Dolly Parton’s song “Jolene” became a country hit after its 1973 release and warns of a dangerous romantic rival.
Parton wrote the song after a red-haired bank teller flirted with her husband, Carl Dean. She also drew inspiration from a young fan named Jolene, whose name and appearance struck her as especially memorable. Parton combined those details into a dramatic plea from a wife asking another woman not to take her partner.
The recording was issued as the title track of Parton’s 1973 album Jolene. It reached number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart, helping establish the song as one of her defining recordings. Its tense narrative and repeated name made it unusually recognizable even outside country music.
“Jolene” is sometimes confused with Parton’s later crossover songs such as “9 to 5,” but the two have different origins and chart histories. “9 to 5” was written for the 1980 film of the same name.