The Song You Heard Everywhere 15 Years Ago
When the Whitney Houston movie The Bodyguard debuted in theaters 15 years ago (Nov. 25), Dolly Parton got a nice little boost. Not that she needed it. Parton was already a legend at the time, but Houston’s recording of “I Will Always Love You” brought one of Dolly’s classic original songs to an audience that might not have known it otherwise. Houston was originally set to sing another song in the picture, but some last-minute issues demanded a replacement. Houston’s over-the-top reading, cued by an a cappella start, spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart. Considering the sales and radio royalties for songwriters, Parton must’ve cleared seven figures for that one little ol’ song.
Parton initially wrote it when she was struggling with a desire to break away from her role as a duet partner with Porter Wagoner, who took a commission from her work through a management contract and was rather heavy-handed in the studio as her producer. She recorded her own version of the song in 1973, and nine years later, she released a second version from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Both went to No. 1 on the country chart. A third version, pairing her with Vince Gill, won a CMA award.
The years have proven Dolly’s departure from Porter to be the right decision. She’s now a financial juggernaut on her own, and her willingness to take risks with her creativity has resulted in more successes than failures. It would’ve been fitting for her to perform “I Will Always Love You” at Porter’s funeral earlier this month, though she understandably feared she couldn’t get through it. After all, she found it difficult getting through the Whorehouse version, tearing up as she recites the final line. To my ears, that’s the best recording anyone’s made of it.
Because it comes from such an authentic place, “I Will Always Love You” employs a deceptive simplicity. In actuality, it’s both a kiss-off and a tribute, and Dolly’s ability to roll such a complex range of emotions into one three-minute piece of work is brilliant. That she was able to parlay it into the Bodyguard paycheck is sheer good fortune.
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PATTI ADAMS says:
DEAR DOLLY PARTON & ASSOCIATES,
I HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED THE COPYRIGHTS TO SEVEN GOSPEL SONGS. THE MUSIC IS A GIFT FROM GOD AND I’M NOT SURE WHERE TO GO FROM HERE WITH IT.
PLEASE ADVISE ME WITH SOME DIRECTIVES. THANK YOU FOR ANY TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
PATTI ADAMS’
“OKIESHIRE”
GOSPEL SONGS
BOOK 1
Mike says:
Dolly Parton is a legend in country music as a performer and songwriter. “I will always love you ” was a awesome hit in the country charts and duly won its awards. Whitney needed another song and David Foster called her up and played it for her. The rest is history as one of the great songs of all time. The David Foster arrangement with Dolly’s heartfelt lyrics together with Whitneys singing was magical. Everyone I talk to and on the Grammies when it was coming on I told my kids aged 7&8 that this is a historical moment. Whitney sang and the tears of the world were almost visible. What a moment in time.
carolyn says:
I would love it if you could put the song HELLO GOD sung by doly parton on as a video I just love that song and never hear it on the radio nor do I see it on the CMT stations. That is such a beautiful song