Dolly recalled teasing him, “‘[expletive], you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.'” She added, “So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”
Released in 1973, “Jolene” became one of her early hits. Its roughly 200 words, many repeated, gave listeners a story they could remember almost immediately, while that haunting melody supplied the fear beneath the simple language.
Dolly also appreciated how easily people could join in. Between the repeated name and that recognizable musical opening, the song could reach someone before they had learned much of it at all.
By the time of the 2008 interview, more than 30 singers had covered it, with versions recorded in several languages. Its appeal traveled well beyond the particular woman who had caught Carl’s attention.
Dolly understood the insecurity behind it, remembering the bank teller’s height and the physical qualities she felt she lacked herself. Under all that famous confidence, she could still recognize the fear of being compared with another woman.
