Harper Valley Pta
Dolly Parton
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I want to tell you all a story 'bout a harper valley widow wife Who had a teenage daughter that attended harper valley junior high Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play And she said, "mama, i've got a note here from the harper valley pta" Well the note says "mrs. johnson, you're wearing your dresses way too high It's been reported you've been drinkin' and a runnin' round with men and goin' wild Now we don't believe you ought to be a bringin' up your little girl this way" And it was signed by the secretary, harper valley pta Well it happened that the pta was gonna meet that very afternoon And boy, were they surprised as mrs. johnson wore her miniskirt into the room And as she walked up to the blackboard i can still recall the word she had to say She said "i'd like to address this meeting of the harper valley pta Now there's bobby taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a date And mrs. taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away And mr. baker can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town And shouldn't widow jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down Now mr. harper couldn't be here 'cause he's stayed too long in kelly's bar again And if you smell shirley thompson's breath you'll find she's had a little nip of gin And then you have the nerve to tell me as a mother you think that i ain't fit Well this is just a little payton place and you're all harper valley hypocrites Now i wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way That day my mama socked it to the harper valley pta That day my mama socked it to 'em at the harper valley pta
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Written by: Tom T. Hall
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Songwriter Origin"Harper Valley PTA" was written by Tom T. Hall, a popular country music songwriter and singer known for his storytelling style.
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Jeannie C. RileyThe song was first recorded by Jeannie C. Riley, an American country music and gospel singer. It is perhaps her most famous song and helped to catapult her into stardom.
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Chart SuccessWhen Jeannie C. Riley released the song in 1968, it reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has the unique distinction of being the first song performed by a woman to top both the Billboard Hot 100 and the U.S. Hot Country Singles charts.
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Dolly Parton's VersionCountry music icon Dolly Parton later covered the song in 1984 for her "The Great Pretender" album.
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Television AdaptationThe song inspired a 1978 movie and a subsequent television series, both titled "Harper Valley PTA".
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Grammy AwardJeannie C. Riley's rendition of the song earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1968.
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Satirical ThemeThe song is well known for its satirical take on small-town gossip and hypocrisy. The song's protagonist, a single mother, rebukes members of the local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for criticizing her lifestyle while having their own hidden vices.
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Song's Impact"Harper Valley PTA" can be seen as a significant depiction of the feminist and counterculture movements happening in the late 1960s.
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The Song TodayEven today, "Harper Valley PTA" remains one of the most popular and iconic songs in the history of country music, and it is still performed and covered by various artists.
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Induction into Grammy Hall of Fame"Harper Valley PTA" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021, a testament to its enduring legacy in the world of music.
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Citation
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"Harper Valley Pta Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/26644631/Dolly+Parton/Harper+Valley+Pta>.
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