Dolly Parton Wrote ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the Same Night?
It's said that lightning never strikes in the same place twice. Maybe that's true, but for Dolly Parton, lightning not only struck the same place twice, but it struck the same place twice on the same night.
On June 8, 1974, Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" hit No. 1 on the charts, and earlier that year "Jolene" hit No. 1 on the charts as well. Two No. 1 songs in the same year is pretty remarkable. However, writing them both on the same night is... mind-blowing.
In a 2019 interview, Dolly Parton revealed that in 1972 she wrote both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" on the same night.
That's right, Dolly wrote her two most iconic songs, the two songs she will forever be known for long after she's gone, the same night.
Of course, Dolly has so many more songs that we all love and hold dear, but "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" are her definitive musical legacy.
Now, being the humble, classy woman that she is when asked about this unbelievable superhuman feat, Dolly Parton simply replied "That was good writing day".
A good writing day indeed. That's like inventing the wheel and being the person who discovered fire all in the same day.
Parton wrote "I Will Always Love You" about the end of the working relationship between her and Porter Wagoner.
According to wikipedia.com, "'Jolene' was inspired by a red-headed bank clerk who flirted with her husband Carl Dean at his local bank branch around the time they were newly married. In an interview, she also revealed that Jolene's name and appearance are based on that of a young fan who came on stage for her autograph."
Dolly, I don't know what you had for breakfast that day in 1972, but whatever it was clearly worked really well for you!