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I had not heard "Jolene" for a long time, but there's a YouTube channel I like called Wings of Pegasus that analyses performances, and he analyzed Miley Cyrus' performance of "Jolene."

It was a great performance, but I despise the lyrics to this song. So I rewrote them, to get it out of my system:

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please help set me free
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please take his cheating ass away from me

[Verse 1]
Your beauty is ok I guess
A little fake but he likes that
You have no class and no integrity
Your heart is like an empty shell
So you can handle all his hell
And you are perfect for this fool, Jolene

[Verse 2]
He talks about you in his sleep
And there's nothin' I can do to keep
From smiling when he calls your name, Jolene
And I can easily understand
How you are perfect for this man
You lie and manipulate the same, Jolene

[Chorus]
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please help set me free
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please take his cheating ass away from me

[Verse 3]
You freely spread your legs for men
And you do it again and again
Please take this one away from me, Jolene
Although I had this talk with you
My life will not depend on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

[Chorus]
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please help set me free
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please take his cheating ass away from me

It is cathartic to write stuff down sometimes.

GREAT!

Not sure which version I like better… your’s or

"You can have him Jolene" Chapel Heart AGT 22

Haha

Edited to add that to me music reflects life. So I don’t hate on lyrics.

But relisteningto the 50’s through 80’s music I grew up with gives me serious pause. I mean the lyrics are shocking…..
Remakes are definitely in order. Loretta Lynn invited CH to remake one of her songs :)

I nominate a remake of "Stand by your man" as the next remake of the day!!!

[This message edited by Shehawk at 6:31 PM, Wednesday, January 15th]

SheHawk I just watched the video of Chapel Heart's "You Can Have Him Jolene" and it is great. Thank you for sharing!

Edited to add:
You are so right about how some of the older songs have not aged well. There is a song I used to love as a 16 year old - Into the Night by Benny Mardones. But now I realize it is really creepy. Watching the video for it recently made me absolutely cringe.

[This message edited by LizM at 6:36 PM, Wednesday, January 15th]

I love your version!

Beyonce redid "Jolene" on her latest album, with Dolly's blessing, and it's magnificent.

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm warning you, don't come for my man (Jolene)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Don't take the chance because you think you can

You're beautiful beyond compare
Takes more than beauty and seductive stares
To come between a family and a happy man
Jolene, I'm a woman too
The games you play are nothing new
So you don't want no heat with me, Jolene

We been deep in love for 20 years
I raised that man, I raised his kids
I know my man better than he knows himself (huh, what?)
I can easily understand why you're attracted to my man
But you don't want this smoke, so shoot your shot with someone else (you heard me)

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm warning you, woman, find you your own man
Jolene, I know I'm a queen, Jolene
I'm still a Creole banjee bitch from Louisianne (don't try me)

There's a thousand girls in every room that act as desperate as you do
You a bird, go on and sing your tune, Jolene (what?)
I had to have this talk with you 'cause I hate to have to act the fool
Your peace depends on how you move, Jolene

Me and my man crossed those valleys, highs and lows and everything between
Good deeds roll in like tumbling weeds
I sleep good happy, 'cause you can't dig up our planted seeds
I know my man's gon' stand by me, breathing in my gentle breeze (ah)

I crossed those valleys, highs and lows and everything between
Good deeds roll in like tumbling weeds
Good and happy, 'cause you can't dig up them planted seeds
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene

I'ma stand by her, she will stand by me, Jolene
I'ma stand by him, he gon' stand by me (I'ma stand by her, she gon' stand by me)
I'ma stand by him, he gon' stand by me, Jolene

[This message edited by SacredSoul33 at 7:16 PM, Wednesday, January 15th]

Thanks SacredSoul33, I do like Beyonce's lyrics better than the original, although I don't think she puts enough responsibility on her man. But definitely an improvement.

Love your version Liz!!!!!

Thanks SacredSoul33, I do like Beyonce's lyrics better than the original, although I don't think she puts enough responsibility on her man. But definitely an improvement.

After listening again and chewing on it, I agree. It's a decent response to the partner poacher type, but that's it.

Dolly explained that Jolene was actually about a little girl (!) not an affair partner.

You can Google this. I hear the song waaaay differently after I found that info out…..

Way more like ick, he was a total sicko.

Here's the quote from Dolly:

One night, I was on stage, and there was this beautiful little girl — she was probably 8 years old at the time. 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.’

That’s how you write songs. Of course, I had to change the name to protect the guilty but when I wrote the song Jolene, I thought what am I going to tell this about? There was a beautiful girl at the bank that I was a little jealous of. It was innocent on his part. He’s a flirt anyway but that’s all right. So am I. But I thought well, I’ll write this story about that little flirtatious theme. So I make jokes about her all the time. Even though I’d chosen that title because it was a beautiful name, you always have to have something to write about.

No sicko H, thank god!