Bono Reveals Why He Can't Listen to Dolly Parton's Final Song

U2 frontman Bono has revealed that he cannot bring himself to listen to Dolly Parton's final song, 'Torn', which she recorded with his band just two months before the country legend died in August. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Bono said listening to the track stirs emotions that run too deep for him.

Parton, who died after a private battle with cancer, still made time to record vocals for the song in June, even as her health declined. Bono recalled the moment Parton got out of bed to finish the recording. "When she was sick, she got out of her bed to sing this song. And you can hear it. I can't even listen to it now," he said.

Bono had originally invited Parton to collaborate on a side project inspired by Irish folk music. But Parton felt the project was too 'Irish' for her. Instead, she offered 'Torn', a song she had written and wanted to see how U2 could develop. "She said, 'I have this song. It's called Torn, do you want to take it somewhere else?'" Bono recalled.

Bono also praised Parton's vocal performance, which he called remarkable for an 80-year-old. "She sang that song with all her heart, and I couldn't believe that was the voice of an 80-year-old woman," he said. He added that the intimate experience with a figure as big as Parton was deeply moving, and that her loss feels very real. "The fact that they're not there anymore, that you can't reach them except through their songs, is a real wake-up call," Bono said.

The album's producer, Garret 'Jacknife' Lee, revealed that Parton had approved the final mix of the song before she died. "Dolly loved it. She was so proud of her vocal and that recording. She was so happy. We were very nervous that she wouldn't approve it, or would feel uncomfortable, but she loved it," Lee said.

"She sang that song with all her heart, and I couldn't believe that was the voice of an 80-year-old woman." - Bono

Carnaval De Luz is U2's 16th studio album and will be released on 13 November. In a statement launching the album, Bono invited fans to celebrate life in all its complexity. "Come on, bring your purple socks, your broken heart, and your pink naivety... you'll be amazed in the hall of mirrors," he wrote. He also said the album would feature loud guitars, deep bass, ecstatic rhythms, and silver tears. "Because out there, beyond our carnival of light, there are creatures... the same imagination that brings creativity can also bring monsters. So we made the drums louder, the fire bigger, the stories wilder, and the melodies sweeter. Because if the world is in darkness, we must not go dark too," he concluded.

For music fans in Indonesia, this collaboration is a reminder of Dolly Parton's timeless legacy. The song 'Torn' is not only her final work, but also a bridge between two different generations of music. U2's upcoming album is also eagerly awaited, especially as it is one of Parton's last projects. Going forward, will this song become a posthumous hit that inspires many people? Time will tell, but the emotional message behind it has certainly touched many.