Dolly Parton knows the value of writing a good song — and also standing up for yourself.
That’s why, in a recent interview with HollywoodLife, the country music icon praised Taylor Swift, who responded earlier this week to a Los Angeles Times interview with Damon Albarn, in which the Blur singer claimed that Swift “doesn’t write her own songs.”
“@DamonAlbarn I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this,” the “Willow” singer tweeted. “I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really f—ed up to try and discredit my writing. WOW.”
PS I wrote this tweet all by myself in case you were wondering 😑
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) January 24, 2022
“I don’t care what other people say about my songs,” Dolly told the publication. “But with Taylor, she’s a great writer — with or without anybody.” She added that “when you co-write a song, you work just as hard. Sometimes you work harder with a co-writer because you want to be sure to do your part.”
“I really get rubbed wrong sometimes when people mistreat the artist. I don’t like that,” Dolly continued, before gushing over how “magnificent” Swift is.
“I think she’s done great,” the “Jolene” singer said of Swift. “And that’s one of the things I admire about her because she’s never sold herself. She’s never felt like she’s had to sell her body. She’s always had good taste in how she’s presented herself and with her songs. And she’s very creative and very, very, very smart in the marketing of her life. She knows who she is and what she wants. And I’m the same way. I’m going to fight if it goes against what I feel is not right for me.”
In the LA Times interview published on Sunday (Jan. 23), Albarn implied that modern artists are relying on “the sound and the attitude” of their music for popularity. When the writer Mikael Wood suggested that Swift doesn’t fit that narrative, as she’s an “excellent songwriter,” Albarn disagreed, simply claiming, “She doesn’t write her own songs.”
When Wood refuted that statement, adding that she does write her songs, sometimes with co-writers, Albarn said that it “doesn’t count.”
“I know what co-writing is. Co-writing is very different to writing,” he said. “I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes. Doesn’t mean that the outcome can’t be really great. And some of the greatest singers — I mean, Ella Fitzgerald never wrote a song in her life. When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense.”
Albarn went on to point out that a “really interesting songwriter” in his book are Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas. “I’m more attracted to that than to Taylor Swift,” he said. “It’s just darker — less endlessly upbeat. Way more minor and odd. I think she’s exceptional.”
Albarn has since apologized to Swift for his comments, replying to her tweet, “I totally agree with you. I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand.”
I totally agree with you. i had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. – Damon
— Damon Albarn (@Damonalbarn) January 24, 2022
