Dolly Parton has sadly passed away at the age of 80, and she leaves behind an incredible music legacy.
Fans are remembering the music icon, responsible for delivering dozens of classics, from “9 to 5” to “I Will Always Love You” to, of course, “Jolene.”
The song was originally released over five decades ago in 1973, and went on to become a No. 1 country hit in the United States, as well as charting across the world. It’s been covered and referenced by dozens of well-known artists, including Olivia Newton John, The White Stripes and Beyoncé, and is widely regarded as one of the best songs of all time.
Who Is Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” About?
The song is about a gorgeous woman named Jolene, whom Dolly begs not to take her man.
Dolly since revealed that it was based on a true story about a redhead bank clerk who flirted a little too much with her late husband, Carl Dean.
Who Inspired the Name “Jolene”?
The song’s title, however, was inspired by a young fan she met.
“One night, I was on stage, and there was this beautiful little girl – she was probably 8 years old at the time. And she had this beautiful red hair, this beautiful skin, these beautiful green eyes, and she was looking up at me, holding, you know, for an autograph. I said, ‘Well, you’re the prettiest little thing I ever saw. So what is your name?’ And she said, ‘Jolene.’ And I said, ‘Jolene. Jolene. Jolene. Jolene. I said, ‘That is pretty. That sounds like a song. I’m going to write a song about that,'” Dolly said in a 2008 NPR interview.
The Bank Clerk Who Flirted With Carl Dean
Dolly went on to discuss the “Jolene” the song is about.
“She got this terrible crush on my husband. And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one. She had everything I didn’t, like legs — you know, she was about 6 feet tall. And had all that stuff that some little short, sawed-off honky like me don’t have. So no matter how beautiful a woman might be, you’re always threatened by certain … You’re always threatened by other women, period,” Dolly told NPR.
Why Dolly Parton Ultimately Thanked “Jolene”
In later years, she elaborated during her Glastonbury set in 2014.
“Now, some of you may or may not know that that song was loosely based on a little bit of truth. I wrote that years ago when my husband… was spending a little more time with Jolene than I thought he should be. I put a stop to that. I got rid of that redhead woman in a hurry,” she said.
“I want you folks to know, though, that something good can come from anything. Had it not been for that woman, I would never have written ‘Jolene,’ and I wouldn’t have made all that money, so thank you, Jolene.”
Listen to “Jolene”…
Read the lyrics to “Jolene”…
Read “Jolene” by Dolly Parton on GeniusThe post Who Is Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ About? The True Story Behind Her Iconic Song appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News and Gossip | Entertainment.