About The Song
Out of her immense catalog of hit songs, Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is definitely among the most memorable ones and is arguably one of her greatest songs.
When it was released in 1973 as the title track from her thirteenth solo studio album, it claimed the top spot of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – making it her second solo No. 1 hit on the country charts. When it was released in the United Kingdom, it became Dolly’s first top ten hit song in the country, peaking at No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart.
In addition to that, the heartbreaking song earned two Grammy Awards nominations for the category of Best Female Country Vocal Performance – first, for the originally released version and the subsequent year for its live version.
But what’s even more interesting is that after Dolly’s performance of “Jolene” at the Glastonbury Festival in 2014, it got into the charts once again, something that hardly ever happens in the music world.
But for Dolly, it’s easy to see why country fans so adore “Jolene.” “It’s a great chord progression – people love that ‘Jolene’ lick,” the singer said. “And because it’s just the same word over and over, even a first-grader or a baby can sing, ‘Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene.’”
Written by Dolly Parton herself, the singer finds herself confronting a strikingly gorgeous woman named Jolene – who she’s afraid would steal her lover away. All through the song, Dolly begs Jolene not to take her man just because she can. Dolly opened up about the story behind the song. In one interview, the singer revealed that it was inspired by the actual events from her own life.
Soon after Dolly tied the knot with her husband Carl Dean in 1966, a stunningly beautiful red-headed bank teller clearly started to flirt with him. And that bothered Dolly so much she decided “put a stop to that and got rid of that redhead woman in a hurry.” At the same time, it inspired her to write out what she feels.
However, the name “Jolene” actually came from a much more innocent place: a beautiful little girl she met in the autograph line at one of her concerts. Just like in the song, she had “this beautiful skin, these beautiful green eyes.”
While the young girl looked up at her, waiting for her signature, Dolly asked her what her name was – to which she answered, “Jolene.” Dolly found her name lovely enough, saying that it sounded like a song. So, without any hesitation, the country superstar told the girl she would write a song about her name, and she did just that.
Now, if you are feeling a little troubled about Dolly and Carl’s marriage after knowing the song’s meaning, you shouldn’t be. Though you’ll never see Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean in the front row at his wife’s shows, choosing to stay out of the spotlight, he has never left her side. In fact, the couple marked their golden wedding anniversary in 2016, and they did it in a very special way by getting married for a second time.
Video
Lyrics
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you
Jolene
He talks about you in his sleep
And there’s nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name
Jolene
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me
Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He’s the only one for me
Jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do
Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene
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