Dolly Parton – Jolene
Posted in Dolly Parton on January 18th, 2010 by hbradley
“Jolene” tells the tale of a housewife confronting a beautiful seductress who she believes is trying to steal away her husband and begging her “please don’t take my man”. The song became Parton’s second solo number-one single on the country charts after being released as a single in late 1973 (prior to the album’s release). It reached the top position in February 1974; it also was a moderate pop hit for her and a minor adult contemporary chart entry, and was released as a single in the UK the following year, where it reached number seven in the UK singles chart.
Parton has said that the inspiration for the “Jolene” character was a tall, red-headed bank teller who Parton believed was flirting with her husband, and her husband’s apparent vulnerability to the teller’s charm as indicated by his sudden interest in making frequent trips to the bank. In her live performances of the song, Dolly often states she fought this woman tooth and nail for her husband. However, Parton has also stated that the name “Jolene” was taken from the name of a little red-headed girl with green eyes seeking an autograph after a concert.
