I Will Always Love You Revised

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Danielle Gibson
Dr. Cassel
English Composition II
18 June 2020
I Will Always Love You
“If I should stay, I would only be 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”. When most people hear these lyrics, they
think of Whitney Houston’s rendition but a few years ago I learned that this song was originally
sang by Dolly Parton. Dolly and Whitney’s renditions have the same lyrics, but they appeal to
pathos differently. Dolly’s version is a reflection of her heartbreak and pain. Whitney’s version is
more empowering even though you she is still experiencing the same emotions. Whitney and
Dolly’s versions share similarities in audiences but bring out different emotions.
Dolly Parton first sang “I Will Always Love You” in 1972 but the visual for this song is
from the 1982 musical comedy The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Dolly plays the role of a
brothel owner named Mona who is about to close the doors of her brothel. She is standing with
Earl the Sherriff and he asks her to marry him. She turns him down because she knows that her
reputation being associated with prostitution would impede on his chance of winning while
running for legislator. Whitney’s version is from the movie The Bodyguard, a 1992 romantic
thriller. Whitney plays the role of Rachel an actress and musician who has been receiving death
threats. She ends up getting a bodyguard named Frank after her dressing room is bombed. Rachel
and Frank have an affair, but they cut it off quickly. At Rachel’s award nomination there is an
attempt on her life causing Frank to be injured. This brings us to Frank and Rachel parting ways;
Frank is standing outside the jet with his are in a sling watching the plane prepare for takeoff.
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Rachel demands that the plane waits while she says one last goodbye to Frank. The video then
shifts to Rachel continuing the song with a robust performance on stage.
Next, Dolly’s version expresses a feeling of heartache and sadness. You can tell by their
mannerism in the scene that she and Earl long to be together, but they know that it just can’t be
because of their difference in social status. Earl and Mona express their love for each other, and
Mona mentions that she has loved him since she was sixteen. Mona sings “If I should stay, I
would only be in your way”. Mona knows that marrying her (the owner of a brother) wouldn’t be
a good look for Earl’s chance to win legislator. In this moment you can hear the heartache and
pain that it causes her. Mona’s voice begins to quiver as she sings emphasizing the emotion.
Whitney’s version has a bit of the same feelings, but she expresses passion instead of accepting
defeat. This is what makes Whitney’s version empowering. The plane is about to takeoff and she
know she will probably never see Frank again, so she stops the plane and goes to give him one
last passionate kiss. At this moment she begins to sing “I will always love you, bittersweet
memories is all that I am taking with me, so goodbye, please don’t cry, we both know I am not
what you need…and I will always love you”. In this moment it shows that she has accepted that
this is the end, but she will still express her love for him. This is significant because the measures
she took to show her love for him one last time are empowering.
Both of the videos appeal to pathos. Dolly’s version appeals to negative emotions like
sadness, broken heartedness, and makes you want to cry. Whitney’s version appeals to the
empowering emotions of overcoming the sadness and heartbreak and makes you want to sing at
the top of your lungs. These two songs are of different genres, Dolly’s is in the style of a ballad
and Whitney’s version was in the form of a pop song. They both tell a story of love and loss but
their solution and means of dealing with the emotions are different. Mona was willing to let Earl
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go knowing that she loved him, but Rachel left Frank and reassured him of her love for him.
Taking this into consideration we can see how the audiences of the two songs slightly differ but
relate to each other within the message. The style that the songs are sang in also have an effect
on the audience. Dolly’s version was sung like a ballad, and Whitney’s version was sung like a
pop song. Dolly’s audience is older, more mature groups who can relate to having love and are
willing to love someone else so much that they sacrifice their love for them to succeed in some
way. Whitney’s audience is younger people, the people that are determined to profess their love,
and reassure their lover that the love is there, but also depart knowing that even though it is the
end, it was good while it lasted.
“I Will Always Love You” has two famous renditions; the original sang by Dolly Parton
and a later version sang by Whitney Houston. Dolly’s version is sad and tear jerking, but
Whitney’s version is empowering. Even though these two versions of the song have the same
lyrics, they appeal to pathos differently because Dolly’s causes a negative emotion and
Whitney’s causes positive emotions. These two songs are sung in different manners, have
different genres, but they both convey the same message to their audience “I will always love
you”.
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Works Cited
“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) - I Will Always Love You Scene
Movieclips.” YouTube, uploaded by Movieclips, Dec 12, 2018, youtu.be/0KjO3YwlhEE
“Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You [Final Scene of The Bodyguard]” YouTube,
uploaded by Welcome2Videodrome, Feb 11, 2012, youtu.be/9qOcaBhLh3Q.

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I Will Always Love You

shifts to Rachel continuing the song with a robust performance on stage.

end, it was good while it lasted.

Movieclips.” YouTube, uploaded by Movieclips, Dec 12, 2018, youtu.be/0KjO3YwlhEE

uploaded by Welcome2Videodrome, Feb 11, 2012, youtu.be/9qOcaBhLh3Q.

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