‘If I hadn’t been a woman, I’d have been a drag queen’: Dolly Parton’s most iconic quotes

Dolly had many wise words to share on a number of aspects in life (Picture: Rob Latour/Shutterstock) Following Dolly Parton’s death at the age of 80, many fans, musicians, and fellow icons have been sharing in their grief for one of the world’s most unique and inspiring icons. Donald Trump has even made a grand gesture by lowering the US flag throughout the country in her honour, shortly after her family announcedher death following a ‘brief battle with cancer.’ From her music to appearances in movies like 9 To 5 and her wide-ranging charity work, Dolly Parton touched many lives over a six-decade career, and along the way was always ready to deliver rhinestone wisdom and wit in her trademark fashion. To honour her legacy, here we share some of the dazzling quotes she shared across the years that show just how one-of-a-kind Dolly Parton truly was. On life ‘The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain’. ‘If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.’ ‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose.’ ‘Storms make trees take deeper roots.’ To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video ‘If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours.’ ‘A positive attitude and a sense of humor go together like biscuits and gravy.‘ ‘You have to work at being happy. Some people work at being miserable. If I wake up in the morning and don’t feel great or things are not great, I try to think about what I can do to make things work better, rather than just falling into that deep hole, because then you just go deeper and deeper.’ ‘If I hadn’t been a woman, I’d have been a drag queen.’ ‘Anyone who says you can’t take it with you has never seen me pack.’ On her looks ‘I’m not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb, and I also know that I’m not blonde.’ ‘It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.’ ‘I’m actually not as big as people think ’cause I’m a tiny little person, and I’m small boned, and I’m just over-exaggerated.’ ‘I’m no natural beauty. If I’m gonna have any looks at all, I’m gonna have to create them.’ Dolly was often known for her self-deprecating humour in interviews (Picture: ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock) ‘Every single diet I ever fell off of was because of potatoes and gravy.’ ‘I look just like the girls next door… if you happen to live next door to an amusement park.’ ‘I have pretty good skin considering my age, and I think a lot of it is mineral oil and bacon grease.’ ‘I’m comfortable in my own skin, no matter how far it’s stretched.’ On her career and business ‘My songs are like my children—I expect them to support me when I’m old.’ ‘Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.‘ ‘I hope to die right in the middle of a song and right on the stage doing what I love to do. I hope to be about 120 when that happens.’ ‘I never tried quitting, and I never quit trying.‘ ‘I look like a woman but I think like a man. I’ve done business with men who think I’m as silly as I look. By the time they realise I’m not, I’ve done got the money and gone.’ To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video ‘I hope that a lot of my songs may last that long. And I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things.‘ ‘I don’t think about my life in terms of ‘superstar.’ I’m just a workin’ girl. I always say — and it’s the truth — that I am a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up and I enjoy all of it. My husband always said, ‘If anybody was ever born to be a star, it’s you.’’ On love and relationships ‘Love is something sent from heaven above to worry the hell out of you.’ ‘I always love working with children. I never had children of my own. God has his purposes. God didn’t let me have children so everybody’s children could be mine. That’s kind of how I’m looking at it.‘ ‘I often get myself in love trouble because I’m so passionate; I love so much and so deep.’ Dolly and her husband Carl Thomas Dean were married for nearly 60 years until his death in 2025 (Picture: DollyParton.com) ‘I think everyone should be with who they love. I don’t want to be controversial or stir up a bunch of trouble but people are going to love who they are going to love. I think gay couples should be allowed to marry. They should suffer just like us heterosexuals.’ ‘Love is like a butterfly: as soft and gentle as a feather, many-colored and full of cheer.’ Deals of the Day Shop MySweetSmile's biggest Bank Holiday offers before they end Back-to-school shopping just got a lot cheaper thanks to Primark The back-to-school essential parents forget every year – and it could cost them Simba's cooling mattresses are now up to 30% off ahead of the bank holiday The best hosepipe ban-friendly products to protect your garden this summer ‘I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we’ve built together. You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that’s the hardest part.‘- Arrow MORE: Devastating moment 9 to 5 The Musical audience told Dolly Parton has died Arrow MORE: Star Trek and Rush Hour stuntman James Lew dies aged 73 Arrow MORE: Coach actress and Elvis Presley co-star Shelley Fabares dies aged 82