45 single, Side A. RCA Victor (APB0-0145) (1973)
Image credit: boyjohn at 45cat.com
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"Jolene" is a single by Dolly Parton. It was released on October 15, 1973, by RCA Victor as the first single from Dolly's album of the same name. It was written by Dolly and produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming Dolly's second song to top the chart. The song was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards and has been certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014. "Jolene" was reissued as a single in the Netherlands in 1981 to promote the compilation album, Dolly, and again in 1985 in promotion of The Love Album compilation and the Live from London home video release. A dance remix by Destructo was released in 2021.
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Track listing
Original 45 single
Side A
1981 45 single
Side 1
1985 45 single
Side 1
Destructo Remix digital download
Side A
- Jolene (Dolly Parton) 2:38
- Love, You're So Beautiful Tonight (Porter Wagoner) 3:08
1981 45 single
Side 1
- Jolene (Dolly Parton) 2:36
- Here You Come Again (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) 2:56
1985 45 single
Side 1
- Jolene (Dolly Parton) 2:40
- Down from Dover (Dolly Parton) 3:42
Destructo Remix digital download
- Jolene (Destructo Remix) (Dolly Parton) 5:08
Record World advertisement, November 17, 1973.
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BackgroundDolly has recounted the inspiration behind "Jolene" many times. The song draws from two unrelated events. After a show with Porter one night, Dolly was signing autographs. A little girl came up and asked for an autograph and said her name was Jolene. Dolly said she thought it was a beautiful name and told the little girl if she ever hears a song titled "Jolene" you'll know it's about you. On the way back to the bus Dolly kept repeating "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene" to keep from forgetting the name. She decide she would begin the song with the same repetition. She then thought of a true story where she had caught her husband Carl flirting with a girl who worked at the bank. She combined both of these inspirations to create the song.
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Recording
"Jolene" was recorded on May 22, 1973, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. "Love, You're So Beautiful Tonight" was recorded on May 19, 1973, and had previously been released on the Bubbling Over album.
Dolly has re-recorded "Jolene" several times. She first re-recorded it for her 1995 album, Something Special. Dolly provided harmony vocals on Mindy Smith's 2004 version for her One Moment More album. She recorded it as a duet for Mary Sarah's 2014 album, Bridges, Straight No Chaser featured Dolly on their 2014 acapella version on their Under the Influence album. Pentatonix also recorded an acapella version featuring Dolly for their 2017 extended play, PTX, Vol. IV: Classics. Dolly recorded a "New String Version" for the Dumplin' soundtrack album in 2018.
Dolly has re-recorded "Jolene" several times. She first re-recorded it for her 1995 album, Something Special. Dolly provided harmony vocals on Mindy Smith's 2004 version for her One Moment More album. She recorded it as a duet for Mary Sarah's 2014 album, Bridges, Straight No Chaser featured Dolly on their 2014 acapella version on their Under the Influence album. Pentatonix also recorded an acapella version featuring Dolly for their 2017 extended play, PTX, Vol. IV: Classics. Dolly recorded a "New String Version" for the Dumplin' soundtrack album in 2018.
Audio and dance remix video
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Critical reception
The single was reviewed in the October 27, 1973 issue of Billboard magazine. The review called the song "one of her best" and "superb". It went on to say that Dolly "out does "Joshua" with her entreaty to a raven-haired beauty."
Billboard review, October 27, 1973.
Commercial performance
"Jolene" debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated November 3, 1973. It peaked at number one on the chart dated February 2, 1974, its fourteenth week on the chart. The single charted for 19 weeks. It also peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 44 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It peaked at number one on both the Cashbox Country Singles chart and the all-genre Cashbox Top 100 chart. The single was also successful internationally. It peaked at number one in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart, number 84 on the RPM Singles chart, and number 40 on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart. It peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and number 99 in Australia on the Kent Music Report.
Accolades
"Jolene" was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975. It received the Country Award and the Pop Award/Million-Air Award, for over one million broadcast performances, from BMI in 1974. It received an additional Million-Air Award in 2020 for over three million broadcast performances. "Jolene" also received a Songwriter Achievement Award from Nashville Songwriters Association International in 1974 and 1975. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
"Jolene" has received several sales certifications around the world. The single was certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on May 24, 2023, for 3,000,000 certified units. It was certified 3x Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on December 31, 2025, for sales of 1,800,000 copies. It was certified Gold by IFPI Danmark on May 4, 2021, for sales of 45,000 copies.
"Jolene" has received several sales certifications around the world. The single was certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on May 24, 2023, for 3,000,000 certified units. It was certified 3x Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on December 31, 2025, for sales of 1,800,000 copies. It was certified Gold by IFPI Danmark on May 4, 2021, for sales of 45,000 copies.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the 2009 box set, Dolly ("Jolene").
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Alternate artwork
Netherlands 45 single, picture sleeve. RCA Victor (APBO-0145) (1974)
Image credit: leonard at 45cat.com
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Netherlands 45 single, picture sleeve. RCA Victor (APBO-0145) (1976)
Image credit: leonard at 45cat.com
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Netherlands 45 single, picture sleeve. RCA (PB-9814) (1981)
Image credit: leonard at 45cat.com
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Netherlands 45 single, picture sleeve. RCA (PB-49971) (1985)
Image credit: leonard at 45cat.com
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Single cover. Sony Music Entertainment (digital single) (2021)
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