Beyoncé inflicts unspeakable horrors on Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’

American Thinker ^ | 2 Apr, 2024 | Andrea Widburg

[MtnClimber]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all sane and decent people like, if not love, Dolly Parton. Another universal truth is that Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is one of the greatest country songs ever written. But one of the truths of life in 2024 is that modern pop culture degrades everything it touches. Nothing more clearly illustrates that fact than Beyoncé’s aggressively “girl boss” version of Parton’s classic song. It’s a travesty and a metaphor for so much of the damage leftism has inflicted on the world.

The original Dolly Parton song sees Parton begging the breathtakingly beautiful Jolene to leave Dolly’s man alone. Dolly shares her utter despair as she sees the love of her life fall desperately in love with Jolene.

The worst thing of all, from Dolly’s perspective is that Jolene doesn’t even love the man Dolly loves so much. Instead, Jolene’s acts are from ego, not love: “Please don’t take him just because you can.”

Unspoken in the song is the fact that Dolly’s love is so deep and true (“I could never love again, He’s the only one for me”) that she might even sacrifice him for true love…but Jolene just offers a narcissistic simulacrum.

Thus, the core point of the song is that there are women so egotistical and narcissistic that they are incapable of love. Or rather, they are incapable of loving anybody but themselves. Naturally, this gets us straight to Beyoncé.

Normally, Beyoncé is associated with generic pop songs, and she’s very good at them. I don’t like her, but she’s won a bazillion Grammys, sells out stadiums, and has a devoted following. She’s also a very beautiful woman.

Having conquered the realm of pop, Beyoncé is now ready to conquer new worlds. Apparently, country music was just sitting there...

[Mr Rogers]

I had never heard her before, so I went to YouTube and listened to half of her rendition of Jolene. It had all the emotional impact of someone reading names from the telephone book (for those old enough to remember those).

“Don’t take my man but Jolene, I don’t give a damn. Guess he’s yours if you want him, Jolene.”

She’s got lots of awards and has sold a jazillion records which may be evidence our society deserves to fail.

[Fiji Hill]

Don't let Pat Boone or Dolly Parton perform the real Stairway to Heaven. The Blue Diamonds, an act based in Europe did a pretty good cover version, but it'still not as good as the original.

[Dr. Sivana]

So what revenge has been gotten on “Pat Boone”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-qHJ-Y0JXA

No one has had the guts to remake “Speedy Gonzales” in a while.

[dynachrome]

I like that and their other songs. Fun!

[NWFree]

Dolly has gone so libtard she probably doesn’t even care

[Dr. Sivana]

The English Language DOES NOT use acute accents

English has few absolute rules with no exceptions, especially regarding diction. Post 12 was NOT a response to your comment, yet the poster unironically included the word touché, which is widely used by English speakers, as is paté, Resumé, Exposé, Attaché.

[dynachrome]

The White Stripes live version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXlULkwhgrc

[Rlsau1]

Dolly is a national treasure. Besides being singularly talented, she seems like a person one would enjoy just sitting and talking with.

[griswold3]

Only, she’s not Whitney
^^^This^^
Not by a long shot. Stay in your lane, Beyoncé

[griswold3]

Loved it! Where are they now?

[Bethaneidh]

I actually prefer Beyonce’s take. Never cared for Dolly’s helpless victim tale.

[griswold3]

Cultural appropriation

[SamAdams76]

I'm a big fan of modern country, even though many Freepers here go out of their way to condemn it because I guess it doesn't sound like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash (all of whom I also like).

Up until the early 1990s, country music seemed to be fading into obscurity until it was rescued by the likes of artists like Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, and Clint Black.

Now I detest Garth Brooks but I do concede that he was a major part of putting country music back in the mainstream. In fact, Boston had three country stations by 1993, where before they had zero for quite a while.

Now it is usually cringy however, when pop stars try to "go country" in order to cash in on the resurgence of country music. About 20 years back, Alan Jackson had a song called "Gone Country" which perfectly encapsulates the phenomenon of fading pop stars putting out country albums.

The Beyonce album described here is utter dreck. Her kick off single was "Texas Hold'em" which is so awfully bad, with it's "hoo's" and "ha's" that I have to jump out of my shower, soaking wet, to change the station if it comes on during a shower.

However, country stations, especially "The Highway" on Sirius/XM, plays her music out of an apparent obligation to give the black woman a chance. Country music fans are actually being called "racists" on social media for hating on this music. I really don't care the color of the artist if the songs are good. But if they are bad, black or white, I hate hearing them.

Walker Hayes is a good example of a white country artist I absolutely loathe. For example his "Applebees" song ("Fancy Like") is so over-the-top and so condescending that I also had to jump out of my shower to change the station when it was getting all that airplay a few years back.

[SamAdams76]

BTW, the best cover version of "Jolene" in my collection remains the bluegrass version recorded by Rhonda Vincent.

Rhonda Vincent - Jolene

[Silentgypsy]

Not only are they good, they’re FUN! They energized everybody—true showmanship.

[JZelle]

Let Thunder Thighs have her way.

[redangus]

I didn’t hate it. She changed the words, but she did a good job overall.

[Ahithophel]

Dolly Parton. I remember her

Thanks for the mammaries

[redinIllinois]

That was cute!!

Thanks for posting...

[Pollard]

Yeah, I saw her album at Dollar General because why not sell your album of rock remakes at a dollar store. Looked at the back and saw Stairway to Heaven. Sacrilege.