Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene” gets an overhaul for the dancefloor with a new remix. A rare officially sanctioned update of Parton’s work, “Jolene (Destructo Remix)” was released Friday.
Destructo, the producer/DJ guise of Gary Richards, builds on the rhythmic elements that made “Jolene” so compelling in its original form: the funky, minor-key guitar riff, the disco-lite beat, and brisk tempo are all ideal building blocks for remixing. Destructo adds subtle washes of synth, looping the first syllable of the word “Jolene” as a punchy house-beat drops.
In the choruses, he chops up the title melody to stretch it out over several bars. There’s also a delay-heavy middle breakdown over the third verse, building the anticipation for the return of the beat with a whooshing filter sweep.
“My little song ‘Jolene’ has been done so many different ways and I love them all, but I think this one is my favorite,” Parton said in a release. “It makes me want to dance!”
There are also some interesting unofficial takes on “Jolene” out there. Among them, Norwegian producer/DJ Todd Terje issued a funky, disco-influenced version, while fellow Norwegian Kygo gave it a dreamy, Balearic Beat-style makeover.
Parton’s all-hustle mentality has continued apace through the pandemic, with a 2020 Christmas album and the book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. In 2022, she has plans for the book Run Rose Run, which she co-wrote with James Patterson, and its accompanying album of original songs.