Dolly Parton Turns 77, Celebrates by Gifting Fans Song She Wrote After Dreaming About “God Standing on a Mountain”

The legendary singer of country music debuted a brand-new song on Thursday called 'Don't Make Me Have To Come Down There'.

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Jason Kempin

By Suchitra B

January 20, 2023

Posted January 20, 2023

This week, Dolly Parton turned 77, and to honor the occasion, she gave her admirers the gift of music. The legendary singer of country music debuted a brand-new song on Thursday called Don't Make Me Have To Come Down There, announcing the news in an Instagram video. "Well, today is my birthday," she said. "So happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me."

The beloved country music singer continued, adding, "Somebody said, 'What are you gonna get on your birthday?' I said I'm not gonna get, I'm gonna give. I've got a song that I'm dropping today on my birthday. It's a song that kind of came to me in a dream and I felt like it was worth putting out there, something special, well it's special to me."

After having "a dream about God standing on a mountain, looking down at us and saying, 'Don't make me have to come down there,'" Parton shared that she was moved to write the song, per Good Morning America. "And then it woke me up and I got up and started writing this song," she said. "And over a period of weeks and months, I finished it as things would come to me, and I just felt like I should drop it on my birthday. So I hope you enjoy it."

On Wednesday, Parton announced the participation of several legendary musicians on her upcoming rock and roll album, Rock Star, which will feature covers of classic rock songs and be released later this year. These musicians include Pink, Stevie Nicks, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Steve Perry of the band Journey, Paul McCartney, and possibly Cher. Parton also stated that she hopes to collaborate with Mick Jagger on the song Satisfaction.

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Brendon Thorne — Image Source: Getty Images | Brendon Thorne

The song is Parton's first single since the release of Bets On Us with Cheat Codes earlier in the month. It is also her first solo tune since her 2022 version of Silent Night. The song's cover image depicts the sun shining over a black-and-white skyline.

The artist already has grand ideas for her upcoming LP. The country legend provided more details about her upcoming project, a rock album that would include Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, Pink, Steve Perry, Steven Tyler, and Brandi Carlile, on a Tuesday episode of The View. "If I'm going to be in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, I better do something to earn it," Parton said. "So I'm doing a rock 'n' roll album and I'm having a lot of the rock stars that I met that night be on the album with me."