“You Can Have Him Jolene”

Abstract Chapel Hart—a trio of African American women, sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle—wrote and recorded a very different answer song with “You Can Have Him Jolene.” This chapter is based on an interview the author conducted with the group. In their song and the accompanying music video, the man is not worth the bother, so they flip the Jolene story. In Danica’s words, “there’s no way we’re still fighting over the same man from 1974.” Restoration of the betrayed woman’s power is at the center of Chapel Hart’s song. Their rendition of the Jolene story focuses on what women can discover by letting go of the thing (in this case a man) that is not serving their wellbeing. The group performed the song on America’s Got Talent to great acclaim. They also wrote and recorded an answer song and video about Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City.”