Behind the Iconic “Jolene”: Dolly Parton’s Jealousy and Inspiration
Ah, “Jolene”—the ballad that has haunted the hearts of many since its release in October 1973. If you’ve ever found yourself in a melodious spiral of jealousy, you’re not alone. Dolly Parton’s timeless classic, which explores the anguish of a woman worried about her significant other’s infatuation with another, emerged from a surprisingly innocent yet relatable real-life scenario involving her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away on March 3, 2023, at the age of 82.
The muse behind this iconic tune? A bank teller named—drumroll, please—Jolene. Parton revealed that the titular character was inspired not by a scheming seductress but rather by a young woman who had a crush on Dean. “She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton recounted during a 2008 NPR interview. The irony? Dean was merely enjoying the attention from the bank teller, a fact that would become a running joke between him and Parton. Can you imagine the playful banter? “Honey, are we really that broke, or are you just trying to get more of that bank teller’s attention?”
Interestingly, the name “Jolene” didn’t originate from the bank teller but from a charming encounter with an 8-year-old fan who caught Parton’s eye. “She had beautiful red hair and green eyes,” Parton reminisced. Inspired, she jotted down the name, and voilà—an anthem of vulnerability was born.
Fast forward to today, and “Jolene” stands tall on Rolling Stone’s 2024 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, a testament to its enduring relevance. The song became the first single from Parton’s 1973 album of the same name and has since been covered by over 30 artists, including the likes of The White Stripes and Miley Cyrus. Even Beyoncé joined the fray, covering it for her 2024 album, Cowboy Carter, and inviting Parton to contribute an interlude titled “Dolly P.”
Despite the initial sting of jealousy, Parton expressed gratitude during the 2014 Glastonbury Festival, thanking the real “Jolene” for the inspiration that led to one of her most successful songs. “Had it not been for that woman, I would never have written ‘Jolene’ and I wouldn’t have made all that money,” she quipped. So, here’s to love, jealousy, and the unexpected ways they can fuel creativity—may we all find our own “Jolene” moment.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, NPR, Rolling Stone
Image Credit: Title: Untitled, Author: No author info, License: [‘cc_attribute’, ‘cc_nonderived’, ‘cc_publicdomain’]
