Home / Quotes / Quote by Dolly Parton

Quote by Dolly Parton

“In the early days, Porter Wagoner would not exactly scold me, but he's say, 'You're writing too many damn verses. You're makin' these songs too damn long.' And I'd say, 'Yeah, but I'm tellin' a story. I have a story to tell.' And he'd say, 'Well, you're not going to get it on the radio.' If I start writing a song, I'm writing it for a reason. People would say that I had to have two verses, and a chorus, and a bridge. I tried to learn that formula.”

Quote by Dolly Parton

Author

Dolly Parton is an American country singer-songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Born on January 19, 1946, in Tennessee, she is renowned for her distinctive voice and creative talent. She has written and performed numerous classic country music hits, including 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You'. Dolly Parton has achieved great success not only in music but also in film and television, winning multiple awards. more

You May Also Like

“As a songwriter, you're allowed to write anything, and as a person, I am all colors in the rainbow. I've been through everything, you know, so I can write a positive song like 'Better Get to Livin'' because that's my attitude. But that doesn't mean I'm happy all the time. You can't be a deep and serious songwriter without feelings. You kinda have to live with your feelings out on your sleeve and get hurt more than most people. The fear I might get hurt means I might not be able to write another song.”

People Knows Writing Mean Persons I Can Feelings Might Able Song Hurt Attitude Color Serious Songwriting Rainbow Songwriters Sleeves Hurt Me My Attitude

Author:Dolly Parton

“Tom [Collins] was a great influence on me. He really pushed me...constantly demanded rewrites. And, as much as I despised them, it was the best thing that could have happened because he just wouldn't settle for less. It had to be right, and it had to be good.”

Writing Happened Influence Be Good Best Things Settling Songwriting Toms Despised Great Influence

Author:Dean Dillon

“I knew a lot of chords, but they weren't the chords that came with the melody that came with the idea I had for the song. Melodies are simple things. If you see a train wreck, there's a melody. If you see a little daisy blowing in the breeze, there's a melody.”

Ifs Writing Littles Ideas Song Simple Train Melody Songwriting Breeze Chords Wrecks Simple Things Daisies Train Wrecks

Author:Tom T. Hall

“Raksin worked for Alfred Hitchcock, about whom one of the most famous Raksin anecdotes was spoken. The legendary director declared he wanted no music at all for the oceanic Lifeboat, because he felt audiences would wonder where the music was coming from in the middle of the sea. Raksin said, Ask Hitch where the cameras are coming from.”

Writing Said Wanted Asks Felt Wonder Audience Sea Middle Directors Cameras Songwriting Legendary Anecdotes Hitchcock Lifeboats

Author:Paul Zollo

“I typically will work on a lyric in a three-ring binder. On the right side, I'll write the lyric, and on the left side, I put in alternate things...and things that might be alternates or improvements. I'll turn the page and do it again. I'll turn the page and do it again, or incorporate the improvements. Eventually, I end up with some material, and often it needs to be ordered.”

Needs Writing Ends Might Turns Three Left Sides Materials Pages Improvement Rings Songwriting Binders

Author:James Taylor

“But it's only after you've played it on the road 20 or 30 times that it becomes really finished and polished...and you realize what it means, and you get the phrasing right.”

Writing Mean Realizing Finished Songwriting Polished

Author:James Taylor

“Songs are like myths. Myths are useful because they allow you to cast yourself and your life and your own experience. And for some people, 'Fire and Rain' speaks to them in that way.”

People Way Writing Song Speak Fire Rain Casts Myth Songwriting

Author:James Taylor

“['Fire and Rain'] is sort of almost uncomfortably close. Almost confessional. The reason I could write a song like that at that point, and probably couldn't now, is that I didn't have any sense that anyone would hear it. I started writing the song while I was in London...and I was totally unknown.... So I assumed that they would never be heard. I could just write or say anything I wanted. Now I'm very aware, and I have to deal with my stage fright and my anxiety about people examining or judging it. The idea that people will pass judgment on it is not a useful thought.”

People Writing Ideas Reason Wanted Song Deals Fire Heard Stage Judging Anxiety Judgment Rain London Songwriting Say Anything Examining Fright Stage Fright Useful Thoughts

Author:James Taylor

“We were on a tour, and there were some chord formations that were tough for me to play when I was a kid...it had become apparent that there was some stuff I wanted to do that [would require me] to learn how to do that. So I wrote the song and used some of these chord formations so I would have to play them. I thought it would be a great teaching vehicle for a while, and it was, but it ended up as a performance song.”

Writing Play Would Be Kids Wanted Used Song Stuff Teaching Tough Performances Songwriting Vehicle Chords Formation Great Teaching

Author:Jorma Kaukonen

“I am stopping so I can be a full time father to my two young sons on a daily basis.”

I Can Two Young Father Son Bases Stopping Young Sons

Author:Phil Collins