There's real vulnerability in Dolly Parton's version, and Beyoncé has been in "I'm the baddest bitch alive" mode for so long that I'm not even sure that's a mode she can do anymore
Jolene is a song about feeling like a worthless piece of shit and being so sure that you'll lose the one thing that matters to you! It's not a song that a wildly rich, powerful and confident woman can sing
Not to be a freak but we have a cover of Jolene that I think you might like better and we’re broke DIY artists looking for people to listen to us: https://youtu.be/vxZ-eCVzq2c?si=Rqo2a_VdZe_zJWno
Yeah it sounded flat to me musically, too. I appreciate what she was trying to go for by flipping the emotion on its head too, but the result didn't feel as compelling as the original
It has the feel to me of a cover that she was just doing for fun and maybe to play at shows sometimes and then the studio REALLY REALLY wanted a single version
Comments
https://youtu.be/wOwblaKmyVw?si=rH1XmLk4Rc7yBGEq
(look what he's up to today)
but he still sucks — look what he did
i'm warning you: my man is trash, jolene
Shifty owl all lying to me
And Bey, if she's on here.
Yup, I said it! Fight me!