Dolly Parton is just as much of a musical icon as she’s ever been, with a new album called Rockstar set to come out this fall. But of course, the singer still gets plenty of questions about her classic hits, especially “Jolene.”
The popular song first came out in 1973, and in a recent interview, Parton shared what her husband, Carl Dean, thinks of the track.
While speaking with The One Show on BBC, the 77-year-old Grammy winner was asked what her husband initially thought of “Jolene” and what he thinks of it in 2023, 50 years later.
“He was a little embarrassed when I wrote the song ‘Jolene’ because, actually, it wasn’t as serious [as it seems],” Parton said, laughing, “I was just jealous ’cause she was a beautiful woman and he was just flirtin’.”
“Where’s Joelene when you need her! You can have him now!” 😂@DollyParton explains the origin of one of her most famous songs!
Fantastic question, Greggory! 👏#TheOneShow 👉 https://t.co/2nxwadJNWB pic.twitter.com/AWEig3pcS3
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) June 30, 2023
“So it gave me a great idea for a song,” she continued. “There’s always a Jolene in somebody’s life. There’s always someone prettier than you, somebody, you know, maybe you fear that they’re better.”
As for how Dean and Parton feel about the song now, Parton noted, “I just joke about it now. I look at him when I say, ‘Every time I see you over there in that La-Z-Boy chair, snorin’ and sleepin’, I think, where is Jolene when you need her? You can have him now Jolene!'”
“Jolene” was first released in October 1973 as the lead single of her album of the same name. She reportedly wrote the song about a woman who flirted with Dean at a bank not long after the two were married.
Parton and Dean married in 1966, about two years after they first started dating.
Next: Dolly Parton Shares the Heartwarming Stories Behind 10 of Her Favorite Songs
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