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5 Alternative Versions Of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'

Dollyrotator

Forty years later, still going strong

Forty years ago, Dolly Parton released her now-classic song, "Jolene." The song, which tells the story of a woman confronting Jolene for trying to steal her man, has received numerous accolades, was named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time and even inspired a movie of the same name. In the nearly half century since the song came out, musicians have taken their turn re-interpreting the song with varying success. However, there have been a few surprises.

1. Miley Cyrus strips down from her pop production-heavy sound to produce a surprisingly beautiful take on her Godmother's song. Recorded for the Backyard Sessions, the song showcased Cyrus' vocal talents. Something easily forgotten on tracks, such as "Can't Be Tame."

2. San Francisco-based producer KMT has the audacity to mash up Parton with Jay Z but what sounds like a disaster on paper totally works. KMT mashes Jay's vocals from "City Is Mine" with the music and chorus of "Jolene."

3. A YouTube user slows down the song from 45 beats per minute to 33 bmp. Parton's voice deepens and the song stretches out into a hypnotic jam that recently blew up on the internet.

4. Probably one of the most surprising covers comes from The White Stripes. The band performed the song during their live performance in Blackpool, England. The live version reached 16 in the UK.

5. Dolly gets in on the action herself and joins the a cappella group, Straight No Chaser, on their vocalized version of the song. They are making music with their mouths.

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