Let’s Relive Dolly’s “Here You Come Again”

Written by couple songwriters, Barry Mann and Cynthia Well, “Here You Come Again”  could well be noted as among Dolly Parton‘s most successful recordings.

Upon the initial hearing of the song’s lyrics, it would give you an impression about an uncanny ex-boyfriend of Dolly that won’t leave her alone and would even play around her emotions. But the uniqueness in Dolly’s vocals and delivery changed the total complexion of the song.

With the lively instrumental accompaniment and the catchy key arrangement, Here You Come Again’s original theme was turned into a redeeming anthem of everlasting love. This magical change was brought about by Dolly’s brilliance. She has this way of bringing every listener close to her with the great attitude that she presents.

How the Song Came to Dolly

“Here You Come Again” wasn’t originally written for Dolly as she was a songwriter herself. It was written as a comeback song for Brenda Lee. Unfortunately, Lee decided to decline the offer. It was at this time that Parton, who was looking for something to increase her appeal, had her hands to make it her own.

“Here You Come Again” was one of the pioneering songs of the pop crossover move in the 1970s. This held the record for the longest time a solo has spent on top of the charts for a total of 5 weeks. The record was only broken by George Strait.

After its release, international fame was brought to Dolly Parton. This exposed Parton to a wider scope of audiences worldwide. She became known for the songs that she sang but people had little to no idea of her skill as a songwriter. It was until Whitney Houston covered her song “I Will Always Love You” fifteen years after.

Up until the present time, “Here You Come Again” has presented a timeless sound that still feels and sounds fresh to the ears. This continually ranks as the top-charting song that Parton has produced since “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream.”

Evolution

Dolly Parton’s single, “Here You Come Again” was the start of a revolutionary era for country music. It began the crossover between Pop and Country.

Parton really wanted the song upon first hearing it. The song, however, was categorized as a Pop tune. This did not stop Dolly though. With her intelligence and the desire to increase her appeal, Dolly made innovations to the song. She asked her producer Gary Klein to add a steel guitar to avoid sounding too much like pop. Al Perkins was the one selected to fill the role. “Here You Come Again” also presented an interesting four key modulations in the entire duration of the song. This gave Parton a vocal range from Gb to D.

“Here You Come Again” was not really a country song. It was, however,  noted as a Country because it was sung by Parton who was notably every-inch a  country singer in her delivery.  Furthermore, some of the lines on the track have hints of southern country jargon.

The Brains Behind the Song’s Success

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were the duos that made a bang during the golden age of pop. Weil was the lyricist while Mann made the melody. Both of them wrote songs together for contemporary artists and as a result, they won a number of Grammy Awards as well as Academy Award nominations.

The trademark that both of them left was the meaningful lyrics that they had in each song that they created. Most of their songs focused on issues such as racial discrimination, economic divides, and the difficult reality of living in a megacity. In 1987, Mann and Weil were nominated to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Mann and Weil were recognized with the Ahmet Ertegun Award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among other recipients, the awarding was held at the Waldorf-Astoria. Carole King presented the award with other songwriters in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The awards featured the likes of, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Otis Blackwell, Mort Shuman, and Jesse Stone.

In 2011, Mann and Weil were given the Johnny Mercer Award. This award is the highest award that is given by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Weil published her first novel with the title “I’m Glad I Did,” a mystery set in 1963.

Why Dolly Parton?

Dolly Rebecca Parton had her life and career as a personified Rags-to-Rhinestone story. Dolly grew up settling against the Great Smokey Mountain. The passion for singing runs throughout the Parton family. More than that, they’ve helped Dolly become the great singer, songwriter, multi-awarded musician, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian that she is now.

Another credit for her success could well be directed to her uncle, Billy Owens. Dolly’s uncle was the one responsible for letting Dolly have the start that she needed in the music industry.  With his help, Dolly became one of the most successful female country singers today.

Parton has released a number of singles and albums such as “Hello, I’m Dolly” and “Here You Come Again” that helped solidify her legacy in the country music industry. Her songs began to peak during the ‘7os up until the ‘80s. During the 2000s Dolly established her own recording label named “Dolly Records.”

Parton also holds several records in the recording industry. She had 25 songs that made their way to the Number 1 on the Billboard Country Music Chart, the most number for a female artist (tied with Reba McEntire). Parton also had 41 career-top 1 Country Albums and in  1999 Parton was inducted to the country music Hall of Fame.

Parton and Country Music

Dolly Parton was surrounded by rumors about whether or not she is leaving country music and switch into pop after the release of her single, “Here You Come Again.” But with her statement, “I’m not leaving Country, I’m taking it with me,” this solidified her stand of staying as a country artist while redefining the old guidelines of the genre.

Parton made her first attempt at pop but it fell short. So rather than relying on what she knows, Parton learned from the experienced and well-known pop songwriters to secure a spot at the Hot 100 charts.