Dolly Parton may be the person responsible for Beyoncé's new cover of Jolene, as an unearthed interview from 2022 showed that the iconic singer spoke about Beyoncé covering her music years ago.
This Easter weekend, Beyoncé released another album, Act II Cowboy Carter which featured songs such as TEXAS HOLD 'EM, MY ROSE, and a cover of Dolly Parton's iconic song Jolene. The album has been incredibly well-received and fans are loving the cover and Dolly's participation in the album, but did you know that Dolly may have predicted this cover years ago?
Back in March 2022, Dolly took part in The Daily Show with Trevor Noah to discuss her music an the fact that she wanted Beyoncé to cover her song Jolene.
"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. 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. Someone that could take my little songs and make them like powerhouses. That would be a marvellous day in my life if she ever does do Jolene," said Dolly in the interview.
Following the release of the album, Dolly took to social media to compliment the cover on Cowboy Carter. "Wow, I just heard Jolene. Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it," Dolly Parton said in a statement on Instagram.
Beyoncé's album also contained a song Dolly P in which Dolly herself spoke about the character Jolene who appeared in Dolly's original song, and 'Becky with the Good Hair' from Beyoncé's song Sorry.
"Hey Miss Honey B, it’s Dolly P. You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? Reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flamin’ locks of auburn hair. Bless her heart. Just a hair of a different colour but it hurts just the same," said Dolly in the short song on the album.
Importantly, Beyoncé changed the lyrics to her cover of Jolene. In the original song, Dolly sings, "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I'm begging of you please don't take my man." In comparison, Beyoncé sings, "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I’m warnin’ you, don’t come for my man."
In another part of the song, Beyoncé changes the lyrics again as she says, "You’re beautiful, beyond compare / Takes more than beauty and seductive stares / To come between a family and a happy man / Jolene, I’m a woman too/ Thе games you play are nothing new / So you don’t want no hеat with me, Jolene / We’ve been deep in love for twenty years."
In short, while Dolly's song is sad and pleading with Jolene not to take her man, Beyoncé changed the lyrics in the song so they are more defensive and threatening Jolene, telling her not to dare to try and take her man.
