I don’t know about you, but I will always love “I Will Always Love You.”
Yes, I meant to do that, just as the “Queen of Country” meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her hit song today. Dolly Parton released her hit “I Will Always Love You” on this date in 1974, and looking back 50 years later, it has certainly stood the test of time.
Part of that is partially due to the increased popularity that the song had when the incomparable Whitney Houston covered the Dolly tune for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. Houston certainly breathed new life into the song, but it’s the lyrics and sentiment that Parton laid out in the 1970’s that has truly made the track a timeless classic.
Dolly took some time today to look back and appreciate her hit, and had this to say when recognizing her song reaching the 50 year mark:
“Happy 50th Anniversary to my song, ‘I Will Always Love you.’ It will always hold a special place in my heart as I hope it does yours.”
I’d say we’re all right there with you Dolly. Anyone who says they don’t like that song is a liar. Plain and simple.
People love it today just as they did upon its release in the 1970s, when the song peaked at number one on the Billboard Country charts and won Dolly Parton Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1975 CMA Awards.
Dolly often described the song’s inspiration before her live performances, as she did in the footage below, saying:
“In everybody’s life, there’s a special person. A person that you love more than you love anybody else. This is a song about that special person in my life.”
That special person is referring to Carl Thomas Dean, whom Dolly has been married to since 1966. Considering their marriage has spanned across seven separate decades, Parton certainly meant it when she penned this instant classic.
You can listen to the full performance of “I Will Always Love You” below:
