“I Will Always Love You” – 1992
US CD single
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album
B-side “Jesus Loves Me”
“Do You Hear What I Hear?”
Released November 3, 1992
Format
CD single cassette single 7″ single 12″ single
Recorded Spring 1992
Genre
R&B, soul, jazz
Length 4:31
Label Arista
Writer(s) Dolly Parton
Producer(s) David Foster
Whitney Houston singles chronology
“We Didn’t Know”
(1992) “I Will Always Love You”
(1992) “I’m Every Woman”
Background
In 1992, R&B singer Whitney Houston recorded a cover version of “I Will Always Love You” 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. It was Houston’s co-star Kevin Costner who suggested “I Will Always Love You”, playing her Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version from her album Prisoner in Disguise. Houston and producer David Foster re-arranged the song as an R&B 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. When Parton heard that Houston was covering the song, she sent them the last verse, which was missing from the Ronstadt recording, as she felt it was important to the song. 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. It appears at No. 9 on NME’s “Greatest No 1 Singles in History” list. In 2004, Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” finished at #65 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. It was also ranked at number 22 on The Guardian’s list of Britain’s favorite 100 songs, published in May 2002. In February 2014, the song was placed at number six on Billboard’s list of the “Top 50 ‘Love’ Songs of All Time”.
A live performance was included in the 1999 release Divas Live ’99. A 1994 performance was included on the 2014 CD/DVD release, Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances.
Track listings and formats
UK / Europe 12″ Vinyl Single
A “I Will Always Love You” ― 4:31
B1 “Jesus Loves Me” ― 5:11
B2 “Do You Hear What I Hear?” ― 3:31
UK / Europe / US 7″ Vinyl Single
A “I Will Always Love You” ― 4:31
B “Jesus Loves Me” ― 5:11