Dolly Parton Reveals She Recorded “9 to 5” Using Her Acrylic Nails as an Instrument
Dolly Parton has many beauty signatures: Sky-high blond hair, indigo blue lids, and ruby red lips among them. But from a purely sonic standpoint, it's her signature acrylic nails that wield the most power. In fact, they played an integral part in the infectious baseline of her hit “9 to 5” when she recorded it back in 1980.
Last night, the country superstar appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to discuss her new TV special Dolly Parton: 50 Years at the Grand Ole Opry. Halfway through their playful tête-a-tête, the pair broke into a duet of the working woman anthem, which saw Parton tapping her fire engine red talons to the beat in perfect harmony. “I’ve never heard anyone play their nails like that!” cried Fallon. To which, Parton replied, “When I actually wrote this song, I used my acrylic nails on the set when I was writing it,” adding that “they make noise that kind of sounds like a typewriter.” What's more, her extreme tips even have an official credit on the record. “It says Nails by Dolly on the album!” she laughed.
Whether Parton is strumming her guitar with her shiny claws, or clacking them solo to percussive effect, they're always a sight to behold—and a wonder to hear in action. “My nails are my rhythm section when I’m writing a song all alone,” she once confessed. “Some day, I may cut an album, just me and my nails.” Here's hoping.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
