The Story Behind the Only Song Dolly Parton Wrote for Waylon Jennings, “Waltz Me to Heaven”

When Waylon Jennings was working on his 1984 compilation album Waylon’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, he featured songs released during the late 1970s and early ’80s, including his 1980 “Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys)” and “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand.”

On the album were also three previously unreleased tracks, “Looking for Suzanne,” “America,” and a third Dolly Parton wrote specifically for him, “Waltz Me to Heaven.”

Jennings was never a stranger to a good ole love song with “Yours Love,” “Amanda,” “Let’s Turn Back the Years,” and “Them Old Love Songs” in his catalog. In “Waltz Me to Heaven,” he sings of a love that feels like heaven.

It’s been a long time
Since I’ve had a good time
And I think it’s high time I did
Could I have this dance
It feels like romance
And it’s good to be feeling like this

The lights are down low
The band’s playin’ slow
To The Beautiful Tennessee Waltz
How many love songs
And how many dance floors
Have lovers like us waltzed across

So waltz me to heaven tonight
To the waltz of the angels we’ll blissfully blind
On past the Milky Way to paradise
Won’t you waltz me to heaven tonight

“Waltz Me to Heaven” was a hit for Jennings, peaking at No. 10, and it remained on the Country chart for 19 weeks.

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: The Song Dolly Parton First Recorded with Sylvester Stallone That She Hoped to One Day Record with Tina Turner]

‘Rhinestone’

Though Parton wrote “Waltz Me to Heaven” for Jennings, she also released it on the soundtrack to her 1984 film Rhinestone, sung by her brother, Floyd, who later wrote the 1991 No. 1 hit “Rockin’ Years,” sung by his sister and Ricky Van Shelton.

In the film, Parton starred alongside Sylvester Stallone during the height of his Rambo and Rocky films. The movie follows country singer Jake Farris (Parton), who makes a bet with the owner of a Western nightclub in New York City called Rhinestone to break out of her contract. When she says she can turn any guy off the street into a country star, the owner picks the loud-mouthed cabbie Nick Martinelli, played by Stallone.

Parton wrote all the songs for the soundtrack and sang four on her own—“Tennessee Homesick Blues,” “One Emotion After Another,” “What a Heartache,” “God Won’t Get You,” and “Butterflies”— while Stallone sang “Drinkin’ Stein” solo. Parton and Stallone also recorded four duets for the movie, including “Woke Up in Love,” “Sweet Lovin’ Friends,” “Be There,” and “Stay Out of My Bedroom.”

Photo: R. Diamond/Getty Images