Down from Dover is a song written and performed by

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

, originally released on Parton's album '' The Fairest of them All'' (1970). It was later recorded by many other artists, including

Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato), and is best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'. Nancy Sinatra ...

Lee Hazlewood Barton Lee Hazlewood (July 9, 1929 – August 4, 2007) was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s ...

and

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

(on her 2008 covers album '' Easy Come, Easy Go'').

Theme

''Down from Dover'' is a tale of a pregnant teenager who's been rejected by her lover and family after her pregnancy is revealed. She moves to work with an elderly woman, while still silently hoping for the father to return from a place called Dover. In the end, the girl goes into labour when there's no one else around. The story ends in a sad note, as the baby turns out to be stillborn, with the narrator taking it as a sign that the baby's father won't be returning from Dover. The song was controversial for the times and Parton has stated in recent interviews that mentor (and uncredited producer)

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Po ...

told her that she'd never get played on the radio with story songs like that. Although the song and its parent album weren't a big commercial success, they are still considered as highlights from Dolly's early career. All Music Guide says that ''Down from Dover'' was "crystallizing Dolly’s eye for detail" and labels it as "the peak of the album".

Remake

Dolly Parton re-recorded the song in 2001 for her album ''

Little Sparrow ''Little Sparrow'' is the thirty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on January 23, 2001, by Sugar Hill and Blue Eye Records. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album and ...

'', with one added verse. She notably performed the song during her 1983 television special, ''Dolly in London'', filmed at London's

Dominion Theatre The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre and former cinema on Tottenham Court Road, close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point, in the London Borough of Camden. Planned as primarily a musical theatre, it opened in 1929, but the following year ...

. The song was featured as one of the episodes of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings series on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

, which premiered November 22, 2019. {{authority control 1969 singles Dolly Parton songs Songs written by Dolly Parton 1969 songs