Beyoncé updates Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ for 'Cowboy Carter': Hear it here

Y'all didn’t think Beyoncé was just gonna keep Dolly Parton ’s classic hit “Jolene” as is did you? Because what Bey did is so much better, interpolating Dolly’s original hit country track and adding her own lyrics, making a version of the song we never knew we needed, and now can’t live without.

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Keeping with the iconic melody and string-plucking production, that’s about all Beyoncé kept from the original song, well besides its title of course. Because, while Dolly ’s version of “Jolene” hears the singer desperately plead to a beautiful woman not to try take her man, Bey’s fiery spin on the song is much more of a threat. Going from, “I’m begging of you please don’t take my man,” to “I’m warning you, don’t come for my man.”

While Dolly doesn’t actually make a cameo Bey’s update of her iconic track, she does have her own “Dolly P” interlude just before. Which is one of the two appearance Dolly makes on Cowboy Carter , the second being on the trap-meets-country track “Tyrant.”

On the interlude Dolly is heard leaving Bey a message — “Hey, Ms. Honey B, it’s Dolly P. You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? Reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flaming locks of auburn hair, bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color, but it hurts just the same.”

Because of this, and the cut-throat lyrics on the track, many have decided to deduce that Beyonce’s reworking of the Parton classic is a direct reference to her past marital problems with JAY-Z . Particularly that bump in the road involving "Becky with the good hair."

And while we prefer to refrain from speculating, let’s keep it real, that’s probably exactly what its about. Sending warning shots to an suitor in her man, Bey sings, “Jolene, I'm a woman too / Thе games you play are nothing new / So you don't want no hеat with me, Jolene.”

“We've been deep in love for twenty years / I raised that man, I raised his kids / I know my man better than he knows himself (Yeah, what?),” Bey continues to make her point. Then doubling down with double barrels, she sings, “I can easily understand why you’re attracted to my man / But you don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot with someone else (You heard me).”

Making sure her point is crystal clear, Bey continues to croon on the chorus, "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I’m warnin' you, woman, find you your own man / Jolene, I know I’m a queen, Jolene / I’m still a Creole banjee b**** from Louisianne (Don't try me).”

Ensuring that no hussy named Jolene or Becky with the good hair make any such assumptions in the future, Bey sings, “I had to have this talk with you ’cause I hate to have to act the fool / Your peace depends on how you move, Jolene.”

The song continues for a bit, but at this point Jolene (or anyone else) should probably walk away if she knows what’s good for her. After all, Beyoncé is the same woman who cautioned, “My daddy said shoot,” and has zero qualms with taking a baseball bat to your car. And that’s on period.

Listen to Beyoncé’s ( b**** you betta not) version of “Jolene” below.