Song of the Day 3/16: Dolly Parton, “Jolene”
Millions of people think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should stick to honoring musicians who actually play rock music instead of inducting rappers and dance-pop superstars, but it took Dolly Parton to call them out on it.
Parton told the institution she was withdrawing her name from consideration, and she did it with a classy written statement, saying “Even though I’m extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right. I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out. … This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!”
As this article points out, though she had some crossover hits Parton was a country artist. Unlike pop and hip-hop, country music already has a Hall of Fame, and Dolly Parton has a prominent place in it.
She’d deserve it even if she had never had another hit after this song, the self-penned title track from her 13th solo LP, released in 1973. Parton said it was inspired by a bank clerk who flirted with her husband when they were newlyweds. It became her second country No. 1 and is her most-covered song.
The song started as pure country, but it gets mad props from rockers, including the White Stripes.
and she wrote this and I will Always Love You in the same day
The term “national treasure” gets flung around a lot, but in Parton’s case I think we can all agree that it is fitting.
Are we even deserving?
Her own version of “I Will Always Love You” beats the heck out of the cover by Whitney Houston, although that version wasn’t bad at all.
https://youtu.be/XySoNAPIHRg
Oops, sent something else entirely, although this is a great movie. Here’s Dolly.
https://youtu.be/lKsQR72HY0s
Just a thought about Dolly and why she is even better than we realize. I wonder if she turned down the RR HOF because they were only inducting her because in the last couple years her incredible humanitarian advocations have come to light and they wanted to capitalize on her incredibly well-deserved popularity