Simon RushworthSong
Home Sweet Home
Artist
Mötley Crüe feat. Dolly Parton
Mötley Crüe/Dolly Parton backstory
2025 marks an historic hat-trick of Home Sweet Home releases — Mötley Crüe’s signature piano ballad first dropping in 1985 before a 1991 remix broke the Billboard Top 40.
Supercharged by country icon Dolly Parton, this latest version trails new compilation From The Beginning.
Part of the proceeds will support Covenant House — an organisation that provides safe shelter, meals, hope and more to help youth experiencing homelessness.
And with Crüe entering a fresh phase of reinvention, Home Sweet Home MkIII proves the adage that the old ones really are the best.
From The Beginning spans four decades of Crüe anthems, kicking off with their first global single and MTV video Live Wire and wrapping up with 2024’s ‘comeback single’ Dogs Of War.
In between are all of the hits including Kickstart My Heart, Dr. Feelgood, Girls, Girls, Girls, Shout At The Devil, Smokin’ In The Boys Room, Wild Side and more.
Parton proved her credentials as a future Crüe collaborator after she followed up 2023’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction with the release of star-studded double album Rockstar — featuring Steve Perry, Steven Tyler, Rob Halford, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more.
In Mötley Crüe’s own words
“Home Sweet Home was first released in 1985 as a single from our Theatre Of Pain album.
“For an icon like Dolly Parton to sing on a song that has not only meant so much to us but to all the fans through the years, is a career high that means a lot to us.
“We couldn’t be happier to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Home Sweet Home in this special way and we’re excited to share this version of the song with all the Dolly and Mötley fans around the world.
“That we were able to unite with Dolly to raise awareness for homeless youth and the amazing work of Covenant House, which provides them safe housing and care, makes it even more special.”
In Dolly Parton’s own words
“It was an honour and a joy working in the studio on Mötley Crüe’s 40th Anniversary re-release of Home Sweet Home. I was so pleased that they would ask me to sing on such a classic.”
The verdict on Home Sweet Home
Dolly Parton can do no wrong and the original queen of country sprinkles Tennessee-styled stardust all over one of soft rock’s most iconic ballads.
A striking video — mixing in-studio and on-stage footage of the artists with emotive images of young people on the streets — is seriously impactful.
The song itself truly benefits from Parton’s distinctive contribution and don’t be fooled by what you think you know about the prolific 79-year-old.
Vince Neil’s trademark whine dovetails surprisingly well with country music’s most identifiable voice and, whisper it quietly, this could be our favourite take on the Crüe classic yet!
As an energetic live entity and a source of relevant new rock, Neil and co. know their best days are long gone.
But reinventing Home Sweet Home one last time proves to be a welcome — and unexpected — triumph.
What’s next for Mötley Crüe
Given their stock as a gigging band continues to fall at an alarming rate it may come as something of a surprise that the Crüe have inked in a 10-date Las Vegas residency.
New compilation From The Beginning is released on the first day of that Park MGM run — September 12.
