"Starting Over Again" is a song recorded by American entertainer Dolly Parton. The song was written by Donna Summer and her husband Bruce Sudano. Parton's recording was performed as a slow tempo ballad, gradually building to a dramatic crescendo. It was released in February 1980 as the first single from her album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. "Starting Over Again" made the U.S. pop top forty, peaking at number 36, and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on May 24, 1980, becoming Parton's 12th number one and making Summer first ever Black woman to write or co-write a song which reached number 1 on this chart.
Donna Summer performed it live numerous times on television specials during the 1980s, including her own program, The Donna Summer Special. A studio version of the track has yet to surface.
Content The song tells the story of a middle-aged couple separating after 30 years of marriage. It was based upon the divorce of Sudano's parents.
Chart history Weekly Chart (1980) Peakposition Canadian RPM Country Tracks2
Year-end Chart (1980) Position US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)22
Reba McEntire cover
Reba McEntire also covered the song in 1995 for her Starting Over album. Released as the album's third single, McEntire's version peaked at number 19 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. In the album's liner notes, McEntire wrote that she chose to cover the song as a tribute to Parton and Summer, both artists whom she'd admired.
Chart history Chart (1996)Peakposition
References
External links Starting Over Again lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line (Donna Summer) (Dolly Parton) (Reba McEntire)