She Said NO to Elvis
This month is the 50th anniversary of the moment when a young woman named Dolly Parton summoned the courage to say no to power. The result was astounding, and even today is enjoyed by millions.
This is the story of what happened when all of her dreams, ambitions and financial success depended upon two critical decisions: The first fork in the road: should she stick with the guarantee of a steady income in a job she felt was a dead end? Then later on, a second life altering choice with a potential massive fortune at stake: should she give up the rights to 50 percent of her intellectual property in return for the fortune she was striving for? Or should she break away from her dependence upon men in power. Sound familiar today? Like any good story, this one has twists and turns and a big surprise. Can we be honest with ourselves and declare whether we too have her kind of courage in our own lives?
A lot of has been written lately about Dolly and the anniversary of ‘I will Always Love You. And those have been great to read. But I’ve decided to go beyond the words and produce a video report that offers a sense of what life was for her, and many women, in the 1960s and 70s. You might think that Dolly had it easy from the get go. Yes, she was on tv early in her career, but that was because another singer decided to quit the show. You will also see that the biggest break of her professional life occurred because another working woman, who has never enjoyed a public spotlight, liked one of Dolly’s songs and had the ear of her big shot movie boss.
We, as a society, are struggling to find trustworthy people to look up to. Taylor Swift, in my view, is one of them. But also spare thought for Dolly Parton; not just because she wrote and performed so many hits; but because, as you are about to see and hear, she comes across as someone with integrity and the inner strength of a cannon ball. We can ask ourselves if we have the kind courage she had to come up with in order to work her way to the top.
Below is a companion video I produced this week. Dolly tells the bizarre story of how her ‘sad little country song’ got chosen to be in the movie ‘Bodyguard,’ with Whitney Houston’s version becoming the largest selling female single of all time. Plus the story of how she wrote two mega-hits on the same day. And…you won’t want to miss this…the truth about why she is afraid of Jolene.
Lyrics - ‘I will Always Love You’
If I should stay
Well I would only be in your way
And so I'll go, and yet I know
I'll think of you each step of the way
And I will always love you
I will always love you
Bitter-sweet memories
That's all I'm taking with me
Good-bye, please don't cry
'Cause we both know that I'm not
What you need
But I will always love you
I will always love you
And I hope life, will treat you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
Oh I do wish you joy
And I wish you happiness
But above all this
I wish you love
I love you
I will always love you
I, I will always, always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
Lyrics ‘Jolene’ by Dolly Parton
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
Flaming locks of auburn hair
Ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
I cannot compete with you, Jolene
Oh but he talks about you in his sleep
There's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene
Oh and I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Oh I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
'Cause he's the only one for me, Jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide you'll do, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Jolene, Jolene
CREDITS
( These sources represent where I found certain content. The links below do not represent the only potential source of the material or content concerned.)
‘SHE SAID NO TO ELVIS’
( These sources represent where I found certain content. The links below do not represent the only potential source of the material or content concerned.)
The Porter Wagoner Show: YouTube https///www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-wv2ZUqVT0
Dolly talks about Porter not listening to her feelings: YouTube. https///www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2vpcDm368g
Photo, Dolly writing a song (dare unknown). Link https://books0977.tumblr.com/post/50494142073/young-dolly-parton-sitting-with-a-guitar-writing-a
Photo of recording disc ‘I will Always Love You,’ 1974, RCA Records. Link. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/I_will_always_love_you_by_Dolly_Parton_1974_US_single.png
Elvis Presley sings I Can’t Stop Loving You,’ Las Vegas, 1970. This is 2 years before Dolly wrote ‘I Will Always Love You,’ but it illustrates the Elvis’s ability to pull large audiences. YouTube. (Above)
Dolly talks to Howard Stern about Elvis Presley. YouTube. (Above)
The Howard Stern Show can be found at https://www.howardstern.com/
PHOTO - COL. Tom Barker, Elvis’s manage. Link: https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/love-him-or-loathe-him-elvis-manager-colonel-tom-parker-was-good-for-vegas-2594616/
PHOTO’. COL Parker and Elvis. Link: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/21541532/colonel-tom-parker-death/
PHOTO and background: Graceland. Link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graceland
VIDEO, Whitney Houston sings I will Always Love You, ‘Bodyguard,’ YouTube clip. (Above)
Dolly, 50th Anniversary of ‘I will Always Love You,’ on Instagram. Link. https://www.instagram.com/dollyparton/reel/C4YqkqjpEN2/
VIDEO, DOLLY sings ‘I Will Always Love You,’ on live TV in 1973 0r 74, except date unknown. YouTube - (link above)
Dolly recreates playboy cover.
Acknowledgements
Research
Dolly Parton (Wiki). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton
Song: ‘I Will Always Love You’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Always_Love_You
Song: ‘Jolene’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolene_(song)
Video
‘We Are The Champions’ promo for 2024 Olympics. youtube.com/watch?v=4UYtJUYrG
‘DOLLY EXTRAS’
Dolly talks to Bobby Bones in 2023. Link (above)
The Bobby Bones show can be found at https://bobbybones.iheart.com/
Clip of ‘Bodyguard’ movie https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCQdDmx11kL38qe2qTfxrvvg
PHOTO Dolly on Playboy cover 1978. Link to photo https://dollyparton.com/life-and-career/playboy-cover
Dolly Parton (Wiki). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton
Song: ‘I Will Always Love You’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Always_Love_You
Song: ‘Jolene’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolene_(song)
COVER PHOTO. http://https-//www.amazon.com/Behind-Seams-My-Life-Rhinestones-ebook/dp/B0BVDVCM8V?ref_=ast_author_mpb.jpeg
VIDEO Dolly talks about re-creating Cover of Playboy Mag. Dolly re-creates Playboy look, Instagram.