I Will Always Love You

• Released : 10/23/1992
• Tracks: Jesus Loves Me, Do You Hear ?

• Worldwide sales : 8,600,000
• Peak Position : US No. 1, UK No. 1, Fr No. 1

• Song Info : "I Will Always Love You" was written of course by Dolly Parton. It was Kevin Costner's idea for Whitney to sing the beginning acappella. Although this song became a HUGE hit on radio, there was some resistance at first because this song started quietly with just Whitney's vocal and not with an orchestral bang. Originally Whitney was going to sing "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" for The Bodyguard but then producer David Foster found out that this song was already being used for the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes". So David Foster asked Kevin Costner to pick a new song for Whitney to cover. Originally, they had planned to AVOID using a country song, but using an oldies song was okay. Since Linda Ronstadt had covered the song, and since she was considered somewhat of a rock singer, having been associated with the Eagles, it was okay for Costner to pick Rondstat material for Whitney to sing. Another note: This song is actually a demo!David Foster did a more produced version of the song but Arista exec Clive Davis like the demo version better!

  Additional Info: The script for 'The Bodyguard' had sat around for twenty five years until Kevin Costner decided to make it. He immediately wanted Whitney Houston to play the leading female but while Whitney liked the script, she wasn't sure if she was capable of the role. Costner convinced her to play the part and when released in 1992 the film became a box-office smash. The soundtrack also became the biggest selling album of its kind. Whitney's version of 'I Will Always Love You' was number one on both sides of the atlantic, a massive ten weeks in the UK alone, a record which has only been bettered three times in chart history.

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