In April 2020, country music legend Dolly Parton donated $1 million to COVID-19 vaccine research, and less than a year later, she’s received her first dose of the vaccine that her funds helped create. What’s more, she’s now celebrating the occasion with a special Dolly Parton vaccine song. You wouldn’t expect any less, right?
Parton’s sizable donation went to Vanderbilt University, which was involved in the development of the Moderna COVID vaccine, and it was this shot that Parton got from her longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who is a professor of surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The country-music icon shared an image of her getting the shot to her social media pages, with the caption, “Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine.”
Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/JMPQb6zJWd
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021
Despite her generous donation, the Grammy winner said last month that she planned to wait “until some more people get theirs” before rolling up her own sleeve.
“When I get it, I’ll probably do it on camera so people will know and I’ll tell them the truth, if I have symptoms and all that,” she told The Associated Press. “Hopefully it’ll encourage people. I’m not going to jump the line just because I could.”
Parton also posted a short video of herself singing a few lines of her 1973 classic “Jolene” — but she gave it a 2021 twist.
“I’m so excited,” she said at the start of the clip. “I’m old enough to get it and I’m smart enough to get it. I’ve even changed one of my songs to fit the occasion.”
“Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine,” Parton sang to the melody of “Jolene.” “I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine. ‘Cos once you’re dead then that’s a bit too late.”
She then laughed and said, “I know I’m trying to be funny now, but I’m dead serious about the vaccine. I think we all want to get back to being normal, whatever that is, and that would be a great shot in the arm, wouldn’t it?”
The Dolly Parton Vaccine Song
Parton’s vaccine song, with fresh lyrics set to the melody of “Jolene,” was captured in another tweet:
Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/38kJrDzLqC
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021
If Parton’s vaccine song isn’t enough to convince anti-vaxxers, her video included a clear message to anybody who’s still undecided about getting the shot.
“The sooner we get to feeling better, the sooner we are gonna get back to feeling normal,” Parton said. “I just want to say to all of you cowards out there: Don’t be such a chicken squat! Get out there and get your shot.”
True to form, Parton was stylish for the big occasion, wearing a purple sparkly sweater and matching mask. And she didn’t even have to roll up her sleeves, because her sweater had cut-outs on the upper arms — a version of a cold shoulder sweater — to make Abumrad’s task a little easier.
Before she got the COVID shot, the doctor asked Parton two questions: Do you have any bleeding disorders, and do you have any serious allergies? Parton answered no to both, and they were good to go.
While the doctor prepared to administer the vaccine, Parton’s carried on cracking the jokes. “It didn’t take this long to film ‘9 to 5,'” she teased him.
After she got the shot, she said, “That didn’t hurt, just stung a little bit, but that was from the alcohol pad I think.” At the end of the clip, Parton removed her mask and enthused, “Hey, I did it, I did it!”
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
