She is the GOAT for giving tribute to women!
Dolly Parton frequently supported working-class women and prominent country music performers. She even released “Just Because I’m a Woman,” although it was unlike other songs by female songwriters at the time.
Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn are two of the most significant figures in country music, so it made sense that Parton was friends with them. In a 2007 interview with the London Sun, Parton stated, “Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and I were all in it around the same time. They had a bit of a head start on me, especially Loretta, but we were all good friends and ended up recording an album together.” That was the 1993 publication of “Honky Tonk Angels.”
Parton posted a tribute after Lynn’s death in 2022, calling her a sister and friend and stating that Lynn had millions of fans, and I am one of them. Even when admirers compare Lynn, Wynette, and Parton, there were differences in the lyrical content of their songs.
Parton stated in the same interview, “I believe I was a bit different than them. Loretta had a large family and wrote songs about males oppressing women. Hers focused more on family life and women with children, and I adore and revere her.”
Even though her songs differed from those of other country artists, Parton frequently expressed her support for women in the music industry, as evidenced by “Just Because I’m a Woman.” She added, “Tammy could sing a variety of songs, but she was also singing ‘Stand By Your Man.’ I was singing songs such as ‘Just Because I’m a Woman’ — my errors are no worse than yours simply because I am a woman. I believe we each did our own thing. I just filled my position.”
Parton often sang about her experience as one of the few female country stars in a male-dominated industry, particularly in her 1968 single “Just Because I’m a Woman.” The artist discusses the double standard of error in this original work, stating that her missteps are no worse than a man’s, despite being treated differently.
“Now a man will take a good girl,” Parton sings in one verse. “And he’ll ruin her reputation, / But when he wants to marry, / Well, that’s an entirely different situation.”
Since its debut on Spotify, the song has received over 6 million listens, making it one of the most popular tracks on the album of the same name. Parton also issued the song “9 to 5,” inspired by working women’s daily struggles.
Even the most casual listener knows that males dominate country radio. The gap between what male and female performers can sing about has shrunk significantly. However, Dolly Parton’s “Just Because I’m a Woman” made a forceful statement in this regard fifty years ago.
Dolly Parton disclosed that “Just Because I’m a Woman” was inspired by an argument with her husband, Carl Dean. On May 30, 1966, the couple wed in a church in Ringgold, Georgia, and they have been together ever since.
Parton recalled that eight months after their wedding, Dean asked her if she had dated anyone else before their union. Naturally, Parton did not wish to begin their marriage with a lie, so she told him that she had been pregnant, which displeased Dean.
Parton revealed, “He was utterly devastated by the news, and for a time, I was somewhat of an outcast.” Therefore, she continued to write, “My mistakes are no worse than yours simply because I am a woman.” The composition about double standards was then created.