Spotify removes incorrect Irish lyrics from Dolly Parton's new Welsh Jolene release
Spotify has removed lyrics from its platform that were mistakenly displayed in Irish for the recently released Welsh-language version of Dolly Parton's classic song, Jolene. The track, a collaboration featuring Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis and Parton's niece, Jada Star, was released on 9 October as a posthumous project. The streaming service took action to remove the incorrect text after being contacted by the BBC for comment. The song incorporates both English and Welsh, but the digital display error incorrectly identified the language as Irish.
Key points
- Spotify displayed Irish lyrics for a Welsh-language version of Dolly Parton's Jolene.
- The incorrect lyrics were removed after the BBC contacted the streaming service.
- The song is a posthumous release featuring Bronwen Lewis and Jada Star.
- Spotify did not respond to questions regarding when the error occurred or when corrected lyrics will be provided.
What happened
Spotify mistakenly presented Irish-language lyrics for the Welsh version of Dolly Parton's hit song Jolene. The track, which features vocals in both English and Welsh, was released on 9 October. Following an inquiry from the BBC, the streaming service removed the incorrect lyrics from its platform.
Background
The Welsh version of Jolene is a posthumous release featuring Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis and Parton's niece, Jada Star. The project originated after Lewis translated the song and shared it on social media, leading to a collaboration with Star and Parton, who recorded her parts in Nashville. Parton, who died on 25 August, was known for her Welsh ancestry.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the potential for metadata errors on streaming platforms, as Spotify removed the incorrect lyrics following a BBC inquiry.
What we know
- Spotify displayed Irish lyrics for the Welsh version of Dolly Parton's Jolene.
- The incorrect lyrics were removed after the BBC contacted Spotify.
- Dolly Parton died on 25 August.
- The Welsh version of Jolene was released on 9 October.
What remains unclear
- The specific cause of the language misidentification on the Spotify platform remains unknown.
- The timeline for when the correct lyrics will be uploaded to the service is currently unconfirmed.
