from HERE YOU COME AGAIN
Written by Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton’s 1977 platinum album, Here You Come Again, started a musical evolution. The legendary country singer/songwriter reached pop radios and audiences with remarkable success. Yet, Here You Come Again would take the music world by storm. This album was produced by Gary Klein of Barbra Streisand fame and arranged by Steely Dan alumni and supreme guitarist, Dean Parks. An impressive number of A-list session players were recruited, including drummer Ed Greene, Toto bassist David Hungate, Jay Graydon on guitar and Foster who played all the keyboards and synths. The title track and first single, “Here You Come Again,” was an out-of-the-box hit and became a multi-format smash on both the Country and Pop charts. A review of that hit single with Foster’s prominent keyboard work can be found in the archives.
This week, the featured song was a Parton original titled “Two Doors Down.”
The story behind “Two Doors Down” was quite interesting. The song was the initial choice as the second single for the country market. However, another singer, Zella Lehr, released her own cover of the song that was quite successful and reached #7 on the Country charts. As a result, Parton and her team went back into the studio and re-recorded the song with a pop dance arrangement for a February 1978 single release for the pop market. The other song on that single was another Parton original titled “It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right.” Lo and behold, this song became another #1 hit on the Country chart for Parton. The new, pop version of “Two Doors Down” was included on the subsequent releases of Here You Come Again. It was a solid top twenty hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 at #19 and it also went to #12 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
“Two Doors Down” is a feel-good number that offers an atmosphere perfectly balanced between country overtones with a pop feel. Foster was again featured on a bass synth and fender rhodes. Parton offered another energetic performance backed up by great vocal harmonies, tight horns and Parks’ impressive work on guitar.
- Lead Vocals: Dolly Parton
- Keyboards & Synthesizers: David Foster
- Bass: David Hungate
- Drums: Ed Greene
- Lead Guitar: Dean Parks
- Guitar: Ben Benay, Dave Wolfert & Jay Graydon
- Percussion: Jim Keltner
- Synthesizer Programming: Ian Underwood
- Background Vocals: Dolly Parton, Gene Morford, Jan Gassman, Marti McCall & Myrna Matthews
- Rhythm Arrangement by Dean Parks
- Strings & Vocal Arrangement by Nick DeCaro
- Produced by Gary Klein
Lyrics
Lyin’ across my lonely bed in this lonely old apartment
Cryin’ about the way that life’s been kickin’ me around
My love of yesterday is gone but he promised no tomorrow
But they’re feelin’ no sorrow two doors down
Two doors down they’re laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party
But two doors down they’re not aware that I’m around
But here I am, cryin’ my heart out, feelin’ sorry
They’re havin’ a party just two doors down
I think I’ll dry these useless tears and get myself together
I think I’ll wander down the hall and have a look around
‘Cause I can’t stay inside this lonely room and cry forever
I think I’d really rather join ’em two doors down, yeah
Two doors down they’re laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party (Ooh)
But two doors down they’re not aware that I’m around
(Alright, now, hey hey)
But here I am, cryin’ my heart out, feelin’ sorry (Ooh, yeah baby)
They’re havin’ a party just two doors down
I can’t believe I’m standin’ here, dry-eyed, all smiles and talkin’
Making conversation with a new love I’ve found
And I ask him if he’d like to be alone and we’ start walkin’
Down the hall to my place waitin’ two doors down, yeah
Two doors down they’re laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party (Yeah baby)
Ttwo doors down they’re not aware that I’m around (Whoa)
Here I am, feelin’ everything but sorry (Sorry)
Havin’ our own party just two doors down (Yeah)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, two doors down, I’ll be there, yeah
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, two doors down
Oh, oh, oh, oh, two doors down
Oh, oh, oh, oh, two doors down, yeah
Two doors down they’re laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party (Yeah)
Two doors down they’re not aware that I’m around
But here we am, feelin’ everything but sorry (Yeah, yeah, yeah, everything)
Havin’ our own party two doors down (Hey, yeah)
Havin’ our own party
Workin’ and drinkin’, baby
Havin’ a party
Two doors down
Two doors down they’re laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party
Havin’ our own party two doors down, woo
Two doors down we’re havin’ a party
Havin’ our own party two doors down
Party, party, party
Party, party, party
Havin’ our own party two doors down
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
Havin’ our own party two doors down
Two doors down
Laughin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a party
Two doors down
Two doors down