Some songs are so iconic that covering them can be a dangerous move. Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is one of those songs. Bad Wolves took the challenge anyway, giving the country classic a hard hitting facelift while keeping enough of the original melody and emotion intact to make it immediately recognizable.
New vocalist Sara “Killboy” Skinner does the song justice. It is nearly impossible to compete with the unmistakable voice Dolly brought to the original, so thankfully Skinner does not try to imitate her. Instead, she puts her own stamp on the song with strong clean vocals and just enough harsh vocals mixed in to give the Bad Wolves version some extra teeth. Skinner joined Bad Wolves earlier this year, and “Jolene” continues to show the versatility she brings to this new chapter of the band. (antiMusic)
Musically, Bad Wolves turn “Jolene” into something much heavier without completely tearing apart what made the song work in the first place. The guitars give it plenty of weight, the drums hit hard, and the production is top notch. The heavier sections feel natural rather than forced, and the mixture of clean and harsh vocals gives the track another dimension.
Of course, this is not Bad Wolves’ first time successfully putting their own spin on a legendary song. Their massive cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie” helped introduce the band to the world, and that experience shows here. They understand that a great cover should not simply copy the original. It needs to sound like the band performing it while still respecting the song people already love.
There is also a much deeper story behind this release. Dolly Parton had heard Bad Wolves’ version, gave it her blessing, and was planning to record guest vocals for the track before her passing. According to the band and Dolly’s longtime manager Danny Nozell, the stems had already been sent for her studio team to begin working with. Bad Wolves released the song in her memory, with proceeds going to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, continuing her work of providing books to children around the world. (Better Noise Music)
That history makes this more than another metal band covering a country classic. Bad Wolves have delivered a powerful tribute that honors Dolly Parton while still sounding unmistakably like Bad Wolves. “Jolene” has been covered countless times, but this one hits hard enough to stand on its own.
“Jolene” is available now through Better Noise Music.
PR materials provided by Atom Splitter PR.
