Dolly Parton – Joshua

A song written and recorded by Dolly Parton, for the RCA label on October 21, 1970, with the production of Bob Ferguson, was released in November 1970. On February 6, 1971, it would reach number one on the US Hot Country Songs lists, and on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks lists at number 2.

Joshua would be included on the album of the same name, Joshua (RCA 1970), was recorded between October 31, 1969, and February 11, 1970, was released on April 12, 1970. The album reached # 16 on the country albums chart. Parton received her first Grammy nomination in the category of Best Female Vocal Country for the song, losing to Lynn Anderson.

The song is about a man who lived alone in a small cabin near the train track, had a bad reputation, surly and little talkative, the protagonist of the song, wanted to know what that person really was, and discovered that it was a good man, named Joshua, which he fell in love with.

Versions:

Dolly Parton (1970)
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (2013)
Skeeter Davis (1972)

Miquel Batlle Garriga
mbatllegarriga@gmail.com

Dolly Parton – Joshua lyrics

Well a good ways down the railroad track
There was this little old rundown shack
And in it lived a man I’d never seen
Folks said he was a mean and a vicious man
And you better not set foot on his land
I didn’t think nobody could be that mean
So I took me out walking down the railroad track
I was a-gonna go down to that little old shack
And just find out if all them things I’d heard was true
There was a big black dog laying out in the yard
And it growled at me and I swallowed hard
And I heard somebody say well who are you
Oh and there he stood in the door of that shack
His beard and his hair was long and black
And he was the biggest man I’d ever seen
When he spoke his voice was low and deep
But he just didn’t frighten me
‘Cause somehow I just knew he wasn’t mean
He said what you doing snooping ’round my place
And I saw a smile come across his face
So I smiled back and I told him who I was
He said come on in and pull you up a chair
You might as well since you already here
And he said you can call me Joshua
Joshua Joshua
Whatcha doing living here all alone
Joshua Joshua
Ain’t you got nobody to call your own
No no no no

We talked ’til the sun was clean out of sight
And we still talking when it come daylight
And there was just so much we had to say hey
I’d spent my life in an orphan’s home
And just like him I was all alone
So I said yeah when he asked if I’d stay
Oh we grew closer as time went on
And that little old shack it was a happy home
And we just couldn’t help but fall in love
That big black dog and that little old shack
Sitting down by the railroad track
It’s plenty good enough for me and Joshua

Joshua Joshua
Why you’re just what I’ve been looking for
Joshua Joshua
You ain’t gonna be lonesome anymore
No no

Yodel-a-he-ho

Me and Joshua
Me and Joshua
Me and Joshua yeah yeah
Me and Joshua