Dolly wrote this song for Porter Wagner when she decided to go out on her own.....she sang this song to him as a goodbye

Dolly wrote this song. When asked if she was upset Whitney’s success with it. Dolly said “No, because every time it plays anywhere my bank account goes up. “ Dolly is not only a singer and a songwriter, she is a savvy businesswoman.

She wrote it as a goodbye to the gentleman with her. He wanted her to stay on his show, but she wanted to go her own path. She wanted to let him know that she still cared about him. He went in a downward spiral after she departed and was angry with her for several years. All of his music was taken by the producers and sold. When she had enough money, she bought all of his music and gave the rights to it back to him. When she said "I did sorta mean it.", she most certainly did.

Dolly is hilarious when interviewed poking at how much money she made on the Whitney version - since Dolly wrote it she got large % of the proceeds. Dolly was already very very saavy with money, never signed away rights to any of her songs. $$$$ and very generous with charities.. a treasure

Dolly DID release it! It was a big hit for Dolly also then she got a bonus when it was a hit when Whitney Houston released it

Dolly released this many years before Whitney. Whitney's version introduced the song to a new generation with her beautiful and unforgettable cover of this song. But no worries about Dolly cause she makes sure she's paid no matter who is singing. She is one smart cookie.

Dolly did record and release this song twice. This first time in 1974 when she wrote it for the gentleman in this video clip with her, and again in 1982 as a sound track song for film called "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", in which she played a part. It hit number one in the country charts both times if memory serves me correct.

Dolly wrote it and sang it too. I love her gentle, sweet version the most.

I love that everyone always reacts to this specific video because this was her farewell song to her friend Porter Wagoner and his show because she was going solo in her career. This was her song to convince him that it was time for her to go out on her own. And he gladly did with the condition that she let him produce the song for her and she sing it on his show before she left. This song also reached number one twice on Billboard Hot Country Music, once when if first released in 1974 and again in 1982 when Dolly starred in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and this song. So she not only the writer and singer of the song originally but she was also the first to have it in a movie.

Dolly hit #1 on Billboard Country chart in June 1974 & October 1982. Whitney had a #1 Hot 100 for 14 weeks in 1992 & #3 in 2012 (after her death). The song was recorded by many others. Even hitting #12 on the UK singles as a dance version. 2002 Rik Walker #6 UK singles chart. A duet with Dolly Parton & Vince Gill reaching #15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks & was Vocal Event of the Year @ the 30th CMA awards. It's a song that because Dolly has kept 100% of the publishing rights (Dolly refused to give Elvis Pressley 50% in order for him to cover the song) it's the song that keeps on giving!! Go Dolly!!

Thank you for such a true reaction. This woman is incredible. She has written over a thousand songs, and we all love and can relate to this one.

Dolly is so gentle and I can feel her sadness as she sings. It’s intimate as though she is singing it just to you. I am presently surprised.

In June of 1974 and then again in October of 1982 .. Dolly had #1 Country Charts with this song.

Glad she's still kicking if we lose stars like her we lose happiness and history

SOME people do NOT REMEMBER that DOLLY had HER song go to #1 on the charts TWICE, about 10 YEARS apart! The FIRST and maybe ONLY artist to do that! ALL of this BEFORE Whitney recorded it for the movie. Whitney's version is a THEATRICAL piece, Dolly's is a LOVE song; totally different styles. YOU BELIEVE EVERY WORD FROM DOLLY, because it is LOVE. Whitney's version, which i love, too, is like a one night stand. Dolly's is a LONGGGG MARRIAGE!

Her voice is that of a living angel

She’s a National Treasure. Full. Stop. 👸🏼

She wrote it as a tribute to Porter Waggoner her gave her a start and then she moved on. She always remembered and thanked him. She's so cute and gives a lot to charity.

She wrote it. My favorite version by far.

Porter Wagoner had a show back in the 1970's and Dollie was a regular on it. They sang a lot of songs together. She wrote this song to Porter when the show ended and they went their separate ways.

The heartfelt tenderness that Dolly sings this song with has never been duplicated

The man she wrote it for introduced her in this clip. How appropriate. Made it even more special when she told him at the end it was special

Dolly did release it first. She took it to #1 first in 1974 and again in 1982. Whitney put it there a third time.

Dolly wrote this song and released it in 1974 where it became #1 on the Country Music Charts, and she released it again in 1976 where it shot up the Country Music & Contemporary Music Charts becoming #1 both times. When Whitney Houston released her version it quickly became #1 and was Whitney’s biggest selling song. Dolly donated all funds from the sell of Whitney’s version, investing 100% of that money into African American communities. Dolly had written 3000+ songs by 1979 with many based in truth, she drew much from growing up dirt poor in Tennessee.

Just a few years after this song was recorded, my wife’s father died unexpectedly. They were extremely close. He was only 44. She was only 24. After we went to the funeral, we were sitting in the car and I turned on the radio. This song began playing immediately. My wife broke down again, telling me that this was her father’s way of saying goodby and that it was OK to move on. I’ll never forget that moment and this version will always be my favorite.

Dolly said she cried when she first heard Whitney's version...cried all the way to the bank. 🤣

Actually That was the Porter Wagner show & Dolly got started big there. She wanted to go out on her own, but Porter wanted her to stay. So she wrote that song about her & him. When he heard it, he said you can leave if you give me that song. lol It's in one of her interviews.

That's how its supposed to sound, sweet and emotional!

Dolly released her song in the 70’s on the country charts

Dolly took this version that she recorded in 1973 to #1 on the charts. She then re-recorded it in 1982 for the "Best Little Whorehouse" soundtrack and it went to #1 again. It is a rare occurrence for a singer to take the same song to #1 twice. Then Whitney took it to the stratosphere in 1992 in "The Bodyguard." But probably my favorite version of this song is a much less familiar duet of it which she recorded with Vince Gill and which has breathtaking harmonies.

I love Dolly's original version. So much more heartfelt. She had to get away from Porter Waggoner, so she could have some freedom in her musical career.

She was trying to get Porter Wagner to release her from her contract to be exclusively on his show, but he wouldn't let her go. This song was letting him know she was no longer asking, she was telling him goodbye. He let her go and the rest is history.

This is stone cold live - no enhancements. I love her voice

Dolly did release it..and it was a huge hit! 🤣🤘🏻

Dolly Parton is an American icon.

Dolly wrote many hits for herself and others loved her songs and did copies. Willie Nelson wrote many famous songs others made famous. It's incredible just how many iconic songs. 💞✌. Love sweet Dolly

so, the story goes, Costner and perhaps Houston did not want a famous pop song for the Bodyguard movie close. I don't remember hearing where Costner knew the song from, but Dolly was asked if they could use the song and she signed off on it. Dolly says that she hadn't heard Whitney do it until it was released as a single or whatever, and she was driving herself somewhere and the song plays on the radio. It took her a moment or two or three to realise it was her song. She literally had to pull off the road and was blown away. Dolly had country chart #1 with this when recorded and then again when "Little Whorehouse in Texas was out. Dolly can sing and is proud of her version, but as the story goes, it didn't take long for this to be seen as Whitney's song. and the rest is history, as they say

This went to number one three times for Dolly.

She may not be as good of a technical singer as Whitney Houston, but she is the complete package of enormous unmatched talent. After all these years she's not only still standing, she's still on top of the world, beautiful inside and out.

Dollys sounds more personal than powerful like whitneys. She wrote in about a relationship breakup. It makes sense for it to be personal.

Love this! It’s amazing how many people don’t know it’s Dolly’s song. Could you do ‘Coat of Many Colors’? It’s my favourite song by Dolly and I’d love to see your reaction.

A voice and a smile as sweet as Tennessee honey. Then, now, and forever. All hail Dolly, Queen of the Smokies, Patron Saint of Literacy and Big Hair.

Whitney's version was a vocal powerhouse. Dolly's was very sweet and gets you in the feels! It's amazing how she wrote "Jolene" and "I will always love you" in the same day. Do Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."

beautiful lady with a beautiful voice!

dolly did make it a hit first in the late 70's. She wrote this song and 2000 more ..dolly is very talented..Nothing to take away from whitney , Whitneys version got movie and radio and magazine coverage which covered a bigger audience so of course she made it even a much bigger hit.. I love both versions equally for different reasons and i cannot usually say that on covered songs but in this case there is just no way i can chosen either one over the other.

The way she sings it at the end of Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is one of the best ways I've heard it done. It's my favorite version.

Dolly took I will always love you to the top of the country charts TWICE. Whitney took it to the top of the pop charts ONCE, making it to best of my knowledge the only song to top the charts THREE TIMES!

She wrote this and Jolene on the same day, I believe

It was before my time but I believe it was probably a huge hit for it's time. It was number 1 on two different occasions. To me the difference in the Whitney version is that it's a power ballad where the artist blows you with their vocals. I'm not gonna say which i think is better. In Dolly's version her vocals are mesmerizing . She like puts you under a spell. Their both amazing.

Whitney's version soars vocally...Dolly's version is sweet, sad and from the heart...subtlety wins out .

Review Hurt by Johnny Cash. It's originally a Nine inch Nsils song. But after Mr. CASH sang it, the lead singer said Mr. Cash had claimed it completely as his.

Dolly is an angel! ❤️

Whitney never wrote any songs but she took Dolly's and tweeked it a bit in the Bodyguard. Dolly's song went #1 x 3 (when she recorded it, when she sang it in The Best Little Whorehouse and when she recorded it with Vince Gill) and of course Whitney brought it to #1 too. Elvis Presley wanted to record it, but because he wanted half the royalties, Dolly said no. Why is it that many think Whitney wrote it? The man at the end of the video is the one she wrote it to. Porter Wagner got her on his TV show and when her contract ended with him, she wanted to go, but he didn't want her to so she said goodbye the way she knew how, by putting it in words. He let her go only if he could produce and record that song and it made millions back then. She wrote Jolene that nigh as well, so listen to Pentatonix and Dolly sing Jolene. It's amazing. @

She did first release it, and I think it's about the guy in the video at the end, it's a breakup song, they had a sort of singer songwriter relationship. She wanted to leave his show and start a solo career, he wanted her to stay, *she wrote this song to say thank you, I appreciate all you've done for me.* Dolly has always been one to not bite her tongue, when she told him (Porter Wagoner) she did sort of mean it she was talking to him. By the way, it was a pretty big hit for her also.

Dolly did release it first, and had a big #1 hit with it back in the 60's, but Whitney was the only one who did justice to it and made it a #1 hit for the 2nd time.

Dolly wrote and recorded this son before Whitney ever thought about,

Dolly DID release it first. This video is from 1974. Whitney's recording is from 1992. Dolly released this 18 years before Whitney. And it's also sung by her in the motion picture version of 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982).

The guy that she's sitting there with right now that's the guy that she wrote the song about

God I love this song! Love both versions by Whitney and Dolly!

‘Joshua’ - Dolly goes to the shack by the railroad to find out if the warnings are true... ‘Dumb Blonde’ - Dolly has some things to say when the guy who left her comes back...

Dolly did release it , she wrote it .

Being born in 1952, the first time I heard Whitney do it, I said hey, she's doing Dolly's song! One of many songs of hers that others have covered!

You really need to listen to Dolly Parton singing. "Me and little Andy" warning though it's a tear jerker.

Dolly parton coat of many colors (top of the pops version)

Whitney made Dolly rich all over again, like she really needed it!!

"Well I did sorta mean it". Said to the man she wrote it to/for as a farewell.

This was already a #1 song twice, before whitney covered it. And has since gone on to be the only song to reach #1, 5 times!!

I like this version more

This is beautiful I just got teary eyed Dolly is so beautiful and her voice was so beautiful for this track. Whitney was amazing too but this was amazingly beautiful.

Dolly wrote this song for Porter Wagner since her contract was up and she wanted to tour and do other things. "Best Little Whore House in Texas" with Burt Reynolds and of course famous "9 to 5" with Lilly and Jane. Dolly has written thousands of songs so her Royalties will last longer than her theme park. I don't know legally but I bet most of Dolly's stuff will end up with her God Daughter, Miley Cyrus.

Great review!

I've always preferred Dolly's version. To me it's more emotional than Whitney's version.

All you tubes need to get the album 😠 the true recording!

VERY few vocalists would want to go up against Whitney Dolly is one of the VERY few who could give her a run for her money!!

Dolly Was So Beautiful 😍

Dolly actually had a number 1 hit with this TWICE.

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

Man I love you biceps by the way

The Queen! Love this version more!! ❤️❤️

Dolly Parton said that she was flattered that a woman with the vocal range of Whitney Houston would want to sing her song.

Love Dolly 😟

Here's a few more song's you should check out if you like Dolly's voice It's All Wrong, But it's all right Heartbreaker Two Doors Down Love Is like A Butterfly The Bargain Store Apple Jack The Seeker Here you come again Unlikely Angel 9 to 5 Me and little andy Tear Jerker Down From Dover sad song tear jerker Mule Skinner Blues not her song but her version is good and she yodels in it. Just a few suggestions if want to hear what she can do

People do covers of songs all the time. Whitney did a cover of a song Dolly wrote and sang many years earlier. Dolly's version was country and Whitney's was more of a gospel inspired version. Dolly's is still beautiful in its pureness and simplicity. Whitney's was very powerful and moving as she belted it out unlike Dolly's which was much more gentle and tender.

Met her in " Dollywood".... well I didn't meet her, I saw her from about 12 feet. Didn't get 2 talk 2 her.

EIGHTEEN YEARS before Whitney!

Someone who doesn't feel this, had no life. And I don't say having experience is a good thing. Maybe you need a broken heart to know what love really means.

Dolly said after Whitney singing this that Whitney was the best on it

I first encountered this song sung also by Dolly in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I hadn't seen the original though I knew the story. Lovely to see the original.

Actually Dolly had a top ten hit with this song- twice

OMG I found you in my recommended about 4 hrs ago and have stayed down this rabbit hole of your reactions!!!! Love your tales especially on the country music legends. Could you please react to George Jones ‘he stopped loving her today’

Dolly not only wrote this song she released it in 1974. Whitney released it in 1992 for the movie The Bodyguard. Please react to Tears by Jason Michael Carroll and also What Do You Say by Reba McEntire.

Her singing is effortless and incredible. Nothing like the original here though I do like Houston's version.

I remember hearing this for the first time in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and it made me cry so much.

you should do some Conway Twitty

I want to hear you sing it! It may not be the best rendition, but if it's sung with passion who cares?

Dolly first released "I Will Always Love You" on her 1974 album "Jolene." However, my favorite version is the 1982 "version from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" soundtrack!

Elvis wanted to record this song, but he wanted her to sign the rights over and she wouldn't do it.

She's a treasure classy woman there's no one like her..

Nice!

Dolly's version was #1 two different times, before Whitney recorded her version. But, as good as Dolly's version is, Whitney "owned it", figuratively speaking.