1971 was the golden year of Dolly Parton’s early career, releasing three albums that cemented her place in the genre: The Golden Streets of Glory, Joshua, and Coat of Many Colors. The first introduced Parton as a vocal prowess, the second scored her her first number-one hit, “Joshua,” and the third would later earn her spots on the greatest lists.
And, of course, firsts are always one of the most memorable ones. “Joshua” was penned by Dolly Parton herself and produced by Bob Ferguson under RCA Victor. It was the title track of the same-titled album, and it not only landed her at the top of the charts but also earned her a Grammy nomination.
Meaning Behind the Song
This track followed a more upbeat sound and had a happy ending — unlike the tragic tales she had written before. According to Parton, she loved the story of this song. It was a love story between an orphaned girl who bravely adventured and found her happily ever after. She shared that she based the character on two or three mountain men she knew as a kid, reclusive people who lived alone way back in the mountains, and she just kind of built the story around them.
It starts with an orphaned girl talking about a rundown shack down the railroad track where, as the folks said, a mean and vicious man lived. But instead of running away, she runs into it, eager to know whether the rumors are true. She is met by a big black dog and the biggest man she has ever seen.
For You
“Well, who are you?” the man asks. But his voice didn’t frighten her because somehow she knew he wasn’t mean. And she was right. After introducing herself, the man, whose name was Joshua, smiled at her, invited her in, and pulled up a chair for her. She asked a mirage of questions, and he answered. They talked until the sun set and then more until daylight.
Growing up in an orphan’s home, she related to his feeling of being all alone. Soon enough, those feelings grew, and that rundown shack became their happy home.
There’s definitely a long list of Dolly Parton’s hits, but “Joshua” remains a special one. Listen to Dolly Parton sing it in the video below.
