Dolly Parton recorded what became her final vocal performance on the track “Torn” after getting out of a sickbed, unaware to U2 that she was critically ill at the time, according to Bono. The late country music icon features alongside the Irish rock band on the closing track of their 12-track album, Carnaval De Luz, set for release on November 13.
Speaking after a surprise performance at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin fifty years after the band members first met there, Bono shared details about the collaboration. “We loved she would consider working with us, but she got out of her sickbed and sang her last song,” he said, noting that the band did not realize the severity of her condition. Parton died on August 25 at age 80 following a battle with cancer.
Behind the Collaboration on “Torn”
According to Bono, the song originated from an idea brought forward by Parton herself. She told the band she had started a track titled “Torn” and suggested they take it wherever they wanted. The resulting song was co-written by U2, Parton, and Derry-born Snow Patrol musician Johnny McDaid. Bono described the subject matter as a “civil war at the kitchen table in the US,” focusing on two brothers fighting, though he noted the theme applies to households around the world.
Despite her illness, Parton maintained her signature humor during the recording process. “She was still funny, even though she was ill,” Bono said. “She was full of spunk and sort of sassiness about the song.” He also reflected on Parton’s unique cultural footprint, describing her as a rare figure capable of bridging political and social divides across the United States and globally.
Musical Legacy and Unreleased Time Capsules
Parton’s meticulous planning for her musical legacy extended far beyond her final collaboration with U2.
In addition to her final recordings, Parton left behind a locked chestnut box at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Inside sits a CD containing an unreleased song titled “My Place in History,” recorded in 2015 when she was 69. Parton specifically instructed that the recording remain sealed until what would have been her 100th birthday on January 19, 2046.
Carnaval De Luz Release Details
- Album Title: Carnaval De Luz
- Release Date: November 13
- Track Count: 12 tracks
- Closing Track: “Torn” featuring Dolly Parton
- Milestone: U2’s first album of new material in nine years
With Carnaval De Luz arriving as U2’s first collection of new material in nearly a decade, “Torn” stands as a final, poignant chapter in Parton’s legendary recording career.
Worth a look