Country music maven Dolly Parton, 72, is a big fan of the “Jolene” version of the well-known ‘Distracted Boyfriend Meme.’ Her epic response to the meme referencing her 1973 classic tune has gone viral.
đŸ˜‚ đŸ˜‚ đŸ˜‚ pic.twitter.com/6CWwDMJPcL
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) August 20, 2018
Leave it to Dolly to revive an old meme in a big way! So who was the woman who inspired the country star to write “Jolene” in the first place? As it turns out, the song has two real-life muses.
“One night, I was on stage, and there was this beautiful little girl — she was probably 8 years old at the time,” Parton shared with NPR during a 2008 interview . “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.'”
As for the story behind the song, that was inspired by a red-headed bank teller who was a little too flirtatious with Parton’s husband, Carl Dean.
“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton explained. “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.”
Listen to the classic tune below!
“Jolene” Lyrics
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flamin’ locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene
He talks about you in his sleep
And there’s nothin’ I can do to keep
From cryin’ when he calls your name, Jolene
I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He’s the only one for me, Jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene
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