Spotify removed on-screen lyrics that were mistakenly labeled in Irish for Dolly Parton’s Welsh-language recording of “Jolene,” the broadcaster BBC reported. The version, recorded before Parton’s death on Aug. 25, was released Oct. 9 and features Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis and Parton’s niece Jada Star.
What happened on the streaming service
The BBC said the lyrics displayed on Spotify showed the language as Irish, despite the recording containing parts sung in English and Welsh. After the BBC inquired, Spotify removed the posted lyrics. The BBC asked Spotify when the single and lyrics were uploaded, when the error was noticed and when corrected, but the broadcaster reported it did not receive a response.
Background on the release
Parton’s Welsh rendition of “Jolene” arrived as one of two posthumous releases since the country music star’s death in August. Bronwen Lewis and Jada Star recorded their contributions in the United Kingdom, while Parton recorded her parts in her studio in Nashville, according to the BBC.
- Release date: The Welsh version of “Jolene” was released Oct. 9.
- Recording details: Parton recorded in Nashville; Lewis and Star recorded in the U.K.
- Streaming action: Spotify removed the incorrect Irish-language lyrics after the BBC contacted the company.
Parton, a ten-time Grammy winner who sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote more than 3,000 songs over a seven-decade career, originally recorded “Jolene” in 1973. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart and later became her first entry on the Hot 100. It has more than one billion streams on Spotify and has been widely covered by other artists.
The Welsh-language version grew out of a social media post by Lewis, who translated the classic and shared it online. Jada Star, Parton’s niece, then suggested recording the song in Welsh with Lewis; Parton joined the project.
The BBC report said local researchers had looked into Parton’s family history and Welsh roots following her death, and the release underscores the ongoing interest in Parton’s musical legacy.
