Whether it is Reba McEntire’s classic version, Miley Cyrus’ country tinged and raw homage to her godmother, or the unexpectedly wonderful covers by artists like Elle Goulding and Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton’s ultimate breakup-anthem “Jolene” has received innumerable covers. Now, Parton is directly requesting that one of music’s biggest icons put her own masterful spin on the country queen’s classic ode to the other woman.
On a recent episode of The Daily Show, Parton and noted author James Patterson (promoting their co-authored and compelling new novel Run Rose Run) appeared and Parton publicly spoke about wanting Beyoncé herself to cover Jolene. Telling host Trevor Noah that while she does not know if B “has gotten the message“, she thinks that Beyoncé is “fantastic, and beautiful and I love her music”. Parton went on to say that she would love to see “someone take my little songs and make them a powerhouse” similarly to Whitney Houston’s now legendary interpretation of Parton’s anthem “I Will Always Love You”. Parton finished by saying that it would be a “marvelous day in my life if she ever does Jolene”.
Paging Beyoncé! @DollyParton has a special request. pic.twitter.com/IiPmJdCBIU
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 11, 2022
Ironically, this is not the first time that the Parton classic and Queen B have intersected. Writer/Producer Diana Gordon (who brought the phrase “Becky with the good hair” into the public lexicon on Beyoncé’s smash single “Sorry”) told Refinery 29 that “Jolene” almost got name-checked in Beyonce’s own “get your hands off my man” single. Gordon revealed that the line almost read “Jolene with the good hair” paying homage to Parton’s own iconic single. For Gordon (formerly known as Wynter Gordon who had her own smash single “Dirty Talk” pack dance floors in 2010), that particular line in “Sorry” was not pointed at one particular woman (as it has been rumored) but was for “any Black woman who has ever felt demeaned because of her hair”.
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