Dolly Parton’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ cover with Miley Cyrus leaves fans in shock: ‘OMG’
Dolly Parton has teamed up with Miley Cyrus for a “Wrecking Ball” remake. (Butterfly Records/Big Machine Records)
Dolly Parton has released a cover of goddaughter Miley Cyrus’ 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball”, featuring Cyrus herself.
The track is the seventh single from Parton’s upcoming 48th studio album Rockstar – the country music legend’s first ever rock record.
Parton’s new version of “Wrecking Ball” begins with just a stripped back piano to accompany Parton’s soft yet husky vocals, before Cyrus joins her on the first chorus.
Cyrus takes over on the second verse as electric guitars kick in, and it becomes evident how the song fits on Parton’s rock album.
In another twist on the original version, the song ends with the final lyric “I will always love you”, which references Parton’s historic 1974 single of the same name, which was famously covered by Whitney Houston.
When Cyrus released “Wrecking Ball” a decade ago, it went to number one on both sides of the pond and became one of the year’s most streamed singles.
Its success was boosted by the controversial music video, which saw Cyrus strip naked and swing on an actual wrecking ball. At the time, it broke the Vevo record for the most views on a music video in 24 hours, with almost 20 million views.
Fans and fellow pop superstars have reacted with joy at the new, Dolly Parton-fronted version, with one fan declaring that the song should “go to number one ASAP”.
“This is exactly the reason why Dolly Parton is one of the coolest people in the entire world I f*cking LOVE her,” fawned another fan.
A third suggested the song hints at where Miley Cyrus’ career could go in the future, writing: “I’m going to call this now: As Cyrus matures she will be recognized as a vocal powerhouse of the highest grade.”
Meanwhile, trans pop icon Kim Petras simply commented “Omg”.
The last time Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton teamed up for a recorded song was on Cyrus’s 2017 album Younger Now, on the song “Rainbowland”.
Earlier this year, a teacher from Wisconsin was fired after school officials banned her class from singing the song, because its lyrics, which promote inclusion, could be deemed “controversial”.
