could be / In my coat of many colors my mama made for me.”

Dolly Parton wasn’t the first musician to write about growing up in poverty. But her way of exploring it was unique in that she found positivity in it all, even the particularly rough moments in her childhood. This song from 1971 is a great example of how Parton could take snapshots of her childhood in rural Tennessee, lacking money for new clothes, and turn it into a delightfully uplifting tune.

The Catchiness and Gutwrenching Iconic Nature of “Jolene” (1973)

“Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man.”

There’s no song out there quite like “Jolene”. In fact, when one thinks of songs about “the other woman,” there’s usually at least a little bit of venom involved. But Parton’s narrator in “Jolene” is imploring this woman not to take her man, and even acknowledges that she’s capable of it. And the catchiness of this song still gets it stuck in listeners’ heads, decades after it was released in 1973.

The Enduring Power of “I Will Always Love You”, No Matter Who Sings It

“If I should stay / I would only be in your way / So I’ll go, but I know / I’ll think of you every step of the way.”

Dolly Parton penned this song and released it in 1974 as a “farewell” to her business partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner. Years later, Whitney Houston delivered an anthem, booming cover of the originally sweet song for the early-90s film The Bodyguard, which earned her a Grammy Award. Both versions are stunning, and that, to me, proves that Parton knew how to write a song that could translate well from genre to genre.

The Working-Class Relatability of “9 To 5” (1980)

“Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin’ / Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’.”

There isn’t someone with a dead-end job out there who doesn’t relate to this song. It’s easily Dolly Parton’s finest 80s offering, and I can see why it became such a hit. “9 To 5” is pushing 50 years old, and yet, it’s still one of the most relatable and relatively non-political working-class anthems out there.

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