Dolly Parton is giving Beyoncé her props for her lyrical refresh of Parton’s timeless hit “Jolene” on Cowboy Carter, posting her approval on Instagram. Parton wrote, “Wow, I just heard ‘Jolene.’ Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!” She signed the post “Love, Dolly P.”
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Previously, Parton sparked rumors that she would be featured on Beyoncé’s new album, or that Queen Bey was covering one of her songs. Turns out those weren’t rumors after all. Parton is featured in an interlude called “Dolly P” that leads into “Jolene,” effectively introducing the cover.
The song itself is a reimagining of the original “Jolene,” where the speaking is warning Jolene not to get near her man. The song works to call out a toxic woman for her misbehavior and for trying to break up a happy family. Where the original speaker begs Jolene not to take her man, this new speaker is powerful and sure of her relationship. She knows that Jolene is trying to seduce her man away from her, but she is secure in her relationship and knows Jolene is at fault.
[RELATED: Is Dolly Parton Featured On Beyoncé’s New Album ‘Cowboy Carter’?]
Beyoncé Tapped Country Legends for Her New Album
Dolly Parton is not the only country legend to make an appearance on Cowboy Carter. Willie Nelson also has an interlude where he portrays a radio DJ introducing Beyoncé’s songs on his fictional radio show, Smoke Hour. He is a calming presence on the album, utilizing a retro radio DJ voice that soothes and sparks memories of vintage radio shows, before everything went digital.
Additionally, Linda Martell makes an appearance on the interlude “The Linda Martell Show.” Martell was the first commercially successful Black female country artist, and the first Black solo artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. However, being commercially successful as a Black woman still came with prejudice and discrimination, as her career ended too quickly and she was relegated to obscurity in the country music archives.
Beyoncé’s inclusion of Martell on her album has created a surge of “Who is Linda Martell?” articles as people are wondering about the country music pioneer. More than 50 years after her initial chart-topping hit “Color Him Father,” she’s receiving much deserved interest because of Beyoncé’s incredible power in the music industry.
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