Story Behind the Song: Dolly Parton, ‘Better Get to Livin”

Dolly Parton released "Better Get to Livin'" in August of 2007, as the first single from her Backwoods Barbie album -- and the first single on Parton's own Dolly Records. The tune peaked just inside the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart (No. 48), Parton's first charting solo single since 2002. Below, the country legend tells The Boot about the inspiration for the song.

People are always coming up to me asking what my secret is; I call myself the 'Dolly Lama,' because people are always asking my advice. And I say, "I don't give advice; I just give information, and if you can use any of it, that's good."

And I get down like everybody else, and I try not to wallow in it too long if I don't have to. But I think people love to wallow in their misery and not try to make the changes necessary. So I think "Better Get to Livin'" is a good inspiration to a lot of people.

This story was edited by Angela Stefano.

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