‘My Father’s Daughter’ Jewel and Dolly Parton

Two incredibly talented musicians joined forces for a sweet song about love, sacrifice and their fathers.

Dolly Parton has been making music and appearing in films and on television for decades. Her talent and knack for creating sweet, touching and toe-tapping hit music is apparent. No one will ever be able to forget such classics as “Jolene,” 9 to 5,” “Islands in the Stream” and “Here You Come Again.” 

This time Dolly joined fellow musician Jewel for “My Father’s Daughter.” The official video, posted on YouTube, begins with a quote from Jewel about her family.

“My family didn’t have heirlooms. We had songs,” the quote reads.

The next scene is an old home video of a young girl, who is likely Jewel as a child, yodeling and laughing on stage as an older man, probably her father, plays the guitar. The man eventually looks into the audience and remarks, “I think if she’d quit laughing, she’d do just fine.”

The rest of the video is a combination of Jewel walking through picturesque wintry settings and old home movies of a large but loving family. It’s clear from the lyrics and the video’s imagery that this song is very personal to Jewel.

Jewel sings the first song’s verse and the first go-through on the chorus. Dolly then joins in on the second verse of the beautiful tune.

With this moving song, Dolly and Jewel both recognize what their fathers and other members of their family did so that they could enjoy a better life.

“I am my father’s daughter
I have his eyes
I am the product of his sacrifice
I am the accumulation of the dreams of generations”

Fathers are men entrusted with an enormous task: raising the next generation. Their words and actions in and outside the home will have a massive impact on that child or children’s life. They are to set an example of how to live a good, honest and God-fearing life.

Ephesians 6:4 And, you father, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord.”