Dolly Parton told goddaughter Miley Cyrus she didn’t know if she ‘liked’ one of her songs because of its lyrics
Dolly Parton’s response to one of Miley Cyrus’ songs was that it’s ‘not fair’ for her to be ‘singing’.
As Miley Cyrus’ godmother and a singer herself, Dolly Parton has always been a strong champion of the performer and her work.
However, there’s one song that Parton said she wasn’t sure if she did ‘like’ or not and it was to do with the lyrics.
When Cyrus released ‘Wrecking Ball,’ Parton said when she first listened to the song, it hit her in the same way as Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ and Parton even ended up releasing her own cover of the track.
Cyrus has released several covers of Parton’s music and the pair have also collaborated on a fair few tracks too.
However, in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Cyrus explained one of her tunes released in 2023 saw Parton say it ‘should have been her song rather than Cyrus’.
Cyrus released the single ‘Used to Be Young’ in August 2023 and it debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
However, despite the song’s success, Parton wasn’t as much of a fan.
Speaking of her godmom’s reaction to the track, Cyrus revealed: “She goes, ‘I don’t know if I like that new ‘Used to Be Young’ song because it’s not fair that you’re singing about not being young when you’re young and beautiful.
“And here I am – I’m like 80 – and I’m like, That should have been my song!'”
However, there’s a reason the song and its lyrics are so significant to Cyrus despite Parton not initially seeing the connection.
The lyrics read: “You tell me time has done changed me / That’s fine, I’ve had a good run / I know I used to be crazy / That’s ’cause I used to be young.”
Cyrus reflected: “I actually listened to that song yesterday, and I was asking myself, Did I really need to put this out? It was one of those things that maybe now that I’m a bit more private, I would’ve kept private, but I’m happy to have shared it. It just feels like a song that’s so personal that it’s hard for people to relate.”
However, the song also has ‘healing sound properties,’ with Cyrus noting: “The songs, whether they’re about destruction or heartbreak or death, they’re presented in a way that is beautiful, because the nastiest times of our life do have a point of beauty.
“They are the shadow, they are the charcoal, they are the shading. You can’t have a painting without highlights and contrast.”
