Dolly Parton - Puppy Love / Girl Left Alone Dolly Parton

Before she became a country music legend, Dolly Parton was a young songwriter with a song called “Puppy Love.”

Originally released by Goldband Records in 1959, “Puppy Love” was Dolly’s first single and the beginning of a career that would span more than six decades. Written by Dolly alongside her Uncle Bill Owens, the buoyant song captures the innocence and excitement of young love in just under two minutes, offering an early glimpse of the distinctive songwriting talent that would eventually make her one of the most celebrated artists in music history.

To record her earliest songs, Dolly and her grandmother made the journey by bus to Lake Charles, Louisiana, making the story behind this little record every bit as remarkable as the music itself. The single’s B-side, “Girl Left Alone,” was written by Dolly alongside her Aunt Dorothy Jo Owens and Uncle Bill Owens. Together, the two songs preserve a fascinating snapshot of Dolly at the very beginning of her journey.

Yep Roc Records, in partnership with the Southern Folklife Collection, first reissued “Puppy Love” / “Girl Left Alone” in 2017, bringing this rare piece of Dolly’s early history back to vinyl. Now, the single returns in a new pink vinyl edition, marking the first time these recordings have been issued on color vinyl.