Dolly Parton Thinks Her Goddaughter Miley Cyrus’s Song Would Have Worked Better With This Adjustment

Is there anyone more universally adored than Dolly Parton? Seriously. The “Jolene” singer is cherished not only for her singing chops and mind-boggling ability to play guitar with five-inch acrylic nails and keep her nearly 60-year marriage ultra-private, but also for her down-to-earth philanthropy, which sets her apart from the, shall we say, more out-of-touch celebrity crowd.

But just because Parton has a heart of gold doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to dish a little heat when necessary — with her signature charm, of course. Case in point? Parton’s unfiltered thoughts on goddaughter Miley Cyrus’s song “Used to be Young” off last year’s album, Endless Summer. 

Parton, known for speaking her mind, shared a cheeky critique of the nostalgic ballad, as Cyrus recounted in a new Harper’s Bazaar interview. “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!’”

While Parton’s jab is all in good fun, it does echo a sentiment that Cyrus herself seems to share. Reflecting on the song’s deeply personal lyrics, Cyrus admitted in the same interview, “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,” Cyrus added. Though the track struck a chord with fans who grew up with the former Disney star, it seems the two women — each icons in their own right — agree that a little perspective shift may have changed its story. 

Or perhaps, as Parton joked, it would’ve hit differently with an 80-year-old storyteller behind the mic. And who knows? Maybe there’s a Parton cover of “Used to Be Young” in our future. We wouldn’t be mad!

Before you go, click here to see which artists just released new music in time for the holidays.