<p id=”par-1_59″>For years, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/dolly-parton/”>Dolly Parton</a> has advocated for <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/beyonce/”>Beyoncé</a> to cover “Jolene,” and her wish has finally come true. With her new country album, <em>Cowboy Carter</em>, Beyoncé tackled the classic song and featured Parton herself on an interlude ahead of the cover. Beyoncé’s take on “Jolene” is a bit different from Parton’s 1973 version. Here’s how she updated the song’s lyrics. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-beyonce-altered-the-lyrics-to-dolly-parton-s-jolene-on-cowboy-carter”>Beyoncé altered the lyrics to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ on ‘Cowboy Carter’</h2>
<p id=”par-2_13″>On “Dolly P,” an interlude on <em>Cowboy Carter</em>, Parton gives a message to Beyoncé.</p>
<p id=”par-3_52″>“Hey, Ms. Honey Bee, it’s Dolly P.,” she says. “You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? 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 it hurts just the same.”</p>
<p id=”par-4_58″>The interlude moves into a cover of “Jolene,” Parton’s 1973 song in which she begs the alluring Jolene to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/dolly-parton-wrote-jolene-after-witnessing-real-situation-her-husband.html/”>stay away from her man</a>. Beyoncé’s cover has the same irresistible melody as Parton’s, but the lyrics have a sharpness to them that is not present in the original. Beyoncé isn’t begging Jolene to stay away, she’s warning her.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-1″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”JOLENE” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/afKVysvuWuw?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<p id=”par-5_23″>“Jolene, I’m a woman too/ Thе games you play are nothing new/ So you don’t want no hеat with me, Jolene,” she sings. </p>
<p id=”par-6_23″>In the song, she isn’t threatened by Jolene, confident both in her ability to chase her off and the strength of her relationship.</p>
<p id=”par-7_45″>“Me and my man crossed those valleys/ Highs and lows and everything between/ You did roll in like tumbling weeds/ I sleep good happy, ’cause you can’t dig up our planted seeds/ I know my man’s gonna stand by me breathing in my gentle breeze.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-dolly-parton-has-wanted-beyonce-to-cover-jolene-for-years”>Dolly Parton has wanted Beyoncé to cover ‘Jolene’ for years</h2>
<p id=”par-8_40″>Not long before the release of <em>Cowboy Carter</em>, Parton said she was very excited by the news that Beyoncé covered “Jolene.” This was a long time coming for Parton, who publicly expressed her <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/dolly-parton-explains-wants-beyonce-cover-jolene.html/”>desire to have Beyoncé cover it</a> in 2022.</p>
<p id=”par-9_30″>“I don’t know if she’s ever got the message,” Parton said on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YgPjgZP-E4″ rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>The Daily Show</em></a>. “But wouldn’t that be killer? I think she’s fantastic and beautiful, and I love her music.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_17″>She explained that she thought Beyoncé would be able to give a powerful rendition of her song.</p>
<p id=”par-11_57″>“I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney [Houston] did my ‘I Will Always Love You,’” she said. “[She’s] someone that can take my little songs and make ’em like powerhouses, so that would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does do ‘Jolene.’”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-some-listeners-aren-t-fans-of-the-updated-lyrics”>Some listeners aren’t fans of the updated lyrics</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-2″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”Dolly Parton – Jolene (Audio)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ixrje2rXLMA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/beyonces-new-album-inspired-incident-made-clear-country-music-welcome.html/”>
Beyoncé’s New Album Is Inspired by an Incident That Made It ‘Very Clear’ Country Music Didn’t Welcome Her </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-12_62″>Though Parton has only expressed excitement over the cover, some Beyoncé fans feel very differently about it. <a href=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1bqcrmk/beyonc%C3%A9_makes_huge_changes_to_the_lyrics_of_jolene/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Reddit</a> users expressed their desire to have heard a version of the song in which Beyoncé kicks her man to the curb for his wandering eye. Others wrote that this song seemed to come in direct contrast with <em>Lemonade</em>, in which she rails against her cheating husband. </p>