Lil Nas’ version of the song describes a love triangle between himself, a male partner, and a straight woman. The lyric “I'm begging of you please don't take my man” is given powerful new meaning in the context of Lil Nas’ own experiences with homophobia and marginalization. As he sings “Jolene”’s lyrical tale of a scorned woman, Lil Nas infuses the song with the struggles inherent to his identity as a gay Black man.