Dolly Parton’s last recorded song closes U2’s Torn

A duet between late country music icon Dolly Parton and U2 frontman Bono has been released on the Irish rock band’s latest album, ‘Carnaval de Luz’, marking what is described as the singer’s final recorded vocal performance before her death in August.

The song, titled Torn, closes U2’s 16th studio album, which was released on Friday, November 13. Parton begins the track with soft humming before moving into a more powerful vocal performance alongside Bono.

The song explores the emotional conflict of loving two people, with Parton singing about passion, desire and the difficulty of choosing between them. Its closing line, “Every heart is torn”, carries particular poignancy following her death from cancer.

According to Parton’s official website, she co-wrote the country song about fractured family relationships with U2 and Irish singer-songwriter Johnny McDaid. She recorded her vocals in Nashville in June.

In a message to Bono dated June 2, shared through her official Instagram account in a joint post with U2, Parton expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration.

“Hope you like what I did. I did quite a few things. Take from it what you want and what you need, but I love the song, and I think it could be something really special,” she wrote. “Thanks for including me in your life. I’ve always loved you and always will.”

Bono later told Rolling Stone that Parton had made the effort to record the song despite being unwell.

“When she got ill, she got out of her bed to sing this song. And you can hear that,” he said, adding that he found it difficult to listen to the recording.

Speaking on the ‘Today’ show, U2 guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist The Edge said the band had been exploring several possible collaborations when they considered working with Parton.

Bono recalled initially sharing another song, ‘Lifelong’, with her over the phone. Parton felt it was “a little too Irish” for her voice at the time and instead suggested Torn, allowing the band to develop the track in its own direction.

Bono said he believed the song was the right choice to close ‘Carnaval de Luz’.