I Will Always Love You
Encyclopedia
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton
in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.
. She has told numerous interviewers over the years that she wrote it for her one-time partner and mentor Porter Wagoner
, with whom she was having a business splitting at the time. Recorded on June 17, 1973, in RCA
's Studio "B" in Nashville
, the song was included on Parton's album Jolene
, and was released as a follow-up single, after the country chart-topping success of the title track
, in April 1974. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
a month later, but had just modest success on the pop charts. The lyrics express a bittersweet and poignant ode to an ex-lover, and are delivered with Parton's distinctive twang.
Parton re-recorded the song in 1982 to include it on the soundtrack of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
, the film version of the Broadway musical of the same name
. Her 1982 version also reached number 1 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs, marking the first time the same song reached number 1 on the country charts twice by the same artist. The 1982 version also saw limited crossover pop success, reaching number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100
and number 17 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
.
Parton had success with the song again in 1995 in a duet with Vince Gill
. This time the song peaked at number 15 in December of that year, making it the third time the song was a hit for Parton, albeit in duet form this time. In 2003, CMT
ranked it number 16 on their 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music. A year later, CMT ranked it number 1 on their 100 Greatest Country Love Songs.
The most recent release of the song appears on Parton's 2008 album Backwoods Barbie
, which features a live version - an exclusive iTunes
bonus track.
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 re-arranged the song as a soul ballad. Her record company did not feel a song with an a cappella
introduction would be as successful; however, Houston and Costner insisted on retaining the a cappella intro. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Kirk Whalum
. Whitney Houston's recording is not the only version of the song featured in the movie. In a scene where she dances with Kevin Costner, a version by John Doe
can be heard playing on a jukebox.
Houston's version was a massive worldwide success, appearing at number 68 on Billboards "Greatest Songs of All Time."
, begins with the performance of the song Houston gives at the end of The Bodyguard. The video then cuts to Houston in a dark blue suit sitting in an empty theater with the spotlight shining on her, singing of her love. The video is intercut with scenes from The Bodyguard and gives the viewer the experience of reliving the moments with the singer. She is also filmed sitting during this video due to her pregnancy with her daughter.
, which at the time was a record. The single became Houston's longest run at number one, smashing her previous record, which was three weeks with 1986's, "Greatest Love of All
." It is also the longest running number one single from a soundtrack album.
The single debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Houston's tenth number one hit a mere two weeks later. It also dominated various other Billboard
charts, spending 14 weeks at the top of Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales chart (the most for a solo female artist & later tied by Mariah Carey
's "We Belong Together"), and 11 weeks at number one on its Hot 100 Airplay
chart. The song also stayed at number one for five weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
and for 11 weeks on the Hot R&B Singles chart
becoming the longest running number one on the R&B charts at the time, and remained in the top 40 for 24 weeks. It became Arista Records
' biggest hit. The song was number one on the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B chart simulateously for a record five weeks, although Ray Charles' I Can't Stop Loving You
in 1962 achieved the same feat on the same charts.
Houston's single sold approximately 400,000 copies in its second week on the summit, making it the best-selling song in a single week (taking the record from Bryan Adams
' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
"). It broke its own record in the following three weeks, peaking at 632,000 copies in the week ended December 27, 1992, Billboard the issue date of January 9, 1993 (the week it broke its own record for most copies sold in a single week for any song). The record was broken by Elton John
's "Candle in the Wind 1997
/Something About the Way You Look Tonight
", selling 3.4 million in the final week of September 1997. "I Will Always Love You" was certified 4× Platinum in the U.S. for shipments of over 4 million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) on January 12, 1993, making Houston the first female artist with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history. According to Nielsen SoundScan
, as of 2009, the single sold 4,591,000 copies, and became the second best-selling physical single in U.S. alone, only behind Elton John's single in 1997.
Houston's single made a massive international success, peaking at number one of the singles charts in almost all countries, including the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles, spent 13 weeks at the top. The single also hit pole position for ten weeks in Australia, five weeks in Austria, seven weeks for Belgium, eight weeks in France, six weeks in Germany, eight weeks in Ireland, two weeks in Italy, six weeks in Netherlands, 11 weeks in New Zealand, nine weeks in Norway, six weeks in Sweden, eight weeks in Switzerland, and ten weeks in the United Kingdom. Houston's 10-week reign in the U.K. set the record for the longest run at the top by a solo female artist in the history of the British singles chart. It is the only single to have ever topped the U.S., the U.K. and Australian singles charts for at least ten weeks. In the United Kingdom, the single sold over 1,450,000 copies, becoming the tenth best-selling single of 1990s, and was certified 2× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) on January 1, 1993. It was certified Platinum for shipments of over 500,000 copies by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie
(BVMI) in Germany. In Japan, "I Will Always Love You" sold over 810,000 copies, staying for 27 weeks on the chart, and became the best-selling single by a foreign female artist at the time, though the single did not top the record chart unlike most other countries.
The song stayed at number one in the United States throughout January and February in 1993, making it the first time Billboard didn't rank a new number one single until March of the new year. Houston's "I Will Always Love You" was also the year-end single of 1993 in the U.S. Similarly, in the U.K., Houston's version was ranked the number one single of 1992, and then made the countdown again in 1993 where it was ranked number nine, marking the first time any artist or group had the same single ranked in the top 10 of the year-end review two years in a row. In Australia, it was the number 17 single of 1992 and the number two song of 1993.
of The New York Times
praised the work as a "magnificent rendition," commenting "Houston transforms a plaintive country ballad into a towering pop-gospel assertion of lasting devotion to a departing lover. Her voice breaking and tensing, she treats the song as a series of emotional bursts in a steady climb toward a final full-out declamation. Along the way, her virtuosic gospel embellishments enhance the emotion and never seem merely ornamental." Writing for USA Today
on November 17, 1992, James T. Jones IV simply called it "the tour-de-force," and added "[Houston] gives a 3 1/2-star [out of four] performance. Where Dolly Parton's original I Will Always Love You was plaintive and tear- stained, Houston's is gospel-infused and dramatic." Chris Willman from the Los Angeles Times
also gave good comments on her vocal performance, stating "Houston has the goods to deliver on the tune's haunting beauty and resists overpowering itㅡuntil the finale, when the key change and stratospheric notes drain all the heart-rending sadness out of the song and make it sound like just another anthem of survival." Amy Linden of Entertainment Weekly
wrote Houston's version "is artistically satisfying and uncharacteristically hip for the MOR songbird."
, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
ㅡwhich was Houston's third award for this category after in 1986 and 1988ㅡ at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. (During the Grammy Award telecast, the Record of the Year award was presented to Houston by composer Dolly Parton
, along with David Foster
.) The single topped the 1993 Billboard Hot 100 Single and Hot R&B Single year-end chart simultaneously, becoming the first single by a female artist and the second overall to achieve that feat behind Prince
's "When Doves Cry
" in 1984. In addition, it received Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B Single awards at the 21st American Music Awards
, which was the first record by a solo female artist to win both categories, and the third overall in AMA history behind "Endless Love
" by Lionel Richie
& Diana Ross
in 1982 and "Beat It
" by Michael Jackson
in 1984. "I Will Always Love You" won two Japan Gold Disc Awards for 1993 International Song of the Year, and for 1994 International Song of the Year Special Award, presented to the product which released before that year, sales over one million units or sales higher than product get award on same category, selling 600,000 copies in 1993 only, in Japan
's cover of the song became a hit, the tabloid press began reporting on a 'feud' between the two performers, stemming from Parton's allegedly reneging on an agreement that she would not perform the song for a number of months while Houston's version was on the charts, so as not to compete with the more recent cover. However, both Houston and Parton have dispelled any rumors, speaking glowingly of one another in interviews, Houston praising Parton for writing a beautiful song, and Parton thanking Houston for bringing her song to a wider audience, and in the process making her a great deal of money in royalties
. Dolly Parton also gave a live interview, confirming this.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.
Dolly Parton version
Dolly Parton wrote the song in 1973 and it was released a year later, having been produced by Bob FergusonBob Ferguson (music)
Robert Bruce "Bob" Ferguson Sr was an American songwriter, record producer who was instrumental in establishing Nashville, Tennessee as a center of country music; movie producer, and Choctaw Indian historian. Ferguson wrote the bestselling songs "On the Wings of a Dove" and "The Carroll County...
. She has told numerous interviewers over the years that she wrote it for her one-time partner and mentor Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
, with whom she was having a business splitting at the time. Recorded on June 17, 1973, in RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
's Studio "B" in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, the song was included on Parton's album Jolene
Jolene (album)
-Personnel:*Dolly Parton – vocals, guitar*Jimmy Colvard – guitar*Dave Kirby – guitar*Bobby Thompson – guitar*Chip Young – guitar*Pete Drake – pedal steel guitar*Stu Basore – pedal steel guitar*Bobby Dyson – bass*Jerry Carrigan – drums*Larrie Londin – drums...
, and was released as a follow-up single, after the country chart-topping success of the title track
Jolene (song)
"Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:...
, in April 1974. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
a month later, but had just modest success on the pop charts. The lyrics express a bittersweet and poignant ode to an ex-lover, and are delivered with Parton's distinctive twang.
Parton re-recorded the song in 1982 to include it on the soundtrack of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (film)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a 1982 film adaptation of the musical of the same name released by Universal Pictures, which was co-written and directed by Colin Higgins...
, the film version of the Broadway musical of the same name
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall...
. Her 1982 version also reached number 1 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs, marking the first time the same song reached number 1 on the country charts twice by the same artist. The 1982 version also saw limited crossover pop success, reaching number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number 17 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
.
Parton had success with the song again in 1995 in a duet with Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
. This time the song peaked at number 15 in December of that year, making it the third time the song was a hit for Parton, albeit in duet form this time. In 2003, CMT
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
ranked it number 16 on their 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music. A year later, CMT ranked it number 1 on their 100 Greatest Country Love Songs.
The most recent release of the song appears on Parton's 2008 album Backwoods Barbie
Backwoods Barbie
-Bonus tracks:The iTunes, Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy all offered special editions of the CD with bonus tracks that were culled from her 2006-2007 European Tour....
, which features a live version - an exclusive iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
bonus track.
Charts
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 1 |
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 53 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 17 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 45 |
| Australian Kent Music Report | 72 |
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 22 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 15 |
Whitney Houston version
In 1992, singer Whitney HoustonWhitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
recorded the song for the soundtrack
The Bodyguard (soundtrack)
The Bodyguard is the soundtrack from the movie of the same name, released on November 17, 1992, on Arista Records and features songs by Whitney Houston, as well as songs from various other artists. The album was co-executive produced by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis...
to The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard is a 1992 American romantic-thriller film starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent turned bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. Lawrence Kasdan wrote the film in the 1970s,...
, her film debut. Houston was originally to record Jimmy Ruffin
Jimmy Ruffin
Jimmy Ruffin is an American soul singer, and elder brother of the late David Ruffin of The Temptations. He had several hit records between the 1960s and 1980s, the most successful being "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted."-Life:...
's "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" is a hit single recorded by Jimmy Ruffin and released on Motown Records' Soul label in the summer of 1966. It is a ballad, with lead singer Jimmy Ruffin recalling the pain that befalls the brokenhearted, and their struggle to overcome their sadness so that they...
" as the lead single from The Bodyguard. However, when it was discovered the song was to be used for Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes (film)
Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. It was released in the UK under the novel's full title. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy,...
, Houston requested a different song and her co-star Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
brought her Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
's 1975 version of "I Will Always Love You" from her album Prisoner in Disguise
Prisoner in Disguise
Prisoner In Disguise is Linda Ronstadt's sixth solo LP release and her second for the label Asylum Records. It followed Ronstadt's Multi-Platinum breakthrough album, Heart Like A Wheel, which became her first of three #1 albums on the Billboard album chart in early 1975.This album has never been...
. Houston and producer David Foster re-arranged the song as a soul ballad. Her record company did not feel a song with an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
introduction would be as successful; however, Houston and Costner insisted on retaining the a cappella intro. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Kirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum is an American smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured as Whitney Houston's opening act for several years. Whalum has also recorded a series of well received solo albums and film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz...
. Whitney Houston's recording is not the only version of the song featured in the movie. In a scene where she dances with Kevin Costner, a version by John Doe
John Doe (musician)
John Doe is an American singer, songwriter, actor, poet and bass player. Doe founded the much-praised L.A. punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span the rock, country and folk music genres...
can be heard playing on a jukebox.
Houston's version was a massive worldwide success, appearing at number 68 on Billboards "Greatest Songs of All Time."
Music video
The single's music video, credited to Alan SmitheeAlan Smithee
Alan Smithee was an official pseudonym used by film directors who wish to disown a project, coined in 1968. Until its use was formally discontinued in 2000, it was the sole pseudonym used by members of the Directors Guild of America when a director dissatisfied with the final product proved to...
, begins with the performance of the song Houston gives at the end of The Bodyguard. The video then cuts to Houston in a dark blue suit sitting in an empty theater with the spotlight shining on her, singing of her love. The video is intercut with scenes from The Bodyguard and gives the viewer the experience of reliving the moments with the singer. She is also filmed sitting during this video due to her pregnancy with her daughter.
Chart performance
The single spent 14 weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, which at the time was a record. The single became Houston's longest run at number one, smashing her previous record, which was three weeks with 1986's, "Greatest Love of All
Greatest Love of All
"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer...
." It is also the longest running number one single from a soundtrack album.
The single debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Houston's tenth number one hit a mere two weeks later. It also dominated various other Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts, spending 14 weeks at the top of Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales chart (the most for a solo female artist & later tied by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "We Belong Together"), and 11 weeks at number one on its Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
chart. The song also stayed at number one for five weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
and for 11 weeks on the Hot R&B Singles chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
becoming the longest running number one on the R&B charts at the time, and remained in the top 40 for 24 weeks. It became Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
' biggest hit. The song was number one on the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B chart simulateously for a record five weeks, although Ray Charles' I Can't Stop Loving You
I Can't Stop Loving You
"I Can't Stop Loving You" is a popular song written and composed by country singer, songwriter and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it on December 30, 1957, for RCA Victor Records...
in 1962 achieved the same feat on the same charts.
Houston's single sold approximately 400,000 copies in its second week on the summit, making it the best-selling song in a single week (taking the record from Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
" I Do It for You" is a power ballad performed by Bryan Adams and co-written with Michael Kamen and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, featured on the soundtrack album from the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and on Adams' album Waking Up the Neighbours...
"). It broke its own record in the following three weeks, peaking at 632,000 copies in the week ended December 27, 1992, Billboard the issue date of January 9, 1993 (the week it broke its own record for most copies sold in a single week for any song). The record was broken by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's "Candle in the Wind 1997
Candle in the Wind 1997
"Candle in the Wind 1997" is a rewritten and rerecorded version of Elton John's own 1973 hit "Candle in the Wind" that was released as a tribute single to the late Diana, Princess of Wales....
/Something About the Way You Look Tonight
Something About the Way You Look Tonight
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is a song by Elton John, released in 1997 as the first single from The Big Picture. The song and its video were dedicated to the memory of Gianni Versace, murdered that year....
", selling 3.4 million in the final week of September 1997. "I Will Always Love You" was certified 4× Platinum in the U.S. for shipments of over 4 million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) on January 12, 1993, making Houston the first female artist with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history. According to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, as of 2009, the single sold 4,591,000 copies, and became the second best-selling physical single in U.S. alone, only behind Elton John's single in 1997.
Houston's single made a massive international success, peaking at number one of the singles charts in almost all countries, including the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles, spent 13 weeks at the top. The single also hit pole position for ten weeks in Australia, five weeks in Austria, seven weeks for Belgium, eight weeks in France, six weeks in Germany, eight weeks in Ireland, two weeks in Italy, six weeks in Netherlands, 11 weeks in New Zealand, nine weeks in Norway, six weeks in Sweden, eight weeks in Switzerland, and ten weeks in the United Kingdom. Houston's 10-week reign in the U.K. set the record for the longest run at the top by a solo female artist in the history of the British singles chart. It is the only single to have ever topped the U.S., the U.K. and Australian singles charts for at least ten weeks. In the United Kingdom, the single sold over 1,450,000 copies, becoming the tenth best-selling single of 1990s, and was certified 2× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) on January 1, 1993. It was certified Platinum for shipments of over 500,000 copies by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie
Bundesverband Musikindustrie
The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises....
(BVMI) in Germany. In Japan, "I Will Always Love You" sold over 810,000 copies, staying for 27 weeks on the chart, and became the best-selling single by a foreign female artist at the time, though the single did not top the record chart unlike most other countries.
The song stayed at number one in the United States throughout January and February in 1993, making it the first time Billboard didn't rank a new number one single until March of the new year. Houston's "I Will Always Love You" was also the year-end single of 1993 in the U.S. Similarly, in the U.K., Houston's version was ranked the number one single of 1992, and then made the countdown again in 1993 where it was ranked number nine, marking the first time any artist or group had the same single ranked in the top 10 of the year-end review two years in a row. In Australia, it was the number 17 single of 1992 and the number two song of 1993.
Critical response
Upon its release, Houston's version was acclaimed by many critics, called it her "signature song" or "iconic performance." Stephen HoldenStephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
praised the work as a "magnificent rendition," commenting "Houston transforms a plaintive country ballad into a towering pop-gospel assertion of lasting devotion to a departing lover. Her voice breaking and tensing, she treats the song as a series of emotional bursts in a steady climb toward a final full-out declamation. Along the way, her virtuosic gospel embellishments enhance the emotion and never seem merely ornamental." Writing for USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
on November 17, 1992, James T. Jones IV simply called it "the tour-de-force," and added "[Houston] gives a 3 1/2-star [out of four] performance. Where Dolly Parton's original I Will Always Love You was plaintive and tear- stained, Houston's is gospel-infused and dramatic." Chris Willman from the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
also gave good comments on her vocal performance, stating "Houston has the goods to deliver on the tune's haunting beauty and resists overpowering itㅡuntil the finale, when the key change and stratospheric notes drain all the heart-rending sadness out of the song and make it sound like just another anthem of survival." Amy Linden of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
wrote Houston's version "is artistically satisfying and uncharacteristically hip for the MOR songbird."
Accolades
"I Will Always Love You" won the Record of the YearGrammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
ㅡwhich was Houston's third award for this category after in 1986 and 1988ㅡ at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. (During the Grammy Award telecast, the Record of the Year award was presented to Houston by composer Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, along with David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
.) The single topped the 1993 Billboard Hot 100 Single and Hot R&B Single year-end chart simultaneously, becoming the first single by a female artist and the second overall to achieve that feat behind Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's "When Doves Cry
When Doves Cry
A hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
" in 1984. In addition, it received Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B Single awards at the 21st American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 1994
The 21st Annual American Music Awards were held on February 7, 1994.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Heavy Metal Category:...
, which was the first record by a solo female artist to win both categories, and the third overall in AMA history behind "Endless Love
Endless Love (song)
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow soul singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with R&B singer Mariah Carey and also by...
" by Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
& Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
in 1982 and "Beat It
Beat It
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...
" by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in 1984. "I Will Always Love You" won two Japan Gold Disc Awards for 1993 International Song of the Year, and for 1994 International Song of the Year Special Award, presented to the product which released before that year, sales over one million units or sales higher than product get award on same category, selling 600,000 copies in 1993 only, in Japan
| Year | Awards ceremony | Award description(s) | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The 19th People's Choice Awards People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett... |
Favorite New Music Video | |
| The 7th Soul Train Music Awards Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show which previously aired in national television syndication, and honors the best in Black music and entertainment... |
Best R&B/Soul Single, Female Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female The Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female was given out every year since the first annual Soul Train Music Awards in 1987. From 1989-1992 the award was known as the R&B/Urban Contemporary Single - Female.... |
||
| The 7th Japan Gold Disc Awards Japan Gold Disc Award The Japan Gold Disc Awards for Music sales in the Recording Industry Association of Japan, is major music awards held annually in Japan also released as a CD.- List of the Artists of the Year :************... |
Song of the Year (International) | ||
| The 2nd MTV Movie Awards | Best Song From A Movie MTV Movie Award for Best Song From a Movie The MTV Movie Award for Best Song from a Movie is an award presented to singers/groups for quality songs in films at the MTV Movie Awards, a ceremony established in 1992. Honors in several categories are awarded by MTV at the annual ceremonies, and are chosen by public votes... |
||
| The 4th Billboard Music Awards Billboard Music Award The Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011... |
#1 Hot 100 Single (Hot 100 Single of the Year) | ||
| #1 Hot R&B Single (R&B Single of the Year) | |||
| Special Award: Single Most Weeks at #1 (14 weeks) | |||
| #1 World Single | |||
| #1 Hot 100 Singles Sales | |||
| #1 Hot R&B Singles Sales | |||
| 1994 | The 21st American Music Awards American Music Awards of 1994 The 21st Annual American Music Awards were held on February 7, 1994.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Heavy Metal Category:... |
Favorite Pop/Rock Single | |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Single | |||
| The 36th Grammy Awards | Record of the Year | ||
| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female | |||
| The 8th Soul Train Music Awards | Best R&B Song of the Year Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year (sometimes awarded as Best Single – of the Year or Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of... |
||
| The 8th Japan Gold Disc Awards Japan Gold Disc Award The Japan Gold Disc Awards for Music sales in the Recording Industry Association of Japan, is major music awards held annually in Japan also released as a CD.- List of the Artists of the Year :************... |
Special Award |
Formats and track listings
- UK / Europe 12" Vinyl Single
- A "I Will Always Love You" ― 4:31
- B1 "Jesus Loves MeJesus Loves MeJesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...
" – 5:11 - B2 "Do You Hear What I Hear?Do You Hear What I Hear?"Do You Hear What I Hear?" is a Christmas song written in October 1962 with lyrics by Noël Regney and music by Gloria Shayne Baker. The pair were married at the time, and wrote it as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis...
– 3:31
- UK / Europe / US 7" Vinyl Single
- A "I Will Always Love You" ― 4:31
- B "Jesus Loves MeJesus Loves MeJesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...
" – 5:11
- US / Europe Maxi-CD Single
- "I Will Always Love You" – 4:31
- "Jesus Loves Me" – 5:11
- "Do You Hear What I Hear?" – 3:31
- Maxi-CD Singles (1999 Remixes)
- "I Will Always Love You" (Hex HectorHex HectorHex Hector , is an American dance remixer. He won a Grammy in 2001 for "Best Remixer".-Biography:Hector was born in in Manhattan, New York, of a Puerto Rican mother and Cuban father, and was raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan...
Radio Edit) - 4:50 - "I Will Always Love You" (Hex Hector 12" Club Mix) - 9:51
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification | Date | Shipments/sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
4× Platinum | 1993 | 280,000 |
| Austria | IFPI | Gold | March 1, 1993 | 15,000 |
| France | SNEP Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Gold | 1993 | 300,000 |
| Germany | BVMI Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Platinum | 1993 | 500,000 |
| Japan | RIAJ Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
5× Platinum | 1994 | 810,080 |
| Netherlands | NVPI NVPI The NVPI is the Dutch tradeassociation of the entertainment industry... |
Platinum | 1992 | 60,000 |
| Sweden | IFPI | Platinum | March 26, 1993 | 20,000 |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
2× Platinum | January 1, 1993 | 1,450,000 |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
4× Platinum | January 12, 1993 | 4,591,000 |
Chart positions
| Chart (1992–1993) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA Charts ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
1 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... ) |
1 |
| Belgium (VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... ) |
1 |
| Canada (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
1 |
| France (SNEP) | 1 |
| Germany (Media Control Top 100 Singles Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
1 |
| European Hot 100 Singles (Music & Media) | 1 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
1 |
| Italy (Musica e Dischi) | 1 |
| Japan (Oricon Charts Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... ) |
5 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
1 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 1 |
| Norway (VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... ) |
1 |
| Spain (AFYVE) | 1 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
1 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... ) |
1 |
| U.K. UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... (The Official Charts Company) |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 1 |
| U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... (Billboard) |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1992) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Dutch Top 40 Singles Chart | 61 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 1 |
| Chart (1993) | Position |
| style="text-align:center;"|2 | |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Singles Chart | 13 |
| Japanese Oricon Chart | 31 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Adult Contemporary Singles | 18 |
| U.S. Pop Singles | 1 |
| U.S. R&B Singles | 1 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (1990-1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.K. Top Hits of the Decade: 1990s | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles of the '90s | 7 |
Billboard Magazine Hot 100 Anniversary Charts
| Year | Title | Category | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Billboard 40 Years of the Top 40 | The Top 10 Remakes | #2 | |
| The Top 10 "Love" Songs | #2 | |||
| Billboard The Hot 100 of the Hot 100: Top Songs of Four Decades | #6 | |||
| The Top 10 Soundtrack Songs | #1 | |||
| Song with the Most Weeks at No. 1 (14 weeks) | #2 | |||
| 2008 | Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary | The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs | #68 | |
| The All-Time Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | #27 | |||
| Hot 100 Song of the Year - 1993 | #1 |
Chart precession and succession
See also
- List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom
- List of best-selling singles of the 1990s (UK)
- List of Top 25 singles for 1992 in Australia
- List of Top 25 singles for 1993 in Australia
Controversy
After Whitney HoustonWhitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's cover of the song became a hit, the tabloid press began reporting on a 'feud' between the two performers, stemming from Parton's allegedly reneging on an agreement that she would not perform the song for a number of months while Houston's version was on the charts, so as not to compete with the more recent cover. However, both Houston and Parton have dispelled any rumors, speaking glowingly of one another in interviews, Houston praising Parton for writing a beautiful song, and Parton thanking Houston for bringing her song to a wider audience, and in the process making her a great deal of money in royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
. Dolly Parton also gave a live interview, confirming this.