Where were you when Whitney Houston first sang the "I" part in the title of her song, I Will Always Love You? Where you still in that identical position when she got to the "you" part of the title? Point is, I remember this being one of the many jokes about this song, Houston's soaring interpretation of the chorus and the song's longevity.
At the time, I had no idea it was originally a Dolly Parton song. I suppose that tells you everything you need to about my classic country background. But knowing that really didn't help you out: Parton's version is more twangy and relaxed in a country-format way, while Houston really makes it her own soulful ballad.
However I think it's own popularity prompted many of the jokes I heard. During the 1992 holiday season you couldn't escape it – popular radio played the song, you heard it during commercials for The Bodyguard, and based its charting success you knew you'd hear it once or twice at an award show. This massive overplay – and the aforementioned jab at how drawn out the chorus is sung – made for a bit of humor from some people I knew. Most of the jests came in the form of someone singing a variant of, "This Song Will Always Go On," or asking, "Does she ever shut up?" Of course, these so-called jokes always came from people who weren't in the Whitney fan camp and were almost always enjoyed by similar people.
Me? By this time, I wasn't in the Whitney fan camp, having quickly escaped after I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), which brings up a more distressing question: why that song?
At any rate, 1992 became a big year for Houston: besides this hit single, she married Bobby Brown. A few more hit singles appeared in the decade – some from more soundtracks – with her most recent album appearing ten years after her marriage. Which, at this writing, is supposedly nearing an end.
So much for always?
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I Will Always Love You
(Dolly Parton)
Whitney Houston
From the album The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack
1992
If Should Stay
I Would Only Get In Your Way
So I'll Go
But I Know
I'll Think Of You Every Step Of The Way
And I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
My Darling Mmmmmmm
Bittersweet Memories
That Is All I'm Taking With Me
So Goodbye
Please Don't Cry
For We Both Know
I'm Not What You Need
An I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
I Hope Life Treats You Kind
And I Hope You Have All You Dreamed Of
And I Wish You Joy And Happiness
But Above All This I Wish You Love
And I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You