View Message

Jolene on a Danish baby!?
Over the holidays my brother told me about his friend (whom I have never met) who just had a baby girl named Jolene. With the English pronounciation and all...
What do you think of Jolene on a Danish baby?I don't know what to think really...
But I'm afraid it falls in the slightly white trash-category and then there is the Dolly Parton song for reference...
At least it is not another Emma or Mathilde; we are drowning in those.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

finally heard the songOk. So I finally decided to look the Jolene song up on the net and had a listen and found it's a more recent song and that's why I hadn't heard of it before this bulletin board (I didn't even know Dolly Parton was still doing albums). Honestly, it's the singer- not Jolene- who sounds like (desperate) "white trash" (I really don't like that term). Song says nothing about Jolene actually deliberately trying to take him away- just that the way she is has the singer's man (boyfriend? husband? Can't tell which from the song) paying some attention and Jolene might even be clueless that it's happening... Some women are like that. Just the way they are and the way they look gets the attention of numerous guys, but that doesn't mean the gal will go out with any of them (when I was in high school, my friend Chareen always had lists of guys who were interested, but she wasn't even inclined to date the ones she wasn't personally interested in and would never have gone for one who was already attached). Obviously, the people in the song who are the problems are the guy who's giving more attention to this other gal than the one he's with and the singer who lets her life revolve around a guy who would do that. For all we know, Jolene may just be sitting there with a choice to make over this guy who likes her and if she's smart, she'll see that he's with somebody and that if he'd leave this other gal for Jolene, he could just as well leave Jolene for some other gal. Guys like that are to be avoided... Maybe it's the guy who's the jerk and the singer whose mindset would fall into one of the categories in Dr. Laura's book "Top 10 Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives".Guess that's what makes it a typical country song though... (but with horrible sound to it... yuck)

This message was edited 12/31/2008, 9:27 PM

vote up1
Jolene is a very white trash, middle aged name to my ears. Maybe the average Dane won't have the same reaction I do.I agree about Emma. The worldwide popularity of that name defies explanation.
vote up1
middle-aged? I don't think I've ever met a Jolene over 30something... and none of them have been trashy... Maybe it's all in where you live or how much Dolly Parton you listen to.
vote up1
The Dolly Parton song doesn't make it trashy unless you are one of those closed-minded fools who assumes that all country music is white trash. I think the song actually elevates the name somewhat and I would much rather see a Jolene than a Matilda.On a Danish baby, it could be odd, but it could also be a cross-cultural reference. To me, it's the same as an American using a Danish name.
vote up1
Maybe I should have explained myself betterI don't find the name trashy because of the Dolly Parton reference, but because it is usually a certain demographic here in Denmark that give their children English/American names. This have lead to a certain prejudice, if you will, that English/American name on Danish child = low-class and future criminal and/or on wellfare.
An example of this is Brian, which is now slang for a criminal and/or a generally bad person, who is uneducated and violent. He offentimes own a car, which he have 'pimped out' and he drives around in it playing very loud music and ignores practically all laws regarding speeding, decent driving etc.What worries me is that little Jolene (who by the way, is a beautiful baby; I saw a picture) will suffer from this. She will grow up and will be branded because of her name. People will most likely think she is stupid/uneducated and a part of a demographic that live on the bottom of the Danish society.
To add to that, there is Dolly Parton song reference and it is the lyrics that worry me, not the fact that it is country music. "Jolene, please don't take my man" will come back to haunt little Danish Jolene big time once she is older!Just for the record; I have a very varied taste in music, and no, I do not make the equation of country music equals white trash. Jolene by Dolly Parton is the only cultural reference most Danes have with the name Jolene and therefore I found it natural to bring it up in discussion of the name - it is important because it is an obvious cause for bullying/teasing/whatever.

This message was edited 12/31/2008, 4:51 AM

vote up1
Actually, Jolene is described as a beautiful and very attractive girl in the song. Did you not pay attention to that part...?
vote up1
Just out of curiosity... How many Danes actually listen to Dolly Parton or have heard the song? I have spent whole chunks of my life in towns where country music is grossly overplayed and NEVER even heard of this song until this year on this website... Could be a regional thing though... I knew almost no Carpenters music until I moved to Japan where "Top of the World" is played quite frequently (and I'd never heard it before)... In Canada, the Carpenters are old news that very few people listen to anymore and if they do, it would prob'ly date them a little.

This message was edited 12/31/2008, 5:54 AM

vote up1
I agree... I much prefer Jolene to Matilda... which always puts the "Waltzing Matilda" song in my head. Can't comment on what the song does for or against the name though since I've never heard it.
vote up1
Well, I don't like Jolene any better or worse because it's on a Dane. Aren't certain English names pretty common in Denmark and have sort of crossed over? That's how it is here, anyway. I generally dislike Jolene and most -lene names. They just seem dated and a bit low-class.
vote up1
Some English names are common in DenmarkYes, some English names have become common in Denmark, but they are mostly associated with 'white trash'. It is a certain type of domographic that give their children English names, which have led to the common understandning that English name (usually with hideous pronounciation) = white trash/low class. An example is Brian (pronounced BREE-an) - it is now slang for a person who, how should I put it; have difficulty staying on the right side of the law and is generally a bad/violent/ignorant person.Maybe that's what bugs me about Jolene - it is an English name on a Danish baby, which will probably lead to this little girl being branded by this prejudice (if you will) that she, because of her name, is bad/ignorant/low-class.
Also; the Dolly Parton song is the only reference most Danes have with the name; the whole "Jolene, please don't take my man"-thing will come back to haunt her big time!
vote up1
There's no such word as pronounciation (though that may have just emphasized your point). The word is proNUNciation... Sorry... It's just a pet peeve of mine.
vote up1
I LOVE Jolene on a baby girl of any ethnicity. Seems you've been listening to too much Dolly Parton then 'cause I've never met a trashy Jolene... spunky, fun, classy... yes... but not trashy. Besides, chances are most Danes don't listen to Dolly Parton much and even North Americans don't all listen to her. I don't. Amazing how 1 song or movie or book (or even real live person) can make or break a name in how people imagine it.
vote up1