We didn’t know Dolly Parton had it in her! The country icon dropped two curse words while talking about Beyonce’s cover of “Jolene.”

The singer was very complimentary toward Beyonce and the re-tooled version of her 1973 hit. When she uses the S-word and B-word, she’s not trying to be negative.

• Beyonce’s cover of “Jolene” appears on her new Cowboy Carter album. Parton introduces the song.
• The 2024 version re-purposes the lyric as a warning, not a plea as Parton did.
• One is hard-pressed to find a swear word in Parton’s catalog, although she did once cut a song called “Go To Hell” in which she tells the devil to go (back) to Hell.

Related: A Reboot of Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 Is Coming!

“Jolene,” Dolly Parton vs. Beyonce Versions:

Talking to E! News, Parton admitted she was surprised that Beyonce updated her song, adding, “It was very bold of her.”

Parton sings, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I’m begging of you please don’t take my man,” while Beyonce begins with, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene / I’m warning you, don’t come for my man.”

The two singers were in contact during the creation of the song, but Parton didn’t know an alternative lyric was coming until she heard the finished version. Still, she was excited about the update, even telling the entertainment news outlet that she’d jump at the chance to perform with the pop superstar at the Grammys in 2025.

In describing Beyonce’s style, she drops the unexpected curse words.

“She wasn’t gonna go beg some other woman like I did,” Parton says. “‘Don’t steal my man.’ S–t, get out here, bi–h. You ain’t stealin’ mine.”

… Just taking a moment for jaws to come off the floor.

A Google search for other instances of Parton swearing turns up stories of Elle King‘s curse word-riddled episode at the Grand Ole Opry from earlier this year. However, she once told the Hollywood Reporter she’ll curse to get her point across when she’s angry.

“I don’t dillydally,” Parton said in 2014. “Sometimes if I get mad, I’ll throw out a few cuss words just to prove my point. I’ve often said I don’t lose my temper as much as I use it. I don’t do either unless I have to because I love peace and harmony, but when you step in my territory, I will call you on it.”

That’s hard to imagine from a woman whose face is on the Dollywood sign. It’s a stretch to think of the “book lady” (as young kids know her through her charity, Imagination Library) saying anything that requires a censor. Parton — now 78 years old — has her own muffin mix, for Pete’s sake!

Although maybe we missed the cues. In 1980 Parton did give us this amazing scene from 9 to 5. A rooster to a hen?! (Gulp).

Billy Dukes is a Senior Editor and Executive Producer of Video Content at Taste of Country. He specializes in country music interviews, trend analysis and the Secret History of Country Music. Additionally, Billy covers Yellowstone, 1923 and related television shows through the Dutton Rules podcast. To date, he’s written more than 13,000 articles for Taste of Country and produced over 3,000 videos for the Taste of Country YouTube channel.