Dolly Parton Praises Beyoncé For Making Her Own Version of Her Hit Jolene: ‘She Beyoncéd It Up’

Country music icon Dolly Parton has given her enthusiastic approval to Beyoncé’s unique rendition of her classic hit “Jolene.” In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Parton expressed her delight and honor that the superstar known for her album “Renaissance” had put her own twist on the beloved song. “She Beyoncéd it up,” Parton said with admiration.

Dolly Parton on Beyoncé’s Lyric Change

Beyoncé included her version of “Jolene” on her eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” released this past March. The original song, penned and performed by Parton, tells the story of a narrator pleading with a woman named Jolene not to steal her husband. In contrast, Beyoncé’s version delivers a bold warning instead. While this change sparked mixed reactions among fans, Parton could not help but praise the updated lyrics.

Parton shared that she and Beyoncé have been in touch, exchanging messages and even sending flowers to one another. “She took it and did her own version of it. She wasn’t gonna be humble enough to say some woman’s gonna be able to take her man,” Parton told the outlet. “So, she kinda Beyoncé’d it up, so to speak. But I was so honored that she did the song.”

Earlier, Parton had mentioned to E! News that she anticipated Beyoncé’s cover to be close to the original. “But it wasn’t. But I love what she did to it,” Parton revealed. As a songwriter, she cherishes the way other artists interpret her music. “You love the fact that people do your songs no matter how they do them,” she confirmed.

Dolly Parton Featured on ‘Cowboy Carter’

Interestingly, Parton also made an appearance on “Cowboy Carter.” In an interlude track titled “Dolly P,” which precedes “Jolene,” Parton can be heard addressing Beyoncé directly. “Hey, miss Honey Bey. It’s Dolly P. You know that hussy with the good hair you sang about? Reminded me of someone I knew back when. Except she has flaming locks of auburn hair. Bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color, but it hurts just the same.” This clever nod references Beyoncé’s song “Sorry” from her 2016 album “Lemonade,” where she sings about “that hussy with the good hair.”

Future Collaboration?

The idea of a collaborative performance between Parton and Beyoncé is not entirely out of the question. Parton hinted that such a collaboration could happen in the future, leaving fans eagerly anticipating what could be a remarkable fusion of two iconic voices and styles.