Jolene Revisited

Back in 1973 Dolly Parton had a huge and timeless hit with her self penned "Jolene" a song about a wife begging a beautiful woman not to take her husband away.

It's catchy. It's hard not to like. It's one of Parton's most famous songs and 47 years later, it's still on people's playlists and on country classic radio stations. Songs have been written about this song. Songs have been written in answer to this song.

But frankly the song is - dare I say it - needy.

Sure, back in 1973 women were still defined by the men they were married to. In the U.S. it wasn't until 1974 that a woman could get her own credit card because she needn't worry her pretty little head over money. So it's understandable that a woman might beg another woman to leave her husband alone. She couldn't buy shoes without him.

Also on the country charts near that time were songs like "Stand By Your Man" (no matter what he does to you), and "You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man" (even though he's cheating on me with you).

After all if you love him, then you'll fight for him. No mention that if he loved you, you wouldn't need to fight for him. He wouldn't want to stray. But that logic kind of goes over everyone's head at the time because you know - no woman wants to be on the street or have teenage boys running after you because you're divorced and therefore easy and ready to school him in the fine art of sex. Yeah, that was a theme too. So with great respect to Dolly, an updated version of Jolene.

Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,

I’m telling you, just take away that man,

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,

Take him as far from me by any means you can.

Your beauty is beyond compare,

Which makes me wonder why you care,

For a man who’s cheating on his wife.

He’s not that special, I should know,

But since you want him, take him go,

And I’ll rebuild a new and happy life.

He talks about you in his sleep,

And it’s all that I can do to keep,

From stabbing him through his cheating heart.

So you can feed him all his pills,

And you can pay off all his bills,

And I’ll be free to make a brand new start.

Jolene, Jolene Jolene, Jolene,

I’m telling you, just take away that man,

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,

Take him far from me, by any means you can.

Before your auburn hair turns gray,

His wandering heart will go astray,

Your emerald eyes won’t keep him home at night.

And I might find real love that stays

But if I don’t, well that’s okay,

I’m better off alone, than with that guy.

Jolene, Jolene Jolene, Jolene,

I’m telling you, just take away that man,

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,

Take him far from me, by any means you can.

Jolene,

Jolene.