Jolene
Dolly Parton
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please, don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin, and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene
He talks about you in his sleep
And there's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please, don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you, please, don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene
Tap any line to jump
How to play Jolene by Dolly Parton on guitar
Jolene is a great song to learn because the part is simple, memorable, and it has a steady, urgent feel that keeps you focused. At this tempo, you can really hear the chord changes and work on clean transitions without feeling rushed.
With the capo on fret 3, the chart uses a mix of open shapes and barre shapes. The open shapes are easier to grab, while F#, G#, F#m, C#m, C#, and B will ask more of your fretting hand. The change to watch first is the opening move from F# to G# to G and back to F# - it sets the pattern for the rest of the song.
Start by looping that opening progression slowly until the shapes feel automatic. Then add the other changes one at a time, keeping your strumming even and relaxed. Once you can switch cleanly, bring it up to tempo and play through the full song without stopping.
Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.
Looking for more? Browse the full guitar song library or explore chord diagrams.
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