Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Well I'm begging of you
Please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin
And eyes of emerald green
And your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like a summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene
And I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
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
Well I could easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
Well you could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene
And I had to have this talk with you
'Casuse my happiness, it depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
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
Well I'm begging of you
Please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin
And eyes of emerald green
And your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like a summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene
And I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
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
Well I could easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
Well you could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene
And I had to have this talk with you
'Casuse my happiness, it depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
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
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Jolene Lyrics as written by Dolly Parton
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
So I first heard this cover before I heard the original, and I have to say, Jack White is truly an artist. He turned a seemingly emotionless performance on Dolly Parton's part and turned it into a gut-wrenching song of despair. I was in awe a few moments. Although I am sure the performance I watched of hers was probably way after this song was in its prime stage, when it was raw for her to perform etc. Wish I had this on vinyl.
I put a comment in a reply to a lover on the Dolly Parton Songmeanings, but that does not even belong there. The Stripes version made me cry, as it does Jack. I suppose I needed it. The superiority of Rock blues to country is obvious.
The anguish is clear in the last line, because of course if Joline can take him, he's gone already, and her love is true, so maybe she cannot ever love again.
only the white stripes could cover a dolly parton song and make a great rock song out of it.
the white stripes at its best! my favourite band, my favourite lyrics!
HOLY FUCK! When I hear them do this song, I practacly swoon!! It's amazing!
I saw them do this live at Glastonbury and JW put some real emotion into it, he was almost crying. Still sounded oh-so-good, one of the best live bands I have seen
i saw it live at the rock werchter festival. It's amazing...the best cover ever...
yeah i saw jack perform this too,and my heart was like racing not cuz i was like :oh my god hes hot" like the posers that come to the concerts..but becuz it felt amazing to hear his voice and the music behind it,and its funny becuz my mom,loves this song and now i like only if the stripes sing it.
i saw him perform this on conan last night and he really did put some emotion into it. it was awesome.
I stayed up to see this on Conan the night before ACT's. Well worth it.