5 of the Best Covers of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”

Who doesn’t love a good Dolly Parton cover? There are certainly a lot of them out there. These five covers of the 1973 country hit “Jolene” are some of the best you’ll ever hear. Though, we should mention that this list isn’t exhaustive; don’t come for us, please!

1. Miley Cyrus

Dolly Parton’s goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, has delivered some beautiful covers of “Jolene” multiple times through the years. Each cover has been stellar, but there’s nothing quite like the barefoot 2012 cover she did of the song in her own backyard. Cyrus is great at breathing new life into old songs without taking away the intended energy of the tune, and she definitely did this one justice.

2. The Little Willies

Norah Jones’ country-inspired band The Little Willies performed a cover of “Jolene” back in 2012. (That was the year for Dolly Parton covers, it seems.) While the band’s name is a cheeky little joke, this cover is definitely not a joke. It’s rich and moody, just like the original track.

3. Lil Nas X

Few men can capture the heartbroken, desperate energy of Parton when she first recorded this song in the 1970s. Lil Nas X actually managed to deliver a stunning cover of “Jolene” back in 2021. The depth, clarity, and unique singing style Lil Nas X uses for his cover is very much him. That being said, it doesn’t sound performative or campy. It’s quite beautiful and notably different from other covers of this song.

4. Sisters Of Mercy

Who doesn’t love a little goth cover of a country song? Sisters Of Mercy committed to the bit hard on this one. This cover of “Jolene” sounds a little sarcastic at times, but it still manages to be an excellent cover, whether or not it was intended to be. That baritone voice, too! It oddly works for a song that was originally sung in Parton’s feminine, gentle, almost squeaky voice.

5. Strawberry Switchblade

Who knew that the somber ballad “Jolene” could be covered in the dancey, new wave energy of Scottish electropop outfit Strawberry Switchblade? This cover is about as far from country music as you can get, sans the almost comical introduction of the harmonica. Still, it’s a very fun cover.

Photo by Kevin Winter

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