Chords + Lyrics | Jolene (capo 4)
Intro
||: Am11 | Am11 :||
Chorus 1
| Am C |2/4 G |4/4 Am11 |
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man.
| Am C |2/4 G |4/4 Am11 |
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
Please don’t take him just because you can.
Verse 1
| Am C | G Am |
Your beauty is beyond compare with flaming locks of auburn hair.
| G | Am (Am/E) | Am (Am/E) |
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green.
| Am C | G Am |
Your smile is like a breath of spring, your voice is soft like summer rain.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene.
| Am C | G Am |
He talks about you in his sleep and there’s nothing I can do to keep.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene.
| Am C | G Am |
And I can easily understand how you could easily take my man.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene.
Chorus 2
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.
Verse 2
| Am C | G Am |
You could have your choice of men but I could never love again.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
He’s the only one for me, Jolene.
| Am C | G Am |
I had to have this talk with you, my happiness depends on you.
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene.
Chorus 3
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.
Jolene | Chords + Lyrics (no capo)
Intro
||: C#m11 | C#m11 :||
Chorus 1
| C#m E |2/4 B |4/4 C#m11 |
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man.
| C#m E |2/4 B |4/4 C#m11 |
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
Please don’t take him just because you can.
Verse 1
| C#m E | B C#m |
Your beauty is beyond compare with flaming locks of auburn hair.
| B | C#m | C#m |
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green.
| C#m E | B C#m |
Your smile is like a breath of spring, your voice is soft like summer rain.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene.
| C#m E | B C#m |
He talks about you in his sleep and there’s nothing I can do to keep.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene.
| C#m E | B C#m |
And I can easily understand how you could easily take my man.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene.
Chorus 2
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.
Verse 2
| C#m E | B C#m |
You could have your choice of men but I could never love again.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
He’s the only one for me, Jolene.
| C#m E | B C#m |
I had to have this talk with you, my happiness depends on you.
| B | C#m11 | C#m11 |
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene.
Chorus 3
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.
Jolene Chords: Master the Riff and Progressions
To play the chords for Jolene in a way that captures the original sound, you need to use a capo on fret 4 and think in the key of Am.
This setup helps get the hammer-on/pull-off chord riff to sound authentic.
Technically, you could call the chord Am11, but it only makes sense if you understand the riff, which is best explained through TAB.
Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Jolene – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
There’s also TAB available for playing the main riff without a capo, which would work for electric guitar in a band setting.
Chorus
After exploring the riff, you’ll find the chords for the verse and chorus simple to memorise. The only difference between the two is the time signature. Here’s the chorus:
| Am (VI) C (I) |2/4 G (V) |4/4 Am |
| G | Am11 | Am11 |
Verse
And the verse chords for Jolene:
||: Am (VI) C (I) | G (V) Am |
| G | Am11 | Am11 :||
With the TAB, capo, and original recording, you’ll soon be playing this Dolly Parton classic. All you need to bring to the gig is a simple chord chart—here’s one I’ve made for you.
Jolene Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Above, you saw a chord chart for Jolene which assumed you played using a capo on fret 4.
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Jolene chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Jolene iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key. This will be useful if you don’t have a capo and play it in a band (change the key to C#m).
Jolene TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we explore how to play Jolene on acoustic with a capo, both fingerpicked and with a pick. We also cover how to adapt the part for electric guitar without a capo, if you’re the sole guitarist in a band.
As a preview, here’s the capo’d version played both with and without a pick—notice how the part must be slightly modified when using a pick.
A Guaranteed Crowd-Pleaser
Imagine writing a song as iconic as Jolene and, on the same day, writing I Will Always Love You. Apparently, that’s what Dolly Parton did back in 1973.
Jolene is Dolly’s most covered song, with even Jack White giving it a go. From personal experience, I can tell you that Jolene is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser every time.
There are also countless parody versions, and plenty of jokes have been made about the song. This only happens when a song is so famous that everyone knows it, and I’m sure Dolly takes it as a compliment.
To hear the original, as well as live versions by Jack White, Miley Cyrus, and Postmodern Jukebox, check out the playlist at the top of this page to hear them all.
Jolene Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Jolene (Dolly Parton) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
