ABC/Lou RoccoJust hours after debuting her new, pandemic-inspired “When Life is Good Again,” Dolly Parton premiered the music video for the song via TIME magazine’s TIME 100 Talks.
As the clip begins, Dolly sits alone in a dark room, setting up a video projector to watch a series of family-focused home movies dated 1994. But by the end of the video, it’s clear that she’s not losing herself in the past. Images of doctors, nurses, firefighters, grocery store employees and more begin to appear across the screen, all wearing face masks.
At the end of the song, each of these essential workers triumphantly removes their mask, symbolizing a better day when people will be able to confidently go back into public spaces without fear of contracting or spreading COVID-19. Finally, Dolly herself removes a mask and opens the door to the room, walking back out into the light.
“When life is good again, it’s going to be better than it ever was,” she tells TIME. “I know I’ll be a better person. I can see a lot of things that I can do better than I did before.”
The pandemic has made Dolly reflect on the importance of connection and little moments together with loved ones, and she says she hopes it’s serving as the same reminder to others, too.
“I think we have to pull together a little better. I just think we’re just getting so scattered and so selfish,” Dolly adds. “And we’re just letting too many good things go by.”
“Be safe, be respectful, wear your mask,” reads a message at the end of the video. “Lead with love.”
By Carena Liptak
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