Dolly Parton was completely swept off her feet by Beyoncé’s rendition of her favourite song, Jolene.
Although Parton, 78, was aware that the 42-year-old singer was adapting her 1973 country hit for her Cowboy Carter album, she disclosed to E! News that she was unaware of the Texas Hold ‘Em singer’s personal touch on the song.
Though taken aback, the legendary country singer found the contemporary update impressive.
“Well, I think it was very bold of her,” Parton told the outlet. “When they said she was gonna do ‘Jolene,’ I expected it to be my regular one, but it wasn’t. But I love what she did to it.”
Parton disclosed that as a songwriter “you love the fact that people do your songs no matter how they do them.”
The 9 to 5 singer introduced Beyoncé’s rendition of Jolene on Cowboy Carter.
She remarked, “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 colour, but it hurts just the same.”
For her version, the 16 Carriages crooner switched up the lyrics, singing “I’m warning you, don’t come for my man,” instead of “Please don’t take my man.”
She also makes it apparent that she is not intimidated by the titular Jolene.
“Takes more than beauty and seductive stares/To come between a family and a happy man,” she sings. “Jolene, I’m a woman too/Thе games you play are nothing new/So you don’t want no heat with me, Jolene.”
Parton admitted that she was impressed by Beyoncé’s confident new lyrics for Jolene.