Dolly Parton On Why She’s Calling Out Politicians In New Song “World On Fire”: “They Worry More About The Party Than The People”

Dolly Parton country music
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Amen to that, Mrs. Dolly.

The one and only Dolly Parton has a new rock album on the way, appropriately titled Rockstar, which will feature 30 songs and tons of duets with some of the best rockers to ever do it.

From the surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, to Elton John, Steve Perry, John Fogarty and many, many more, she’s pulling out all the stops, in typical Dolly fashion.

It’s something only she could truly pull off which so many fellow music legends, and she recently debuted the lead single “World On Fire,” which written by Dolly and is a pretty straightforward track that finds her imploring all the people of the world to take a good, hard look in the mirror and seek God’s help for guidance:

“Liar, liar, the world’s on fire
What we gonna do when it all burns down?
I don’t know what to think about us
When did we lose ‘In God we trust?’
God almighty, what we gonna do?
If God ain’t listening and we’re deaf too”

And she recently sat down for interview with the TODAY show, where she opened up about why she decided to call out politicians so directly in the lyrics.

Of course, she gave a perfect answer, saying simply that they’re focused on the wrong things and worry “more about the party than they do about the people,” and she’s had enough:

“That’s true, ain’t it… all of ’em, any of ’em. I don’t think any of them are trying hard enough. I’m sure we’ll all trying, but… I think often that they worry more about the party than they do about the people.

If we just do what we felt was the right thing, rather than who’s gonna lose or who’s gonna win this, or who’s gonna look better if they do this, rather than working from the heart.”

Ain’t that the damn truth… nobody unites people quite like Dolly Parton.

She also shared a little bit about the inspiration behind her forthcoming album, which she decided to do after she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame last year.

She says her husband, Carl Dean, has always been a rock fan, and she covered “Stairway to Heaven” just for him after he told her the bluegrass version she did was more like “Stairway to Hell”:

“He always loved ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ He loved Led Zeppelin. Years ago, I did ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as a bluegrass, gospel thing.

And I played it to him and he said, ‘I think that’s a little more like ‘Stairway to Hell’ than Stairway to Heaven.’ He didn’t think that anybody should do ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ but Led Zeppelin.

Who’s gonna have the nerve to do that? And I thought, well I’m gonna have the nerve.”

And that’s what I love so much about her. She always has the nerve to do whatever she feels is right.

I guess we know how she’s remained so humble throughout the years, too, because it sounds like Carl keeps his wife pretty honest…

Rockstar is due out everywhere on November 17th, and you can check out her full interview below:

Dolly also performed “World On Fire” at the ACM Awards last week, where she co-hosted the show alongside Garth Brooks:

“World On Fire”

Rockstar tracklist:

1. Rock Star (special guest Richie Sambora)
2. World on Fire
3. Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
4. Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
5. Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
6. Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
7. Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
8. I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
9. What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
10. Purple Rain
11. Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
12. I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
13. Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
14. Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
15. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
16. Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
17. Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
18. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
19. Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
20. Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
21. We Are The Champions
22. Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
23. My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
24. What’s Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
25. You’re No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
26. Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
27. Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
28. I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
29. Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
30. Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)

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