Jolene
Bon Iver & St. Vincent Lyrics

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Repetition of Jolene's name to emphasize her importance.

I'm begging of you please don't take my man
The singer is pleading with Jolene not to take her partner away from her.

Please don't take him even though you can
The singer acknowledges that Jolene is attractive enough to steal her partner, but asks her to refrain from doing so.

Your beauty is beyond compare
The artist is acknowledging Jolene's exceptional physical attractiveness.

With flaming locks of auburn hair
Description of Jolene's hair color and its brightness in the artist's eyes.

With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
The singer describes more of Jolene's physical appearance, including her skin and eye color.

Your smile is like a breath of spring
The singer describes the effect of Jolene's smile on the singer.

Your voice is soft like summer rain
Jolene's voice is described as soothing and delicate.

And I cannot compete with you, Jolene
The artist acknowledges that she cannot match Jolene's beauty and charm.

He talks about you in his sleep
Jolene is on the artist's partner's mind even when he is unconscious.

There's nothing I can do to keep from crying when he calls your name, Jolene
The singer is emotional and upset when her partner mentions Jolene's name.

Now I can easily understand how you could easily take my man
The artist acknowledges that Jolene is attractive enough to seduce her partner.

But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
The singer wants Jolene to understand the depth of their relationship.

You could have your choice of men
The singer acknowledges that Jolene has many options when it comes to romantic partners.

But I could never love again
The singer believes that she could not emotionally invest in another person after losing her partner to Jolene.

He's the only one for me, Jolene
The artist affirms her deep love and commitment to her partner.

I had to have this talk with you
The artist felt compelled to speak with Jolene about her feelings and concerns.

My happiness depends on you
The singer views Jolene as a potential threat to her happiness and future with her partner.

And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
The singer acknowledges that it is up to Jolene to decide whether or not to pursue a relationship with her partner.

Please don't take him just because you can
The artist reiterates her earlier plea for Jolene to refrain from stealing her partner due to Jolene's attractiveness and charm.