Unspeakable Horror

Talk about appropriation:

I saw the hype about this horrible remake and dismissed it. Fact of the matter, Beyonce doesn’t have the voice for country. Wrong tenor, timbre, accent, and cadence.

Wrong culture.

I stumbled on some criticism at American Thinker.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that all sane and decent people like, if not love, Dolly Parton. Another universal truth is that Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is one of the greatest country songs ever written. But one of the truths of life in 2024 is that modern pop culture degrades everything it touches. Nothing more clearly illustrates that fact than Beyoncé’s aggressively “girl boss” version of Parton’s classic song. It’s a travesty and a metaphor for so much of the damage leftism has inflicted on the world.

The original Dolly Parton song sees Parton begging the breathtakingly beautiful Jolene to leave Dolly’s man alone. Dolly shares her utter despair as she sees the love of her life fall desperately in love with Jolene.

The worst thing of all, from Dolly’s perspective is that Jolene doesn’t even love the man Dolly loves so much. Instead, Jolene’s acts are from ego, not love: “Please don’t take him just because you can.”

Andrea Widburg

Here’s the original:

You know, if you are going to cover a song, don’t change the lyrics:

Jolene, I’m a woman too

Thе games you play are nothing new

So you don’t want no hеat with me, Jolene…

I’m warnin’ you, woman, find you your own man

Jolene, I know I’m a queen, Jolene

I’m still a Creole banjee bitch from Louisiane (Don’t try me)

Good lord. What not just rap it?

Emotion, pathos, love, sacrifice…it’s all there. But that’s not what Beyoncé did with the song. Instead, Beyoncé, in her bland, auto-tuned style, has updated lyrics in which the angry girl boss explains that she is the perfect, all-powerful woman whose man will never leave her for someone as inconsequential as Jolene.

Andrea Widburg

I’m not a fan of covers or remakes, and can’t stand Beyonce anyhow.
It’s all a money grub. Let’s veer over into another lane, maybe we can hoover up even more money.

Whatever.

Cultural appropriation for thee, not me. This is as bad as Pat Boone singing Elvis. He didn’t fit in that culture either. But at least he didn’t change the lyrics to fit him.

The Original:

[Chorus]
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

[Verse 1]
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene

[Verse 2]
He talks about you in his sleep
And there’s nothin’ I can do to keep
From cryin’ when he calls your name, Jolene
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene

[Chorus]
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

[Verse 3]
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He’s the only one for me, Jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

[Chorus]
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you, please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene

Not half bad, a duet with Miley Cyrus:

See?