♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."
JOINING ME TONIGHT IS A LEGEND WHO HAS WRITTEN OVER 3,000
SONGS, WON TEN GRAMMY AWARDS, AND HAS A NEW BOOK CALLED "DOLLY
PARTON: SONGTELLER."
PLEASE WELCOME THE ONE AND ONLY DOLLY PARTON.
DOLLY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU!
I HAVE MISSED YOU.
I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> Stephen: I HAVE MISSED YOU TOO, TOO.
THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER WE SANG AND EVERYTHING.
I WAS ABOUT AS AS NERVOUS AS I HAVE EVER BEEN WITH A GUEST BUT
ALSO HAD THE MOST FUN I HAVE EVER HAD WITH A GUEST.
I'M GLAD YOU GAVE ME ANOTHER SHOT.
I THOUGHT I BLEW IT.
>> NO, NO, NO.
I THOUGHT YOU DID A REAL GOOD JOB.
EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT IT.
THEY STILL TALK ABOUT IT.
WHEN I TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO BE ON THE SHOW, THEY SAID,
"GREAT, ARE YOU GOING TO SING?" I SAID I DON'T KNOW.
NO TELLING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE THE NEW BOOK.
IT'S CALLED "SONGTELLER."
WHY NOT SONGWRITER OR STORYTELLER.
WHAT DOES SONGTELLER MEAN TO YOU?
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NAMING THE BOOKS I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT
SONGS I HAVE WRITTEN AND I THINK OF MYSELF AS A SONGTELLER,
BECAUSE I WRITE SONGS AND I TELL STORIES IN MY SONGS.
SO THAT JUST POPPED IN MY MIND, SONGTELLER.
I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD NAME FOR MY COFFEE TABLE BOOK.
IT HAS ABOUT 170-SOME-ODD SONGS OF MINE.
AND I TELL STORIES ABOUT WHY I WROTE THEM, WHAT KIND OF FRAME
OF MIND I WAS IN, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY LIFE AT THE TIME,
SHOWED A LOT OF OLD PICTURES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HADN'T SEEN
FROM MY CHILDHOOD, AND GROWING UP IN THE BUSINESS.
SO I JUST THOUGHT SINCE I TELL STORIES IN MY SONGS, THAT THAT
WOULD BE THE PERFECT TITLE.
>> Stephen: NOW, WHEN DID-- WHEN DID IT-- WHEN DID IT STRIKE
THAT YOU THAT, AS GREAT AS A PERFORMER AS YOU ARE, A PLAYER
AND A SINGER, THAT REALLY, YOUR LOST WAS THE WRITING AND
STORYTELLING AND THAT YOU COULD DO THIS FOR OTHER PEOPLE?
>> WELL, I'VE KNOWN THAT MY WHOLE LIFE.
I LOVE TO SING, AND I CERTAINLY LOVE TO SING THE SONGS I DO
WRITE, AND I LOVE TO PERFORM.
I LOVE MY FANS.
BUT THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT WRITING SONGS.
IT'S JUST KIND OF, LIKE, MY PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST ME AND WHATEVER
INSTRUMENT I'M USING AT THE TIME.
IT'S MOI QUIET TIME.
I JUST GO INTO THAT LITTLE ZONE, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I CAN
EXPRESS MYSELF IN WAYS THAT I DON'T NEED A DOCTOR FOR.
I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THERAPY.
I CAN JUST KIND OF SING IT ALL OUT, WRITE IT ALL OUT.
AND I CAN WRITE FOR OTHER PEOPLE, TOO, LIKE YOU SAID,
BECAUSE I SEE THINGS HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND I THINK, THEY
DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS HOW THEY FEEL, SO THEY'RE DEPRESSED
OR THEY'RE SAD.
SO I WRITE SONGS FOR THEM AS WELL.
>> Stephen: NOW, BESIDES WRITING YOUR OWN HITS, I
UNDERSTAND THAT, WAS IT EMMYLOU HARRIS THAT YOU FIRST WROTE A
SONG THAT SOMEONE ELSE RECORDED OF YOURS?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, THERE'S A STORY ABOUT THAT.
EMMYLOU HAD A NUMBER ONE SONG, A SONG I WROTE "CALL TO DADDY,"
AND IT WAS BACK DURING THE TIME I WAS WORKING-- STILL WORKING
WITH THE PORTER WAGONER SHOW, THE MAN THAT HAD GIVEN ME MY
FIRST BIG BREAK.
>> Stephen: SURE, I USED TO WATCH.
>> A SYNDICATED SHOW.
I HAD RECORDED A WHOLE ALBUM, AND WE WERE THINKING ABOUT
PUTTING "TO DADDY" OUT AS A SINGLE FOR ME.
AND SO EMMYLOU CAME TO THE STUDIO, PORTER WANTED HER TO
COME DOWN AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE WERE DOING.
SO SHE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, "OH, DOLE, YOU HAVE TO LET ME
RECORD 'TO DADDI'" BECAUSE I'M NEEDING A REALLY GOOD SONG."
SHE SAID, "CAN I HAVE THAT ONE?" I SAID,"I THINK WE WERE GOING TO
BE PUTTING THAT OUT AS A SINGLE."
AND PORTER SAID, "YEAH, WE WERE."
AND SHE SAID, "OH, PLEASE, LET ME HAVE THE SONG."
Y SOI GAVE HER THE SONG.
PORTER GOT SO MAD AT ME-- THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIGHTS WE
EVER HAD.
THAT'S WHEN I REALLY KNEW FOR SURE THAT I WAS SINCERE AS A
SONGWRITER AND IT MEANT MORE TO ME TO HAVE SOMEONE SING A SONG I
HAD WRITTEN THAN IT WAS FOR ME TO HAVE A RECORD OUT ON THAT
SONG, OR ANY SONG.
>> Stephen: IS IT SORT OF A SPECIAL FEELING, OR DO YOU GET
THIS FEELING EVER WHEN YOU'VE WRITTEN SOMETHING AND YOU THINK
YOU'RE GOING TO RECORD IT-- OR MAYBE YOU HAVE RECORDED IT-- AND
YOU HEAR SOMEBODY ELSE DO A VERSION OF IT, AND YOU GO, "OH,
THEY'VE GOT EVERY PART OF THAT BALL.
THEY HIT THAT IN A WAY I DIDN'T EXPECT AND THEY MADE IT
BEAUTIFUL IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T-- I DIDN'T ANTICIPATE"?
>> YOU KNOW, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I'M GLAD YOU ASKED
THAT ONE, BECAUSE THERE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I'M ALWAYS HAPPY WHEN ANYBODY DOES ANY SONG THAT I'VE WRITTEN,
AND I LOVE HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE INTERPRET THEM.
BUT WHEN WHITNEY HOUSTON DID "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU," THE SONG
THEY WROTE THAT WAS A SIMPLE, SWEET, LITTLE HEARTFELT SONG,
AND SHE TOOK IT IT AND MADE IT SO BIG AND SO BEAUTIFUL.
WHEN I HEARD THAT, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS MY SONG.
I THOUGHT, THAT'S MY SONG?
THAT'S MY LITTLE SONG?
BUT THAT'S JUST BECOME LIKE A CLASSIC.
SO THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW PEOPLE CAN TAKE YOUR SONGS AND
MAKE THEM INTO WHATEVER-- IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU ARRANGE THEM
AND PRODUCE THEM AND HOW YOU SING THEM.
>> Stephen: NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR MOM USED TO TEACH YOU
SONGS THAT TELL STORIES.
LIKE OLD-FASHIONED SONGS.
DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THE ONES YOUR MOM WOULD SING WITH YOU?
>> I REMEMBER ALL OF THEM.
MOMMA USED TO SING ALL THOSE OLD SONGS BROUGHT OVER FROM THE OLD
WORLD.
MOMMA WAS A GOOD SINGER, TOO, AND SHE WOULD JUST SING A
CAPPELLA ALL THE TIME, AND SO MANY OF THOSE SONGS WERE SAD,
AND AS I SAY, SOME OF THEM JUST PLUMB PITIFUL.
BUT I REMEMBER MANY SONGS.
THERE WAS A SONG SHE USED TO SING "BURY ME BENEATH THE
WILLOW."
IT WAS ABOUT A GIRL THAT WAS GOING TO GET MARRIED AND HER
BOYFRIEND LEFT HER AT THE ALTAR, OR WHATEVER.
SO SHE DIED, OF COURSE, KILLED HERSELF I SUPPOSE
♪ BURY ME BENEATH THE WILLOW UNDER THE WEEPING WILLOW TREE
♪ WHERE HE MAY KNOW WHERE I AM SLEEPING
♪ AND PERHAPS HE'LL WEEP FOR ME.
♪ ♪ SO ANYWAY, THERE'S MORE TO IT.
IT WAS ABOUT HER THINKING TODAY WAS OUR WEDDING DAY BUT
♪ WHERE OH, WHERE CAN HE BE?
HE'S GONE TO SEEK HIM ANOTHER BRIDE
♪ HE CARES NO MORE FOR ME ♪ AND HE GOES, ARE YOU CRYING?
♪ OH, BURY ME BENEATH THE WILLOW UNDER THE WEEPING WILLOW TREE
♪ WHERE HE MAY KNOW WHERE I AM SLEEPING AND PERHAPS HE'LL WEEP
FOR ME ♪ SO I BETTER HUSH BEFORE YOU CRY
YOURSELF TO DEATH AND WE CAN'T FINISH THE SHOW.
( LAUGHTER )
STRESS RIGHT NOW, DOLLY.
AND-- >> I KNOW YOU'RE NOT REALLY
CRYING.
>> Stephen: I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT THERE.
THAT WAS PRETTY BEAUTIFUL.
>> WE USED TO CRY WHEN MOMMA WOULD SING THAT.
MOMMA WOULD CRY.
WE'D CRY.
AND THOSE OLD SONGS WERE JUST AMAZING, THOUGH.
>> Stephen: ISN'T IT FUNNY THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S NOTHING
HAPPIER THAN A CRY?
ISN'T THAT-- ISN'T THAT-- >> I THINK IT CLEANSES YOUR
SOUL.
I THINK THE WATER IS GOOD TO WASH IT OUT.
IT'S WHAT TEARS ARE FOR, I THINK.
>> Stephen: I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK YOU WHAT YOUR FIRST
LYRICS WERE, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHAT ARE YOUR LATEST
LIRIBS?
WHAT ARE YOU WRITING NOW.
>> I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO WRITE A WHOLE LOT LATELY BECAUSE
WE'VE BEEN REALLY DOING A LOT OF PROMOTION.
I HAD WRITTEN DOWN EYE DON'T KNOW IF IT MEANT I WAS SINGING
IT TO THE WORLD OR A PERSON, I HAD AN IDEA COME TO MIND LIKE
♪ I LOVE YOU, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT
♪ AND I'M GOING TO LOVE YOU TILL I DECIDE TO STOP
♪ YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO YOU CAN'T MAKE ME LOVE YOU
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ♪ I CAN SING THAT TO YOU
♪ I LOVE YOU ♪ AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT GOING TO TRY.
I PROMISE YOU THAT.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED-- LET ME GET IT RIGHT
HERE-- YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED TO THIS MAN-- THERE YOU GO.
>> OH, YEAH!
>> Stephen: CARL DEAN, RIGHT THERE.
OKAY.
YOU SAID-- 54 YEARS.
YOU SAY "GOD SPEAKS TO ME THROUGH CARL DEAN."
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
HOW SO?
>> YOU KNOW, WELL, I MEAN, WE ARE SO CLOSE.
AND I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT.
BUT WE'RE SO-- YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO IN TUNE WITH EACH OTHER.
I'LL BE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S WORRYING ME OR GRIEVING
ME, AND I'LL PRAY ABOUT SOMETHING KIND OF WAITING FOR AN
ANSWER, AND HE'LL SOMETIMES JUST UP AND-- JUST SAY SOMETHING,AND
IT'S JUST LIKE, WELL, I DIDN'T-- I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO YOU
ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT JUST SEEMS-- HE'LL SAY, "NOW YOU DON'T NEED TO BE
WORRYING ABOUT SO-AND-SO OR SO-AND-SO."
I DON'T KNOW IF HE SENSES HOW I'M FEELING.
BUT I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT GOD SPEAKS TO ME THROUGH HIM.
BUT I GUESS THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS.
I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE IN TUNE AND YOU KNOW SOMEBODY SO WELL.
BUT I HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT.
AND PEOPLE SAY THAT SOUNDS FREAKY.
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.
BUT I JUST KNOW THAT GOD TALKS TO ME IN DIFFERENT WAYS, NOT IN,
YOU KNOW, WORDS OR ANYTHING, BUT THEY COME-- MY ANSWERS COME AT
DIFFERENT TIMES.
BUT MANY TIMES THEY COME RIGHT THROUGH CARL.
>> Stephen: I THINK THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT MY WIFE, SHE'S EVIDENCE TO ME.
SHE'S EVIDENCE THAT I SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE WAY GOD
TALKS BECAUSE-- >> THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO SAY IT.
"HE'S EVIDENCE TO ME."
GOD'S IN THERE.
BUT, HONESTLY, IT'S BEEN UNUSUAL THROUGH THE YEARS.
HE'S VERY INTUITIVE, TOO.
I THINK HE'S KIND OF CLAIRVOYANT AT TYPES.
SO WHATEVER WORKS, IT'S WORKED FOR 54 YEARS, 56 TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
HE'S GOT A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, SO WE'VE MADE IT REALLY WELL.
AND THAT'S HIS-- IT'S MY-- WELL, ACTUALLY, WE GOT MARRIED AGAIN
WHEN WE WERE MARRIED 50 YEARS.
SO NOW HE TELLS PEOPLE THAT I'M HIS SECOND WIFE.
I SAID, "DON'T SAY THAT.
I'M STILL THE ONLY ONE."
>> Stephen: YOU'VE GOT A NEW ALBUM HERE, TOO.
THIS IS "A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS."
THERE YOU GO.
I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER THIS YEAR.
PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE
HOLIDAYS.
IT'S THE NUMBER-ONE SONG ON "BILLBOARD'S" COUNTRY AND
HOLIDAY CHARTS.
WILLIE NELSON, MILEY CYRUS, JIMMY FALLON-- YOU'RE BREAKING
MY HEART HERE, DOLLY.
>> I KNOW.
BUT HE HAD ASKED ME YEARS AGO IF I WOULD SING ON HIS SHOW ONE
TIME, IF I WOULD SING "ALL YOU I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS SU," AND I
DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT I LEARNED IT.
I PUT IT IN THE ALBUM AND CALLED HIM, "DO YOU STILL WANT TO SING
THAT SONG?
DO YOU WANT TO SING IT WITH ME."
WE THAT.
BUT YOU'RE A BETTER SINGER.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND YOU'RE A BETTER GUEST.
( LAUGHTER )
PEOPLE ON THAT.
BILLY RAY CYRUS, AND MILEY, AND WILLY, AND MICHAEL BOUBLEE.
I WROTE A SONG FOR US.
IT HAS ABOUT SIX SPECIAL GUESTS ON IT, IN ADDITION TO SOME
TRADITIONAL THINGS, AND SOME NEW THINGS THAT I'D WRITTEN.
SO I'M PROUD OF THE ALBUM.
>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE DOLLY PARTON.
MAYBE SHE'LL MAKE ME CRY AGAIN.