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Introduction

“I Will Always Love You” isn’t just a song; it’s an emotion wrapped in melody, a timeless expression of love, loss, and gratitude. Originally penned by Dolly Parton in 1973, the song carries a simple yet powerful message: that love can persist even when circumstances pull people apart. It’s the kind of song that feels like a quiet conversation you have with your heart—soft, intimate, and deeply personal.

Dolly’s version, born from her decision to part ways professionally with her mentor, Porter Wagoner, was filled with both tenderness and strength. It’s a love letter to someone who has played a significant role in your life, but whose journey is now diverging from yours. You can feel the bittersweet gratitude in every word she sings.

Then, of course, Whitney Houston’s 1992 rendition for The Bodyguard soundtrack took the song to a whole new level. Whitney’s version is larger-than-life, transforming the quiet, reflective nature of Dolly’s original into a soaring anthem of unyielding emotion. Her voice commands every ounce of the listener’s attention, making it impossible not to feel the depth of the lyrics.

What makes “I Will Always Love You” so special isn’t just its melody or its iconic performances. It’s the way it speaks to something universal. We’ve all had someone we love deeply but must let go of. The song holds space for both heartache and hope, acknowledging that love doesn’t just disappear because circumstances change. It lingers, it evolves, and sometimes, it becomes even more beautiful in the letting go.

Whether you’re drawn to the song’s quiet origins with Dolly or its powerhouse rebirth with Whitney, “I Will Always Love You” remains a testament to love’s enduring power, reminding us that even in goodbye, love can still be the most profound gift we have to give

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Lyrics

If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I’ll go, but I know
I’ll think of you each step of the way
And I will always love you
I will always love you
Bitter sweet memories
That is all I am taking with me
Goodbye, please don’t you cry
‘Cause we both know I’m not what you need
But I will always love you
I will always love you
I hope life (I hope life)
Treats you kind (treats you kind)
And I hope you have all you dream of
I wish you joy (wish you joy)
And happiness (and happiness)
But above all this I wish you love
And I will always love you
I will always love you
Yes, I will always love you
I will always love you

You Missed

“SOME LEGENDS ALMOST WALK AWAY BEFORE THEIR STORY BEGINS.” In the late 1970s, George Strait nearly quit music altogether. He had accepted a steady job designing cattle pens in Uvalde, weary of chasing a dream that seemed to slip further away. Norma quickly noticed the change. “I didn’t want to live with him like that,” she recalled. Her encouragement gave George one last push — a promise to try for just one more year. That decision changed everything. With help from his friend Erv Woolsey, George traveled back to Nashville, only to hear again that his voice was “too country.” Rejected but not broken, he and Erv convinced MCA executives to hear the Ace In The Hole Band live in a Texas honky-tonk. This time, the spark caught. George was offered a single: a heartbroken drinking song called “Unwound.” Released in May 1981, just days before his 29th birthday, the track climbed to No. 6. George remembered hearing it on the radio while still working as a ranch foreman — shocked to recognize his own voice climbing the charts. That success led to his debut album, Strait Country, and soon after, his first No. 1 with “Fool Hearted Memory.” But Nashville wanted to mold him. They told him to lose the hat, soften the sound, lean into pop polish. George resisted. “They were trying to make me into something else, but I was too hardheaded,” he later said. By the time his fourth album was underway, he had the confidence to push back. With hits on the charts and awards in hand, George Strait claimed control of his music — and in doing so, set the course for a career that would honor tradition while rewriting history.