Beyonce’s Cover Of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’: Review
Beyonce’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” on her new album, Cowboy Carter, is out today (3/29). It’s what everyone is listening to and talking about. Beyonce made “Jolene” her own and changed many of the lyrics to the legendary song that Dolly first released in 1973.
Connected To The Song
I have been a country music journalist for many years, but before that — since I was twelve — I have been a Dolly Parton fan. Dolly is one of the reasons I moved to Nashville in the first place. The song “Jolene” has been my ringtone since 1995, and it still is today. So, needless to say, I love and am very connected and emotional when it comes to Parton’s song and anthem, as I am sure many people are.
Beyonce’s “Jolene”
When I first listened to Beyonce’s version and watched the lyric video, which features a Dolly Parton coffee mug with lipstick stains on it this morning (3/29), I didn’t know how to feel, to be honest. The song and Beyonce are really great, but the lyric change felt weird to me. Then someone explained to me that the song comes from Beyonce’s take on the subject matter of telling a woman to basically stay away from her man; her 2016 album Lemonade addresses her famous husband’s infidelity. (Indeed, Jay-Z’s 4:44 is a response to Lemonade). So we know that Beyonce relates the the narrator in “Jolene.” Once I learned this, Beyonce’s take made more sense to me. I listened to it again, and I got it. Yeah, it’s Beyonce’s “Jolene,” and I am sure Parton loves it. So do I.
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Dolly’s Intro
The country icon even did an intro to the song on Beyonce’s project dubbed “Dolly P,” where she says, “Hey Miss Honey Bee, it’s Dolly P. You know that hussie with the good hair you sing about? It reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flaming locks of auburn hair, bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color, but hurts just the same.” Dolly is referring to a line in Beyonce’s “Sorry,” from the Lemonade album, where she warns, “He only want me when I’m not there/He better call Becky with the good hair.”
Parton’s Wish Comes True
Dolly actually got something she wished for when Beyonce recorded the song and put it on her Cowboy Carter country album. A few years ago, Parton told Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah, “I don’t know if she’s even got the message, but wouldn’t that be killer? I think she’s fantastic and beautiful, and I love her music.”
She added, “I would just love to hear ‘Jolene” done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney (Houston) did me ‘I Will Always Love You’ to someone who could take my little songs and make ’em powerhouses. That would be a marvelous day in my life.”
Miranda Lambert Turned Me On To Beyonce
I’ve been listening to Dolly’s music all my life, and living in Nashville and being in country music for so long, you kind of get enveloped by the genre, and I didn’t know much about Beyonce or her music. Then, a few years ago, after interviewing Miranda Lambert, she discussed how “obsessed” she was with Beyonce and her music. I listened and loved every Beyonce track that I heard.
CMA Awards
I was also backstage at the 2016 CMA Awards when Beyonce performed on the show with the Dixie Chicks; even though Beyonce has gone on record saying that she didn’t feel welcome, we (the press) were all thrilled she was there and wrote about her appearance proudly the next day.
Simply put, Beyonce is a music icon, and her Cowboy Carter album is excellent. Dolly welcomed her with open arms to country music. Garth Brooks did the same when I asked him about her a few weeks ago in an interview, telling me, “Everybody’s welcome in country music, and that’s what I love about it.” Beyonce is also welcomed by Willie Nelson, who appears twice on the album (in between songs), as well as Linda Martell. Post Malone – a hip-hop artist who has been welcomed by many country fans to the genre, is on the album as well, as is Miley Cyrus.
Welcome to country music, Beyonce; we sure hope you stay a while.
Beyonce’s Cover Of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’
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