Dolly Parton is so proud of her East Tennessee upbringing. Parton grew up in a two-room cabin in the Smoky Mountains, which she shared with her parents and 11 siblings. Her beginnings were humble, but Parton is immensely proud of where she is from. We found four Dolly Parton songs that showcase her pride in her rural roots.
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“My Tennessee Mountain Home”
Parton released “My Tennessee Mountain Home” in 1972, as the title track of her eleventh studio album. Written, not surprisingly, by herself, the personal song is an ode to her childhood years, and the joy she felt in spite of her family’s meager provisions.
“Sittin’ on the front porch on a summer afternoon / In a straight back chair on two legs leaned against the wall,” Parton sings. “As I watch the kids a-playin’ with their June bugs on a string / And chase the glowing fireflies when evening shadows fall / In my Tennessee mountain home / Life is as peaceful as a baby’s sigh / In my Tennessee mountain home / Crickets are singing in the fields nearby.”
“When I come here, it’s a feeling like nothing else,” Parton tells National Geographic. “It has grown, as all things must. But the Smokies will never lose their charm and their magic.”
“My Tennessee Mountain Home” is an official state song.
“Tennessee Homesick Blues”
Parton released “Tennessee Homesick Blues” in 1984, as part of the Rhinestone movie soundtrack. Although Parton wrote the song from the perspective of her character, Jake Farris, who was living in New York City, the song is still an accurate look at how much Parton loves where she is from.
The song says in part, “But I ain’t been home in I don’t know when / If I had it all to do over again / Tonight I’d sleep in my old feather bed / What I wouldn’t give for a little bitty taste / Of mama’s homemade chocolate cake / Tennessee homesick blues running through my head.”
The movie was not a success, but the song became a No. 1 hit for Parton.
“Backwoods Barbie”
“Backwoods Barbie” is the title track of Parton’s 2008 record, and the first one she released independently. The song not only celebrates Parton’s humble beginnings but also celebrates how far she has come since her modest childhood home.
Parton begins “Backwoods Barbie” with “I grew up poor and ragged, just a simple country girl / I wanted to be pretty more than anything in the world / Like Barbie or the models in the Fredricks catalog / From rags to wishes in my dreams I could have it all.”
“Coat Of Many Colors”
Some might be ashamed of their impoverished childhood, but not Parton. Parton released “Coat Of Many Colors” as the title track of her 1971 album.
The autobiographical song says, “There were rags of many colors / But every piece was small / And I didn’t have a coat / And it was way down in the fall / Momma sewed the rags together / Sewing every piece with love / She made my coat of many colors / That I was so proud of.”
