I beg you Parton?... our Dolly owns up to Ulster-Scots roots

[giovanni olcese]

Sunday Life, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Publication Date: 24 November 2002



I beg you Parton?

... our Dolly owns up to Ulster-Scots roots



By John McGurk





RETURN VISIT: Dolly says she's

definitely coming back

BOTTLE blonde country music star Dolly Parton, is going back to her

Ulster-Scots' roots - with the help of Sunday Life.

For the American icon - in Belfast for a sold out live date last night -
has been

offered a taste of the language and land of her forefathers!

A man with a gift for the gab, Ulster-Scots style, Dr Philip Robinson
turned his

attention to the buxom blonde's biggest hit, Jolene.

The local linguist translated that 1976 UK Top Ten classic into the sort of
talk

that Dolly's dad, Robert Lee Parton's Ulster ancestors would have twisted their

tongues around.

Dolly, who is enjoying an amazing career Renaissance with her current Halos

And Horns album, expressed her love for her Ulster roots in a recent interview.

She told The Belfast Telegraph: "There is no reason why I haven't played

Belfast in the past. But with my Scots-Irish ancestry, it's ridiculous that
I haven't

been here before.

"Obviously, my roots have been a major influence on my music....I am very

proud of my Irish heritage and it's something I would like to know more about."

A three day 'time off' gap in her tour schedule between last night's Belfast

show, and her next live date in Glasgow, could well provide Dolly with the

opportunity to explore those Ulster-Scots roots.

But both her UK tour agents Asgard, and local concert organisers Aiken's,

were keeping tight-lipped about how she would be spending any of her spare

time in the British Isles.

However, Sunday Life did pass on Dr Robinson's exclusive translation to

Aiken's for delivery to Dolly.

The 56-year-old Tennessee born superstar also revealed that she wanted to

come back to Northern Ireland soon.

If she does return, there'll be a 'welcome on the mat', from Ulster-Scots
Agency

chairman, Lord Laird of Artigarvan.

He said: "Dolly Parton is just one of the 22 million Scots-Irish in America who

are enthusiastically following up on their Ulster-Scots roots.

"I am delighted she is in town and hope she finds out more about her roots. I

am sure that she will find us very welcoming and friendly and she will come

back again to visit where her forefathers come from."





                        'Jolene' in English

                        (CHORUS):

                        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

                        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

                        (CHORUS)

                        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

                        (CHORUS)





                        'Jolene' in Ulster-Scots

                        (CHORUS):

                        Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene

                        A'm priggin o ye, oh, dinnae tak ma man

                        Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene

                        Ach dinnae ye tak him, jist acause ye can.

                        Ye hae guid leuks, abane tha fair

                        Wi bleezin locks o rid-broon hair

                        Wi snaw-white skin an green-maist een.

                        Yer smile wud mak a flooer leuk plain

                        Yer taak is saft, like simmer rain

                        A'm no fit tae rin agin ye, Jolene.

                        He taaks aboot ye in his sleep

                        There's naethin A can dae tae keep

                        Frae greetin whan he caa's yer name, Jolene.

                        An A can aisie unnèrstaun

                        Whit-wye ye micht aisie tak ma man

                        Ye dinnae ken but, tha much he means tae me, Jolene.

                        (CHORUS)

                        Ye aye can tak yer pick o men

                        But A cudnae iver love again

                        He's tha onlie yin fur me, Jolene.

                        A wus gart hae this wurd wi ye

                        Ma gladsome day lippens on ye

                        Whitiver ye tak intae yer heid, Jolene.

                        (CHORUS);

                          ...