Krish Samtani
Listening Journal 4 – MUSIC 27:
‘Jolene’, written by Dolly Parton, tells the story of a housewife confronting a beautiful woman who she
believes is having an affair with her husband. Though the two versions given share identical sets of lyrics,
the authenticity and musical styles of the two songs drastically differ. The original version of this song,
sung by Parton herself, has a rather upbeat melody. Composed in C# minor, the tempo is fast-paced, with
energetic drums in the background. The guitar accompaniment has a soft timbre contributing to the
consonance of the song, which perhaps alludes to Jolene’s graceful aura. The vocals have a smooth
texture and are performed in the mezzo/soprano timbre range.
On the other hand, the version of the song performed by the White Stripes has a completely different aura.
Performed in D minor and sung by a male singer. The song seems to be of a slower tempo, without the
consistent drum rhythm in the background. Only the bass pedal of the drums is employed, which helps
ensure that the melody remains on track. The relatively aggressive drum beats only come into play in the
chorus, with the voice and guitar taking control for the rest of the song. The strumming of the electric
guitar is more assertive as opposed to the acoustic guitar in the first version. Similarly, the vocal texture is
a lot rougher. One can say that the tone of the first song is desperation, whereas in the second song, Jolene
has already taken the man and thus, the tone is one of resignation.
These two versions are particularly relevant in the discussion of “authenticity”, as their contrasting
musical styles show how the same song with identical lyrics can provide a different story. This is done
through the creative employment of tools such as ornamentation, timbre, rhythm, and vocals.