‘There will never be another like her’: Sir Tom Jones gives heartwarming tribute to Dolly Parton
Amelia Jones
Sir Tom Jones has posted a heartwarming tribute to Dolly Parton looking back at their unforgettable rendition of iconic country ballad ‘Green, Green Grass of Home.’
Jones posted the video on his social media over the weekend, marking his second tribute to the country music legend following her death at the age of 80.
The pair famously performed ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ together on a variety show in 1987, with their powerful live duet becoming a memorable meeting of two music icons.
The song which was originally written by Nashville songwriter Claude “Curly” Putman Jr. and was first recorded by American country singer Johnny Darrell in 1965.
Jones recorded a version of his own in 1966, becoming one of his signature hits. It reached No. 1 in the UK and spending seven weeks at the top of the Official Singles Charts.
The song’s lyrics tell the story of a man dreaming of returning to his childhood home after many years away. In his vision, he is greeted by his parents and his sweetheart, Mary, and finds himself surrounded by familiar memories of his youth.
But the idyllic homecoming is suddenly shattered when he wakes to discover that he is actually in prison. The song’s final verses reveal that the man is facing execution, with the “green, green grass of home” representing the freedom and life he has lost.
While the track was originally a country hit in America, it was Tom Jones who turned it into one of his signature songs, creating a lasting association between the Welsh star and the much-loved ballad.
That connection later brought Jones together with Dolly Parton, with the pair joining forces for a memorable performance of Green, Green Grass of Home in 1987.
Their duet brought together Jones’s distinctive vocals and Parton’s country sound, and the performance has remained a memorable moment for fans of both singers.
Jones has now revisited the performance as part of his tribute to Parton, following the country icon’s death at the age of 80. He captioned the video: “A beautiful memory with Dolly, who will be greatly missed. There will never be another like her!”
The pair’s relationship also produced some rather more unusual memories away from the stage. In an interview with Metro, Parton once opened up about what she described as her most “rock and roll” experience.
She recalled a story about her and a group of friends had going out for margaritas after a film shoot was cancelled because of rain. As they had made their way back to the hotel, they realised that Jones’ Los Angeles home was along their route.
According to Parton, her friends, who were also fans of the Welsh singer, decided to dare her to streak through his garden. She accepted the challenge, although Jones was apparently unaware of the unexpected visitor running through his property.
She said: “I streaked through Tom’s yard. He didn’t see me but I did it.”
She later joked that the incident was probably the most radical thing she had ever done, adding: “That was kind of rock and roll.”
The video is Jones’ second tribute to Parton, after he was one of the first to speak about her death earlier last week. He posted on his Instagram story: “Losing Dolly leaves a great emptiness. She had an angelic but powerful voice with vast influence on generations to come. A wonderful and generous person with an amazing story, RIP Dolly.”
You can watch the full performance here.
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