Jolene
Miley Cyrus Lyrics


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Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Oh, I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him even though you can

Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green

Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your skin is soft like summer rain
And I can not compete with you, Jolene

And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene

He talks about you in his sleep
There's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him even though you can

I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

And you could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
Cause he's the only one for me, Jolene, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Oh, I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene




Please don't take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene

Overall Meaning

The song Jolene is a plea from the singer to Jolene, who she perceives as a threat to her relationship with her man. She is pleading with Jolene not to take him away, even though she knows that Jolene could easily do so with her beauty and charm. The singer describes Jolene's beauty with flaming locks of auburn hair, ivory skin, and emerald green eyes. She acknowledges that she cannot compete with Jolene's beauty and is resigned to losing her man if Jolene chooses to take him away.


The singer also reveals that her man talks about Jolene in his sleep, which pains her greatly. She begs Jolene not to take her happiness away and that her happiness depends on Jolene's decision. She acknowledges that Jolene could have her choice of men but pleads to her not to take her man away because he is the only one for her.


The song is a powerful emotional depiction of the fear of losing a loved one, particularly to someone who is considered to be more physically attractive or more desirable. It also explores the complex emotions that arise when one perceives a threat to their relationship, such as jealousy, insecurity, and self-doubt.


Line by Line Meaning

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
The singer is addressing Jolene repeatedly, emphasizing the importance of the message she is about to deliver


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


Please don't take him even though you can
The singer continues to implore Jolene not to act on her attraction to the singer's partner


Your beauty is beyond compare
The artist compliments Jolene, acknowledging that she is an attractive woman


With flaming locks of auburn hair
The artist describes one of Jolene's physical features — her striking red hair


With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
The singer highlights Jolene's fair skin and beautiful green eyes


Your smile is like a breath of spring
The singer compares Jolene's smile to a refreshing and rejuvenating breath of fresh air


Your skin is soft like summer rain
The artist describes Jolene's skin as being as soft and gentle as rain during the warm months of summer


And I can not compete with you, Jolene
The artist admits that she cannot match Jolene's beauty or allure when it comes to her partner


And I can easily understand
The artist acknowledges that she can see why Jolene might want to pursue her partner


How you could easily take my man
The singer believes that Jolene could easily seduce or enamor her partner


But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
The artist argues that Jolene can't truly appreciate or understand the depth of the artist's relationship with her partner


He talks about you in his sleep
The singer reveals that her partner is preoccupied with thoughts of Jolene even while he is asleep


There's nothing I can do to keep
The singer feels powerless to prevent her partner from thinking about or desiring Jolene


From crying when he calls your name, Jolene, Jolene
The singer gets emotional whenever her partner mentions Jolene's name, hinting at the depth of her attachment to him


I had to have this talk with you
The artist indicates that she felt it was necessary to have a conversation with Jolene to address the situation


My happiness depends on you
The artist is emphasizing that Jolene's actions could have a significant impact on her overall wellbeing


And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
The singer is leaving the ultimate decision of whether to pursue her partner up to Jolene


And you could have your choice of men
The singer acknowledges that Jolene is a desirable woman who could have many potential partners to choose from


But I could never love again
The artist laments that if Jolene takes her partner away from her, she may never be able to love another person in the same way


Cause he's the only one for me, Jolene, Jolene
The artist reaffirms her belief that her partner is her one true love, and that Jolene should respect that


Please don't take him even though you can
The artist reiterates her plea for Jolene to resist the temptation to pursue her partner


Jolene, Jolene
The song ends with the same repetitive chorus as before, emphasizing the significance of the message conveyed throughout




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@s.c.1740

It's a shame all the attention goes to her clothes, behavior and more when people should really pay attention to her voice, cause face it, THIS GIRL CAN SING.

@aprillea2521

Sam C She absolutely ROCKED this song!!

@danvermark8232

agreed

@Manhole87

Sam C not really she has terrible range

@Manhole87

i cannot sing yet i can hit far more notes in both directions to what she can.... theres a reason her songs are the way they are. katy perry is similar

@maribelcosme-vitagliani7296

Justin McMullen Both Miley and Katy are altos, you're probably a soprano. Don't discredit a singer because she has a certain vocal type.

24 More Replies...

@Windrecordmusics9966

This cover is so damn timeless, I wish she would make more songs with this style cause she sounds so beautiful and looks so comfortable. She's definitely a country girl by heart

@ncontreras7

Yes!!! She has an amazing voice and I wish she would record an entire album ❤

@JesusOfSuburbia86

I keep coming back, but I wish I could just add this version to my iTunes Library.

@nedkingi9272

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