Dolly Parton

Released: May 2, 1983

Songwriter: Dolly Parton

"You ought to go north," somebody told us
"Because the air is filled with gold dust
And fortune falls like snow flakes in your hands"
Now I don't recall who said it
But we'd lived so long on credit
And so we headed out to find our promised land

Just poor Appalachian farm folk
With nothing more than high hopes
We hitched our station wagon to a star
But our dreams all fell in on us
Because there was no land of promise
And it's a struggle keeping sight of who you are

Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern heart is weary
I wonder how the old folks are back home
And I'll keep leaning on sweet Jesus
I know He'll love and guide and lead us
Appalachian memories keep me strong

You know I've been thinking a whole lot lately
About what's been and what awaits me
It takes all I've got to give what life demands
You'd go insane if you give in to it
Life's a mill and I've been through it
I'm just thankful I'm creative with my hands

Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern heart is weary
I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I'll keep leaning on sweet Jesus
I know He'll love and guide and lead us
Appalachian memories keep me strong

I'll keep looking to the Father
Keep our heads above the water
Appalachian memories keep me strong

Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music

Beginning her career as a child performer, Parton issued a few modestly successful singles from 1959 through the mid-1960s, showcasing her distinctive soprano voice. She came to greater prominence in 1967 as a featured performer on singer Porter Wagoner’s weekly television program; their first duet single, a cover of Tom Paxton’s “The Last Thing on My Mind”, was a top-ten hit on the country singles charts, and led to several successful albums before they ended their partnership in 1974. Moving towards mainstream pop music, Parton’s 1977 single “Here You Come Again” was a success on both the country and pop charts. A string of pop-country hits followed into the mid-1980s, the most successful being her 1981 hit 9 to 5" (from the film of the same name), and her 1983 duet with Kenny Rogers “Islands in the Stream”, both of which topped the U.S. pop and country singles charts. A pair of albums recorded with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris were among her later successes. In the late 1990s, Parton returned to classic country/bluegrass with a series of acclaimed recordings

more tracks from the album

Burlap & Satin

From the album

Burlap & Satin (1983)

Dolly Parton popular songs

Appalachian MemoriesDolly Parton

Dolly Parton

Burlap & Satin