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Beyonce's Cowboy Carter Version Vs Dolly Parton's Original Jolene: A Look At The Biggest Differences
Beyonce has finally released the much-awaited rendition of Dolly Parton's 1973 Jolene in her new album Cowboy Carter. While the track remains true to its origin, Beyonce has put her own spin on the melody.
Beyonce has put a new spin on Dolly Parton’s iconic song Jolene in her new album Cowboy Carter. While the former’s version includes an introduction from Parton herself and remains true to the origin melody, there are no parallels between Dolly Parton's Jolene and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter version of the song. While the former version is a plea, Beyonce’s rendition of it is a warning with a blaring siren.
If you've not yet had the time to listen and dissect the lyrics and play spot the difference between Jolene by Parton, which came out in 1973, and Jolene by Beyonce, which dropped on Friday, March 29, scroll below for an enchanting exploration of the same but different songs.
She is no Dolly Parton, Jolene — Stay away from Beyonce’s man
In Parton’s Jolene, the veteran singer opens the track with a sincere plea, asking Jolene, the fictional homewrecker in the song, to leave her man alone. “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/I’m beggin’ of you please don't take my man/Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/Please don't take him just because you can,” Parton croons.
Beyonce on the other hand, like the Queen she is, issues a clear-cut threat to Jolene as she sings, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/I’m warning you, don't come for my man/Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/Don’t take the chance because you think you can.”
You could be beautiful beyond compare but that's not enough to take her man Jolene — She’s Beyonce
Dolly Parton breaks down Jolene’s beauty in the following verse of the song — noting it makes her hard to compete with. “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,” Parton sings.
Meanwhile, Beyonce acknowledges Jolene’s beauty in the 2024 version of the song but asserts that it's not enough to take her man from her. The Halo singer sings, “You’re beautiful beyond compare/Takes more than beauty and seductive stares/To come between a family and a happy man.” She continues, “Jolene, I'm a woman too/ The games you play are nothing new/So you don't want no heat with me, Jolene.”
Beyonce is keeping her man — Jolene needs to find her own
While Parton continues to beg Jolene to not take her man, Beyoncé doubles down on the other woman in the song, asking Jolene to leave her man and find her own. “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/I'm warning you, woman, find you your own man/Jolene, I know I'm a queen, Jolene,” Beyonce sings.
They've been through a lot together, Jolene — Beyonce is certain of her man choosing her
While Parton finishes her Jolene with a chorus repetition, begging Jolene again and again to not take her man from her, Beyoncé extends the song and expresses how rooted her relationship with her man is.
“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/I crossed those valleys/Highs and lows and everything between,” she adds.
“Good deeds roll in like tumbling weeds/Good and happy, ‘cause you can't dig up them planted seeds/Jolene, Jolene, Jolene Jolene.” Beyonce concludes by singing, “I’ma stand by him, he gon’ stand by me, Jolene.”
Here's Jolene by Beyonce:
And Here’s Jolene by Dolly Parton:
Dolly Parton long hoped for Beyonce to cover her 1973 hit
Back in 2020, Parton expressed her wish to see Beyonce’s rendition of Jolene during an interview with The Big Issue. “It has been recorded worldwide over 400 times in lots of different languages, by lots of different bands. The White Stripes did a wonderful job of it, and many other people,” the singer said, adding, “But nobody's ever had a really big hit record on it.”
“"I've always hoped somebody might do someday, someone like Beyonce," she mentioned at the time. Parton reiterated her wish in 2022 during an appearance on The Daily Show. The singer revealed that she hoped Beyonce would join the list of singers who covered various versions of Jolene over the years.
“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.” Parton said during the interview. “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 ’em like powerhouses. That would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does ‘Jolene,’” the music icon added.
Following the release of Beyonce’s track on Friday, March, Parton wrote, “Wow, I just heard Jolene. Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!”
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