This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm beggin' of you, please don't take my man
(Jolene)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
(Jolene)
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene (Jolene)
He talks about you in his sleep
And there's nothing I can do to keep from crying
When he calls your name, Jolene (Jolene)
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene (don't take him)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man
Oh, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Oh, please don't take him just because you can (don't take him)
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene (he's the only one)
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
Whatever you decide to do, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man
(Don't take him, don't take him, don't take him)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can (just because you can)
Jolene, Jolene (please don't take him, please don't take him, Jolene)
Jolene
Jolene
He's the only one for me
Jolene
Jolene, Jolene
Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
I'm beggin' of you, please don't take my man
(Jolene)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
(Jolene)
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene (Jolene)
He talks about you in his sleep
And there's nothing I can do to keep from crying
When he calls your name, Jolene (Jolene)
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene (don't take him)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man
Oh, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Oh, please don't take him just because you can (don't take him)
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene (he's the only one)
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
Whatever you decide to do, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man
(Don't take him, don't take him, don't take him)
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can (just because you can)
Jolene, Jolene (please don't take him, please don't take him, Jolene)
Jolene
Jolene
He's the only one for me
Jolene
Jolene, Jolene
Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Lyrics submitted by Moondragon
Jolene Lyrics as written by Dolly Parton
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
A wildly insecure song. The speaker feels that this is her one and only shot at happiness in life, so she pleads with who she feels to be the better woman to not ruin it for her. Jolene could find happiness with lots of other guys, but the speaker doesn't feel that she herself could do the same.
Dolly's voice is so beautiful. I don't think it's possible for anybody to do a cover of one of her songs that's better than the original(and that's including Whitney's butching of "I Will Always Love You").
@bokononist Agreed with this. And remember that this isn't about whether or not the guy would stray - it's about her fear. Even if he loves her with every bit of his heart, she's still going to worry. Insecurity is insidious that way.
I just recently heard this song for the first time and it brought me to tears. I could not believe the words - they were the story of my life. I spent 14 years with my husband and we had finally had our first child, I was happier than I had been in my entire life. Then came this other woman who made the choice to cheat on her husband with a married man (my husband). They had this affair and I caught him cheating on me and our baby was just turning one. When I confronted him, he told me that he was leaving for this other woman that he fell in love with. I begged him to end it and work on our marriage with counseling, I loved him with everything I had. I went to the woman and begged her to leave my husband alone that she could have any other single man but to please leave my husband alone. I couldn't imagine life without him. She told me that she was sorry but she loved my husband and I couldn't stop this from happening. I was devastated, but I picked up the pieces of my life and moved on. Now looking back - how stupid I was to beg him to be with me, I am thankful that she took that cheat out of my life. I met a wonderful man and I couldn't be happier. Her on the other hand is living the life of hell, he has already been caught cheating on her. Karma!!!
@Thankful The anguish of the song is when she says "just because you can," because he is already gone and she cannot face it until her soul grows. My old Aunt spent he life in Eloise after her husband left her like that. And yes, those who do not love honestly cannot eve trust in love, and loves that start in affairs can never have the trust required to be entrusted with the heart and sometimes soul of another. One difference in your case is at least they thought it was love, and so are less responsible, whereas Joline does not want one but has many men, so it is not for her love but an escapade, and the lover is pleading, but those who do not love do not understand.
@Thankful Oh yea, and, it is not a deficiency that she can never love again- that is true love. True love is for the one beloved, while the appetite is for many, but love cannot obligate love in return. But infidelity means they do not love you- that's why it hurts so badly.
Wait a minute..no1 can be taken if they aren't willing to leave..why wood she feel happy if he onnly stayed with ehr because jolene didn't want him..?..maybe because losin him wood be worse than the feelin he was only with her for tht reason
When you are in love, you will take alot of crap. You have this mind set you won't be happy without him, so you don't care how you get him, as long as you still do have him. It wasn't over another girl, but I just recently experienced that. This it seems is written while the mind is not yet over him. The White Stripes do a interesting cover!
I love this song, I had a personal experience like the song tells, and this song helped me get out of it. I dumped him :)
Beautiful sad song – love that White Stripes version. If I were the narrator, or a woman for that matter, I’d punch Jolene in the face, knock her down, then stand on her face with my high heels right.. .. .. right!
is it right for her to fight for her man? I have been in a situation similar to this.. and even though I knew that I shouldn't be pushing for someone who loved someone else, I still loved them and did it anyway. should people do this? anyone's opinon would be great..
The meaning is obvious, but how she came to write the song is very interesting. She was playing a gig and saw a beautiful little girl, about nine, fitting the Jolene physical description and the girl later told her that she'd never seen her father. There's this theory that a lot of women who steal people's boyfriends tend to not have had a father figure in their lives and so Dolly wrote this song with her in mind.
This is about feeling you've got nothing to offer, just simply begging to someone else not to destroy your happiness, even though they have the chance to do so. "I cannot compete with you Jolene"
A typical girl-song, since so many girl feel ugly, and like they are worth nothing in comparison with other girls.
The White Stripes made it sound more... emotionally. I did not like how she sung it. But, jack, oh what you can do to a person. This is the first song I have ever cried over...