Dolly Parton hosted the CBS special Dolly Parton’s Pet Gala that premiered Wednesday, February 21, and the country legend appropriately kicked off the doggy-themed presentation with a performance of a reworked version of her very first single, “Puppy Love.”
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Parton first recorded “Puppy Love” in 1959 when she was just 13 years old. The rockabilly rave-up lasted all of a minute and 37 seconds, but the young singer’s vocal talents already were clear to hear.
[RELATED: Dolly Parton Debuts New Version of “Puppy Love” for Gleeful Pet Gala Performance]
According to her official website, Parton was only 11 when she wrote “Puppy Love” with her Uncle Bill Owens. Owens was an accomplished and prolific songwriter in his own right who went on to co-write many songs with his niece over the years.
Recording the Song
To record the tune, Parton took a 30-hour bus ride with her grandmother, Rena Owens, from her Tennessee home to a studio in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget the way the inside of that bus smelled,” Dolly said, recalling the trip. “It was a combination of diesel fuel, Naugahyde, and people who were going places.”
During the session, Parton also recorded “Girl Left Alone,” which she co-wrote with her Uncle Bill and her Aunt Jo Owens.
“Puppy Love” was released as a single on the Goldband Records label, with “Girl Left Alone” as the B-side.
More About “Puppy Love”
As you’d guess, “Puppy Love” finds Parton singing about the budding emotions of adolescent love. At the time of its release, the song got some local radio airplay, which led to a thrilling moment for Parton.
“I remember the first time I heard myself on the radio,” she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Songteller (according to Songfacts). “I about killed myself. I was sitting up on the counter, and the radio was on. I jumped off the counter and slid and fell trying to get to the radio to turn it up.”
Parton’s New Version of “Puppy Love”
Parton’s rendition of “Puppy Love” on her Pet Gala special featured some new, doggy-themed lyrics. Coinciding with her performance, Dolly released a new version of the song, titled “Puppy Love (Billy Version),” as a digital single. Billy, incidentally, is Parton’s pet French bulldog, and he was featured prominently in the special.
The Other “Puppy Love”
Parton’s song “Puppy Love” shouldn’t be confused with the Paul Anka hit of the same name. Anka’s “Puppy Love,” which he wrote, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Donny Osmond later recorded a version of Anka’s song that peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1972.
