# "Jolene"! Whose version do you like best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 30, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591 "2024-03-30T01:15:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/21 "2024-03-30T03:14:59Z")
Ooh, ooh, I got a new favorite: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kVW_gI7Ah90/maxresdefault.jpg "Brandi Carlile - "Jolene" (Dolly Parton cover) [Starlight Sessions]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVW_gI7Ah90) Though, if you ever wondered what a mariachi version of Jolene would sound like… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NZvqBdFrD-s/maxresdefault.jpg "Jolene Spanish Version OFFICIAL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZvqBdFrD-s) ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/22 "2024-03-30T03:21:25Z")
I love the one by Miley. I just love her voice. I really enjoyed the Beyonce version of the lyrics, but not the actual song. Her voice isn’t my cuppa. But I really do love the whole vibe of the Beyonce version. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/23 "2024-03-30T03:22:08Z")
The Brandi Carlile one is very good. Not my favorite but I like it a lot. Top three so far fer sure (for me, YMMV). ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/24 "2024-03-30T03:40:46Z")
None of them hold a candle to the original, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/25 "2024-03-30T04:12:08Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I am not a big fan of Miley Cyrus but she nails “Jolene” > > [https://youtu.be/wOwblaKmyVw/](https://youtu.be/wOwblaKmyVw/) I knew who she was, but had never heard her music before stumbling across Miley’s cover. My first reaction was, “Okay. She really _can_ sing, after all.” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/26 "2024-03-30T05:22:51Z")
The White Stripes did a pretty good version. Jack White sings the lyrics unaltered, which is a little weird, but what about that band wasn’t? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SVyGNS2HOIk/hqdefault.jpg "The White Stripes - Jolene (Studio Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVyGNS2HOIk) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/27 "2024-03-30T10:36:52Z")
How about something a little … different: Sisters of Mercy version [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dc1Za0ZB1dM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Sisters Of Mercy - Jolene (2019 Dave Stawecki Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc1Za0ZB1dM) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/28 "2024-03-30T13:56:15Z")
@Beckdawrek, you are right as always! I’ll still enjoy going through this thread later and checking out all the different versions. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/29 "2024-03-30T14:01:16Z")
My favorite version has always been the Miley one posted at the top, but I really like the Beyoncé version. It does help that Dolly Parton appears multiple times on the new album, and there’s even a bit of spoken Dolly dialogue about the song, with a callback to Beyoncé’s Lemonade. I do also very much like Beyoncé’s cover of Blackbird. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/30 "2024-03-30T15:13:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The White Stripes did a pretty good version Jack White sings the lyrics unaltered, which is a little weird, but what about that band wasn’t? > > [https://youtu.be/SVyGNS2HOIk?si=PTyQ3tV4SrM6u1vf](https://youtu.be/SVyGNS2HOIk?si=PTyQ3tV4SrM6u1vf) Huh. That was better than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/31 "2024-03-30T16:09:57Z")
Top pick for me is Bob Dylan’s version: > **[Bob Dylan - Jolene (Official Audio)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvpJ-blRvUc%2F)** > > "Jolene" by Bob DylanListen to Bob Dylan: https://BobDylan.lnk.to/ss\_followYD Subscribe to the official Bob Dylan YouTube channel: https://BobDylan.lnk.to/\_s... Second place, Cake: > **[Jolene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6BKeODv7Yc%2F)** > > Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesJolene · CakeMotorcade of Generosity℗ 2008 Upbeat RecordsReleased on: 1994-02-07Auto-generated by YouTube. They both spun them in completely different directions. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/32 "2024-03-30T16:22:24Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Top pick for me is Bob Dylan’s version: > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvpJ-blRvUc%2F](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvpJ-blRvUc%2F) > > Second place, Cake: > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6BKeODv7Yc%2F](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6BKeODv7Yc%2F) Whoosh? Unless you’re saying Dolly has good grounds for a lawsuit against Dylan and Cake, since they each credit themselves for the song and the lyrics… Or maybe they are actually different songs with the same title? Nah! ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/33 "2024-03-30T16:24:17Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Whoosh? Ha…I thought it was an obvious joke since they are completely different songs. I do love both of them though…that’s not a joke/lie! ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/34 "2024-03-30T17:28:58Z")
A heartfelt salute to Dolly Parton, whose luminous presence in music and philanthropy has touched countless lives across the globe. Dolly’s a true national treasure (perhaps an international icon) who has given a lot of joy to a lot of people for a long time. And, she has a good heart. Her humility shines bright, as she gracefully shares the spotlight with fellow artists, celebrating their talents while her own songs remain unmatched in their original splendor. The bald eagle is America’s national bird. Dolly Parton represents the best of human virtues. I propose we make Dolly our national human. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/35 "2024-03-30T20:43:12Z")
I like the original best but it’s such a pretty song that I enjoy hearing almost anyone with even a half decent voice sing it. That being said, while Beyonce has an incredible voice, I don’t care for her interpretation. It’s meant to be a plea, not a threat. ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/36 "2024-03-30T20:59:32Z")
FWIW my take on the lyrics is that the singer really has the hots for Jolene (don’t know about her man). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/37 "2024-03-31T00:31:56Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > back in medieval times, it would appear that Jolene was a seductress even then (starts slow but worth it; helluva voice): That’s gotta be Hildegard von Blingen! I’ve got a whole Bardcore playlist 🙂 ETA: you should check out what she does with “Pumped-up Kicks” and “Somebody That I Used to Know” ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/38 "2024-03-31T00:52:20Z")
It is, it is! I’ve heard some others and they’re wonderful. That voice! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/39 "2024-03-31T01:11:51Z")
Dolly’s version is easily the best I’ve heard. Miley’s is well sung and very good. I like both Cake and The White Stripes, but consider their versions mediocre; though I think maybe Cake and Dylan were not exactly doing cover versions. I have not heard every version. It’s not exactly my favourite song at any rate. The best thing about Dolly’s version is that she sounds powerless, and tries to appeal to both Jolene’s vanity and her humanity. That humanity and vulnerability seems completely lost in Beyoncé’s take. Divas like Beyoncé do not do begging, I suppose, but instead she is “warning” Jolene in a way that is almost comically aggressive and over-the-top. Now, I like Beyoncé. She wants to shake up country, like Ray Charles or many others, I’m for it just on principle. Genres should be elastic. That doesn’t mean I will like every song though. And changing the focus does little to improve the heart-tugging original but much to lessen the charm. Big and brassy does not improve the vulnerability that makes Dolly’s version timeless. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591/40 "2024-03-31T02:44:39Z")
Lil Nas X’s version. He really does it justice and I like the defeated undertones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jolene-whose-version-do-you-like-best/999591.md?page=3)