Dolly Parton: “I Will Always Love You”

Beautiful song despite syrupy chimes:

Dolly debuts “I Will Always Love You” on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1974, introduced by Wagoner (her mentor and former partner, who inspired the song).

Wagoner interviewed by Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat:

Wikipedia: Parton wrote the track in 1973 for her one-time partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, from whom she was separating professionally at the time. Parton wrote it after Wagoner suggested she shift from story songs to focus on love songs. She recorded it on June 13, 1973. Parton re-recorded the song in 1982, when it was included on the soundtrack of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Around the time the song reached number one on the country charts, Elvis Presley indicated that he wanted to cover the song. Parton was interested until Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis recorded. Parton refused, and that decision is credited with helping to make her many millions of dollars in royalties from the song over the years. After being re-released in 1982, the track once again peaked at number one on Hot Country Songs, making Parton the first artist ever to earn a number one record twice with the same song.

In 1992, singer Whitney Houston recorded the song for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, her film debut. Houston was originally to record Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” as the lead single from The Bodyguard. However, when it was discovered the song was to be used for Fried Green Tomatoes, Houston requested a different song and her co-star, Kevin Costner, brought her Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version of “I Will Always Love You” from her album Prisoner in Disguise. Houston and producer David Foster rearranged the song as a soul ballad.