It has been confirmed that a "traditional country version" of a duet between Dolly Parton and U2, is to be released soon.
“We did something similar with Johnny Cash. If you think about Larry’s drum part, it’s more of a sci-fi country landscape", he told The Sun newspaper. “I think he did her a favour by not doing the obvious but it was risky. If she didn’t run with it — and she’d have no problem telling you — then we’d have lost her".
He continued: “But she liked the direction we took it and her camp has a more traditional country version, which they’re going to put out".
“Hearing her voice in the context of Carnaval De Luz is a bit of a shock and a welcome one".
On this track, Bono admitted that he can "hardly listen" to it, such is the strong emotion he feels over Dolly Parton's death.
“What a gift she gave us and what a blessing it felt like... I can hardly listen to that voice now", he said.
The initial theme if Torn was meant to be based on a woman caught between two lovers. But it was later changed to a family who are divided by opposing political views, a familiar theme to Parton.
Bono explained: “We wrote loads of songs that we tried to sell her. But she said, ‘Well, I have a song I started that you may want to take in a different direction and it’s called Torn.’
“Dolly stayed away from politics but she had two brothers that don’t speak to each other", he added. “They’re fighting about politics — and that doesn’t just happen in the red and blue states of America. It happens in the UK, it happens in Ireland, it happens all over the world, where families are at each other’s throats about the right way to go".
Bono went on to say that he will take inspiration from Dolly Parton's outlook on life, and that people with different views need to be given "a bit of slack".
“She always wanted anyone to be welcome at her show, whatever condition they arrived in. And that’s the way it has to be for us on next year’s tour", he said. (All quotes according to The Sun newspaper).
