More than 50 years after Dolly Parton released one of her most famous songs, we're still singing about Jolene. Beyoncé put her own fiery spin on Parton’s classic 1973 country song “Jolene” on her country-flavored album “Cowboy Carter,” released March 29. Instead of “begging” Jolene not to steal her man, as Parton did in the original, Beyoncé issues a terrifying “warning,” telling Jolene to stay away from her husband and family with a .
In an interview with published May 31, Parton revealed she was unaware that Beyoncé’s cover of the song would have different lyrics than the original. “When they said she was gonna do ‘Jolene,’ I expected it to be my regular one, but it wasn’t,” the country music star said, after noting that the pop star’s take was “very bold of her.” “But I love what she did to it,” she continued.
“And as a songwriter, you love the fact that people do your songs no matter how they do them.” Parton also shared that she was impressed with the way Beyoncé took a new approach to her classic track, which centers on fearing that her lover may be seduced by another woman. “She wasn’t going to go beg some other woman like I did,” Parton said with a laugh, before joking about Beyoncé’s commentary in the song.
“Get out of here, b----. You’re not stealing my man,” she quipped, a nod to some of Beyoncé’s changed “Jolene” lyrics like the verse, “But you don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot.