Dolly Parton on the secret song she plans to release in 2045: “It’s just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there”
The allure of time capsules isn’t exactly a secret. The general premise is simple: select an idea, artifact or piece of art, seal it away, and rediscover it sometime in the future. It’s understandably been the centrepiece of many fictional stories because, well, there’s something morbidly fascinating about posthumous revelations. In real life, however, the notion is a bit more complicated. Not for a certain Dolly Parton, though, who recently revealed her plans to unveil a secret song in 2045.
Fans of Parton had long suspected that the singer was up to something. The idea that she had something stashed away in a ‘dream box’ at Dollywood – Parton’s resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – did not go amiss, particularly since the country powerhouse has a track record of casually mentioning unreleased records.
In fact, the rumour that she had locked away a ‘secret song’ has been swirling around for years, but Parton only addressed it and confirmed her plans last year. It turns out, however, that rather than being just simply a secret song, the whole thing is actually part of an elaborate scheme to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Dollywood DreamMore resort.
When appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Parton revealed that the special track had been locked away in a box made out of chestnut wood, with staff strictly being instructed not to open the box until 2045. “It would be a song that will never be heard until 30 years from the time we opened the resort,” Parton explained. “They said, ‘You’ll be long dead.’ I said, ‘Well, maybe not. I’ll be 99. I’ve seen people live to be older than that.’”
There remains one fundamental issue with the whole thing, though, in the fact that Parton is finding it increasingly difficult not to spoil it herself. She has since admitted that she regrets writing a song so good, knowing that her fans won’t hear it for many more years to come. “I keep wantin’ them to let me dig it up and put something else in it that isn’t as good,” she said.
The song is sealed away in the box along with a CD player and some notes on the song. Even though the sentiment behind it is rooted in her demise, you never know; the Queen of Country Music might outlive the song’s release. Still going strong in her sixth decade in the music industry, Parton’s contributions have never shown any signs of slowing down. In fact, she recently told Greatest Hits Radio that she “would never retire!”.
Fortunately, Parton’s enduring legacy in country music is a welcomed force; her talent isn’t her only endearing attribute. She also exudes a level of authenticity that eludes many esteemed artists of her tenure. She’s known to make time for fans, and her love for music has never waned. More musicians should aspire to be a little more Dolly.
