Image caption, Dolly Parton’s Welsh version of Jolene is the second posthumous release since her death in August
Updated 26 October 2026 06:15 GMT
The lyrics to Dolly Parton’s Welsh version of her hit Jolene were uploaded mistakenly to Spotify in Irish.
The song was recorded before her death on 25 August, and is a collaboration with Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis as well as Parton’s niece, Jada Star.
The version has parts of the song sung in English and Welsh – but the lyrics presented on the digital audio streaming service Spotify actually showed the language as Irish.
Spotify removed the Irish lyrics after the BBC approached it for comment.
The BBC asked Spotify when the single and lyrics were uploaded, when the error was noticed and when it would be replaced, but did not receive a response.
Image caption, The lyrics on Spotify have been removed since the BBC approached the service for comment
The single came out on 9 October, and is the second posthumous release from Parton – who was of Welsh descent.
The legendary country artist won 10 Grammy awards, sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote more than 3,000 songs after a career spanning seven decades.
Jolene was released in 1973, and is about the fear she might lose her husband Carl Dean to a red-headed bank clerk who had flirted with him early on in their marriage.
It was was nominated for a Grammy in 1974, gave Parton her second number one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and her first foray into the main Hot 100 chart (60).
It has since had more than one billion streams on Spotify, and many famous singers have gone on to cover Jolene.
Image source, Bronwen Lewis
Image caption, Lewis and Star recorded their parts in the UK, while Parton recorded her parts in her studio in Nashville
The Welsh version of the song came about after Lewis, from Neath, translated the country classic and posted it on social media.
Star, Parton’s niece, reached out and suggested recording Jolene in Welsh with Lewis – and Parton joined too.
In 2008, during a concert at the Cardiff International Arena, Parton reportedly revealed her Welsh ancestry to fans in the crowd.
Star revealed one side of the family from Parton’s mother Avie Lee Owens was initially believed to have come from Conwy.
Following the singer’s death, research by staff at Conwy council’s archives suggested Parton’s ancestors were from Machynlleth, in Powys, not Conwy as previously thought.
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