“The View” co-host Joy Behar ripped into Dolly Parton’s classic song “Jolene” on Thursday, saying that she prefers Beyoncé’s new version because the original is “anti-feminist.”
Behar Prefers Beyoncé’s ‘Jolene’ Over Parton’s
Daily Mail reported that in Parton’s original 1973 version of “Jolene,” Parton begs an attractive younger woman not to steal her man. The central theme of the song is that the titular character of Jolene could steal her man if she wanted to, but Parton begs her not to out of the goodness of her heart.
In contrast, in the version of “Jolene” that Beyoncé released last week, she threatens Jolene not to steal her man, or else there will be hell to pay for her. Despite the original “Jolene” being a classic for decades, the 81 year-old radically liberal Behar already prefers the new version because she feels it is more of a feminist anthem.
“I like the subject of Beyoncé taking over the lyrics. I just think that the original thing with Dolly Parton is so, like, anti-feminist, worrying about some good-looking woman taking your man,” Behar said while appearing on the Behind the Table podcast.
“If it’s so easy to take your man, then take him!” she continued. “Beyoncé says, ‘If you take my man, you’re gonna be in a lot of trouble,’ and I say, ‘Go ahead, take my man, take him!'”
Beyoncé’s Aggressive Version Of ‘Jolene’
This came after Beyoncé’s version of “Jolene” was released last Saturday. In the song, she replaced the line, “I’m begging of you, please don’t take my man,” with a more threatening, “I’m warnin’ you, don’t come for my man… Don’t take the chance because you think you can.'”
Beyoncé also replaced the 1973 version’s final line “my happiness depends on you” and whether she pursues her man, instead warning Jolene, “You don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot with someone else. You heard me.”
While Parton’s version of “Jolene” is a humble plea for mercy, Beyoncé’s is more of an aggressive takedown of the song’s title character.
“You’re beautiful beyond compare/Takes more than beauty and seductive stares/To come between a family and a happy man,” goes one altered line. “Jolene I’m a woman too/The games you are playing are nothing new/So you don’t want no heat with me, Jolene.”
Related: Dolly Parton Breaks Her Silence After Beyoncé Covers ‘Jolene’
Beyoncé’s ‘Jolene’ Chorus
The chorus is also far more menacing in the new version as Beyoncé sings, “I’m warning you woman, find you your own man/Jolene, I know I’m a queen, Jolene/I’m still a Creole banjee b***h from Louisiana (Don’t try me).”
Towards the end of the song, Beyoncé added in lyrics expressing confidence that her man would stand by her and not go with Jolene.
“Good deeds roll in like tumbling weeds/I sleep good happy, cause you can’t dig up our planted seeds/I know my man’s gon’ stand by me breathing in my gentle breeze,” she sang.
A choir joined Beyoncé for the end of the song, belting out, “I crossed those valleys, highs and lows and everything between/Good deeds roll in like tumbling weeds.”
Check out Beyoncé’s version of “Jolene” in the video below.
Related: Dolly Parton Drops Bomb – Reveals Beyoncé Has Recorded ‘Jolene’ Cover
Parton Defends Beyoncé
Parton herself has been supportive of Beyoncé covering her classic song.
“Wow, I just heard ‘Jolene,'” she said after it came out. “Beyoncé is giving that girl trouble and she deserves it.”
Before the song came out, Parton was quick to defend Beyoncé from backlash over her covering “Jolene” and entering the country music world.
“I love her!” Parton told Billboard last month. “She’s a beautiful girl and a great singer. We’ve kind of sent messages back and forth through the years. And she and her mother were like fans, and I was always touched that they were fans, and I always thought she was great.”
Relive Parton’s timeless original version of “Jolene” in the video below.
“A lot of people don’t realize Beyoncé is a country girl. She’s from Texas,” she later added, according to AOL. “I think we belong wherever we can do good, and her song is No. 1 across every chart in the whole world, I think. So, I mean, who can argue with that?”
Liberals like Behar can prop up Beyoncé’s version of “Jolene” all that they want to, but nothing will ever compare to Parton’s original. Once all the fuss over Beyoncé’s new country album dies down, it will undoubtedly be Parton’s version of “Jolene” that actually stands the test of time.
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