I used to have one of Dolly's dark songs on the listening list for the old-time, bluegrass and country music course at Brown. Can't recall the title, but it began something like this: "In this mental institution, looking out through iron bars, how could he do this to me, how could he go this far?"
Yes! "Daddy Come and Get Me." It's wild how many of these bleak/macabre songs she had in the early years. Maybe I'll do a post collecting the best examples.
Yes, that's the title. Speaking of best/worst examples, the late Charles Wolfe used to send friends and colleagues an annual "turkey tape" of the worst ones, that he must have compiled with the help of the Nashville producers and record companies. They included demo tapes and records and each one was a gobbler worse than the one before. I may still have a couple of those cassettes somewhere but wouldn't have access to them till April.
Now I remember another verse from Dolly's song, something like "Daddy, you said come to you / if I ever was in need, / but Daddy I can't come to you / you'll have to come to me." I wonder if that came directly from Dolly's imagination or if there was a story behind it?
I used to have one of Dolly's dark songs on the listening list for the old-time, bluegrass and country music course at Brown. Can't recall the title, but it began something like this: "In this mental institution, looking out through iron bars, how could he do this to me, how could he go this far?"
Yes! "Daddy Come and Get Me." It's wild how many of these bleak/macabre songs she had in the early years. Maybe I'll do a post collecting the best examples.
Yes, that's the title. Speaking of best/worst examples, the late Charles Wolfe used to send friends and colleagues an annual "turkey tape" of the worst ones, that he must have compiled with the help of the Nashville producers and record companies. They included demo tapes and records and each one was a gobbler worse than the one before. I may still have a couple of those cassettes somewhere but wouldn't have access to them till April.
Oh wow, please share if/when you can track them down!
Now I remember another verse from Dolly's song, something like "Daddy, you said come to you / if I ever was in need, / but Daddy I can't come to you / you'll have to come to me." I wonder if that came directly from Dolly's imagination or if there was a story behind it?
This is an excellent article. I really enjoyed reading it. Also, Dolly Parton is a national treasure. 🩷