# \*Jolene\* slowed down to 33RPM **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036 "2018-12-13T03:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/1 "2018-12-13T03:44:40Z")
The subject reads like something that bored kids fooling with an old-fashioned 4-speed turntable and some 45s might do. Somebody just took a 45RPM single of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and slowed it down to 33-and-1/3RPM. Sounds like a simple and silly-assed gimmick at first, yeah. But damned if it doesn’t sound pretty damned fine. I love how her voice goes all throaty and smoky while the instrumental just turns into a sort of folkie dirge. [URL=“[Jolene at 33 rpm - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doz1QJ7LwjA)”] ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/2 "2018-12-13T03:46:55Z")
I hope it comes through this time. [URL=“[Jolene at 33 rpm - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doz1QJ7LwjA)”] ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/3 "2018-12-13T03:50:31Z")
It’s still not there. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/4 "2018-12-13T03:50:33Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMrfM711vXI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-AoACoAKKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLADyn-z4ybhXNKmXAG1iza3Ph54TQ "Dolly Parton - Jolene (33rpm slowed down digital version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrfM711vXI) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/5 "2018-12-13T03:50:53Z")
[Fixed link.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrfM711vXI) It’s not too new, it’s been around for a few years. And it’s just playing a 45 at 33, so it’s probably decades old. I do love it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/6 "2018-12-13T04:09:09Z")
Also works for [this Christmas song](https://youtube.com/watch?v=7cTPoTmY1SA). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/7 "2018-12-13T04:10:34Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > [Fixed link.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrfM711vXI) > > It’s not too new, it’s been around for a few years. And it’s just playing a 45 at 33, so it’s probably decades old. > > I do love it, though. Yeah, I know I heard it a year or two ago as well. Miley Cyrus does a really good version too. Of course, it helps that it’s good song in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/8 "2018-12-13T04:48:43Z")
You have neither lived, loved nor lost until you’ve wrapped yourself around a fifth of Jim Beam and wept to the [Chipmunks singing Willie Nelson in slow motion.](https://soundcloud.com/alvin-thechipmunkson16sp/always-on-my-mind) It makes me wish it was 1996 again so I could listen to this with a virgin broken heart and Doc Martens under my bed. Well done, Slo-Mo Alvin, well done. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/9 "2018-12-13T05:13:50Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It’s not too new, it’s been around for a few years. And it’s just playing a 45 at 33, so it’s probably decades old. I heard the “slowed-down Dolly Parton” thing in college, so that would have been 35 or so years ago. And, at that time, the DJ pointed out that if you play a Parton 45 at 33, she sounds more than a little like Bruce Springsteen. :eek: Here’s the reverse: Bruce’s “I’m On Fire,” sped up from 33 to 45. [If you speed up Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” it sounds like Dolly Parton](https://news.avclub.com/if-you-speed-up-bruce-springsteen-s-i-m-on-fire-it-so-1798268065) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/10 "2018-12-13T05:15:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > …the [Chipmunks singing Willie Nelson in slow motion.](https://soundcloud.com/alvin-thechipmunkson16sp/always-on-my-mind) That’s definitely the _Pet Shop Boys_ mix they’ve emulated. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/11 "2018-12-13T05:22:21Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Also works for [this Christmas song](https://youtube.com/watch?v=7cTPoTmY1SA). Dr. Demento once played a version with only the Chipmunks segments slowed down, created by Jim Ratts of Englewood, CO. Of course, now with Audacity you could just pitch-shift the Chipmunks segments and keep the tempo. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/12 "2018-12-13T07:43:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I heard the “slowed-down Dolly Parton” thing in college, so that would have been 35 or so years ago. And, at that time, the DJ pointed out that if you play a Parton 45 at 33, she sounds more than a little like Bruce Springsteen. :eek: > > Here’s the reverse: Bruce’s “I’m On Fire,” sped up from 33 to 45. [If you speed up Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” it sounds like Dolly Parton](https://news.avclub.com/if-you-speed-up-bruce-springsteen-s-i-m-on-fire-it-so-1798268065) That’s really funny, and it sounds exactly like Parton. At some point, around the time of _The River_, Bruce started sounding country on some of his songs. I bet _Born to Run_ era Springsteen sped up wouldn’t sound like Dolly. **Jolene** slowed down, though, sounds more like Tracy Chapman than Sprinsteen. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/13 "2018-12-13T08:09:04Z")
This kind of thing is actually pretty popular, culminating in Vaporwave. I haven’t gone that far, but I did treat a bunch of songs a year ago or so for my Vaporboard project; the titles are meant to clue people in on what to expect. [Who’s Low Fist Is This Fast Anyway?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIH8cxX7V6k&index=2&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Prong [The Slow & Low Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9O-b3WvFNM&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=3) by Timbuk 3 [Fly Slow & Low Like An Eagle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2tcwHi6ak&index=4&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Steve Miller Band [You Really Got Me Slow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zee68P2BUYs&index=5&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Van Halen [Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck Slow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9p_WLBMvXI&index=6&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Prong [Phastnomenon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clb3rIiH5sQ&index=7&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by LL Cool J [The Fast Low Joker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orxm9zkpAVE&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=8) by Steve Miller Band [I Want Your (Hands On Me) Deep & Slow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHdBDK4DzQs&index=9&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Sinead O’Connor [I Wanna Be Your Slow & Low Dog](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SokH4-Ps5yE&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=10) by The Stooges [I Wanna Be Your Deep Dash Dog](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw9G5i2kf_g&index=11&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by The Stooges [Lightning Thunder Kiss '65](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fERQohyd-mw&index=12&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by White Zombie [Messed Up Marquee Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdiTbTyCIlQ&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=13) by Television [Twisted Twist of Cain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSpCstlRY78&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=14) by Danzig [Deep Forcefield Half Lifts Over Neon City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRj4h8Wpw0Y&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM&index=15) by Daikaiju [Slow Showdown In Shinjuku](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGcfOeOxEwA&index=16&list=PLcvqr8apAlamYnJhHp1EkImF3bGxBJ_kM) by Daikaiju I wrote to Daikaiju; they wrote back. I sent them their 2 songs and they said they loved them and I could post them. I also did 2 treatments of Die Antwoord’s _Baby’s On Fire_ but they got blocked by YouTube’s algorithms. I’d really love to get in touch with them; I think they’d be amused & interested. ETA: FTR I loved Jolene and the Chipmunk song! Aces both! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/14 "2018-12-13T12:49:16Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > That’s really funny, and it sounds exactly like Parton. At some point, around the time of _The River_, Bruce started sounding country on some of his songs. I bet _Born to Run_ era Springsteen sped up wouldn’t sound like Dolly. > > **Jolene** slowed down, though, sounds more like Tracy Chapman than Sprinsteen. I think it has a Tracy Chapman vibe also. Especially if Tracy was singing from beyond the grave. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/15 "2018-12-13T13:02:44Z")
As an April Fool’s day joke one year back in the late 70s/early 80s when Fleetwood Mac was hugely popular, the local rock radio station announced they had an exclusive sneak preview of the new Fleetwood Mac single. Then they played the album cut of Bob Welch’s “Imaginary Lover” at 45 rpm. It really did sound a lot like Fleetwood Mac! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/16 "2018-12-13T14:54:41Z")
Slowed down, I can really hear a lot of nuance and little vocal things in Dolly’s singing that I never heard before. And it’s been there all the time. It really makes it bluesy and quite the downer of a song. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/17 "2018-12-13T15:09:15Z")
To me, her voice doesn’t just sound lower, it has a creepy quality. Like the auditory version of uncanny valley. Maybe I’m just imagining it because I’m familiar with the original version but I _feel_ like I’d find something “off” about it even if I didn’t know it was altered. ---
**Author:** ![Allecher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Allecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allecher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/18 "2018-12-13T15:17:20Z")
It is also fun to use YouTube’s speed setting to make the lower pitched voice sing it at full speed. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/19 "2018-12-13T15:39:04Z")
It sounds pretty good, but Dolly sounds like a man, baby. Kind of makes it wierd. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036/20 "2018-12-13T18:51:49Z")
This reminds me of [The Osmonds - Crazy Horses slowed from 45RPM to 33RPM.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xY5E1x5k58) Not a terrible song to begin with, but slowing it down turns it into a groovy stoner rock. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-slowed-down-to-33rpm/826036.md?page=2)