Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about the future direction of my website, genxchronicle.com. We cover news, culture, and lifestyle through a Generation X lens, and we tell the stories that matter. I’ve been thinking in particular of how to take it to the next level.
So while I was doing all this heavy strategic planning, I was listening to a lot of new music on my Google Home. And one artist who really struck me was Dolly Parton. Parton has been known as a famous country music singer since the 1960’s, and later as an actress and philanthropist as well.
But it’s her music that really rocked me. At first I was listening to a song called “Jolene,” by Miley Cyrus, and I was thinking that Miley sounded really good on the song. It’s like she was eschewing the heavy computer studio production of most of her pop hits to return to her country roots.
But then a suggestion popped up on Spotify that I try the original “Jolene,” which was recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973. So I did.
The verdict? Wow! This song is incredible. It’s even better than the Miley Cyrus version, light years better in fact. It’s a cross between a country song and a rock song, and the instruments that back Dolly’s singing are pretty simple. Just a guitar or two, some drums, and maybe a banjo.
As for the lyrics? Wow! The themes of the song is Parton beseeching an unknown beautiful woman named Jolene not to steal her man.
Here’s a sample:
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
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
I mean if those lyrics don’t move you, then your heart isn’t working right. The visual image of Jolene that Parton conjures is of a beautiful Viking Valkyrie coming down from the mountains to steal Dolly’s beau. It’s just powerful stuff, and it really makes you feel something. We can all relate to the fear of losing our lover to a better-looking person. So kudos to you, Dolly, you really nailed it.
When the song ends I decide to check out one more Dolly Parton song from the 70’s, because that was her peak musical period.
So I pop on “I Will Always Love You.” Now I know this song from the 1992 Whitney Houston version, which is incredible in its own right. RIP Whitney Houston.
But if Dolly’s original is to Whitney’s cover version what her Jolene was to Miley’s cover, I figure I’m in for a real treat.
The song comes on, and man, is it strong. Dolly’s voice is smooth, sweet, soft, and tender, and she sings of her eternal love for her man. We Generation X’ers all know the lyrics from the cheesy 90’s Whitney Houston Kevin Costner movie The Bodyguard. But they’re so powerful, I have to quote a few lines here.
And I hope life, will treat you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
Oh, I do wish you joy
And I wish you happiness
But above all this
I wish you love
I love you, I will always love
I will always, always love you
I will always love you
OK then. I googled the meaning, and it seems Dolly is telling her partner and former music mentor, who she’s parting with, that she will always love him. Not only is that magnanimous, it’s downright elevated, beautiful, and righteous. So this songs rocks too.
So we’ve established that Dolly is an incredible singer. But there are other levels to her coolness as well. For one, she has had an ultra successful six-decade career that’s still going strong. For another, she’s still married to her husband, Carl, after 52 years. If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is.
Then there’s the fact of her sheer beauty, which strikes you the moment you lay eyes on her. She’s the buxom blond bombshell of many a man’s dreams. I mean she really, really turned me on in such 80’s raunchy classics as 9 to 5 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. So she’s hot, like, mega hot. Her huge breasts are a freaking national treasure, for chrissake. And she’s unabashedly had about a thousand plastic surgeries, and she freely talks and jokes about them. So she’s not afraid to do what she wants to feel good about herself, and she makes no excusese for it. Right on.
If you haven’t seen photos of Dolly, here are a few from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, in order.
But perhaps the coolest part about her is her deep and sustained philanthropy. Since the 1980’s, she’s been a prominent supporter of literacy efforts throughout the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. In 2018, Parton was honored by the Library of Congress on the ocassion of her charity sending out its 100 millionth book, which is really cool. She also supports her Dollywood Foundation, which brings jobs and tax revenues to depressed regions. And she’s given sustained multimilliondollar funding to cancer charities and environmental organizations. Plus she supports PETA! I mean what else can the woman possibly do?
So, that’s my survey of some of the many levels of Dolly Parton’s coolness. If you’re not familiar with her work, I suggest you start by playing her song “Jolene” on Spotify, and then take it from there.
As for me and my looming decisions about genxchronicle.com and the direction we want to go, I still haven’t finalized the expansion plans yet. But we’re getting there. One thing I do know for sure is, the lovely Ms. Dolly Parton has made the whole process of thinking and strategizing a lot more pleasurable, and for that I owe her a huge debt of gratitude.
So thanks Dolly. You really are a cool lady.
