Country Love Top Ten: I Will Always Love You (#5)

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Throughout this month and a half-long countdown I’ve mentioned that this was very difficult to comprise. For further proof of that fact, look at today’s country classic song with “love” in the title...and the fact that it’s only #5? Yeah, this was a doozy of a list. #5: I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton I’ve mentioned before that the “other version” of that song makes me want to lose my lunch. It’s very sad that it came along (although I’m sure it’s bought Dolly a new airplane or five), because the vocal gymnastics that ruined the pop recording just destroyed the simple, heartfelt beauty of this pain-filled song. A few weeks ago my brother texted me and said he’d been watching the Ken Burns documentary, then said, “They make it seem like Porter Wagoner was a jerk.” I replied, “That’s because he was.” Still, Parton’s professional and personal relationship with Wagoner was agonizing for Parton to break off. (And it was u-g-l-y you ain’t got no alibi: lawsuits ensued out the wazoo, and Parton would only appear on the Opry if Wagoner wasn’t there [and vice-versa]. They didn’t speak for 20 years, until Wagoner’s Hall of Fame induction. Parton did visit Wagoner in the hospital when he was dying, so she did make peace [at least with herself].) It’s probably “weird” for a lot of people who are only used to that screech-a-thon megahit version to hear this in its original form. This, however, was the version I grew up with, and the one I cherish. I Will Always Love You Written by Dolly Parton Recorded by Dolly Parton From Jolene, 1973 I’ll think of you each step of the way: