Dolly Parton’s last recorded vocal will be shared with the world on“Torn,”a duet with Bono that closes U2’s upcoming album“Carnaval De Luz,”out November 13. Parton recorded her parts in June, just two months before her death on August 25 at 80 following a brief battle with cancer. She also heard and approved the final mix, so she knew exactly what fans would eventually hear.
The song carries serious emotional weight. Parton offered U2 an original idea, and Bono and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid reworked the lyrics around a mother watching her family fracture. The refrain,“every heart is torn,”lands a lot harder once you know she got out of her sickbed to record it. The album also features Daniel Lanois on pedal steel, and it marks U2’s first new record since 2017, arriving in the same year the band celebrates its 50th anniversary.
For longtime fans,“Torn”is both a farewell and a gift from an artist who never stopped creating. It’s the kind of final chapter that reminds you why Parton meant so much to so many generations.
Will you be listening to“Torn”the moment it drops?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.