A song made world-famous in 1992 by Whitney Houston -
Whitney Houston recorded a soul-ballad arrangement of the song for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. Houston's version peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks. The single was certified diamond by the RIAA, making Houston's first diamond single, the third female artist who had both a diamond single and a diamond album, and becoming the best-selling single by a woman in the U.S. The song was a global success, topping the charts in almost all countries. With over 24 million copies sold, it became the best-selling single of all time by a female solo artist. It was also the world's best-selling single of 1992.
- but written by Dolly Parton back in 1974, when it reached #1 on the Billboard country charts. Author Curtis W. Ellison stated that the song "speaks about the breakup of a relationship between a man and a woman that does not descend into unremitting domestic turmoil, but instead envisions parting with respect – because of the initiative of the woman."
After the 1974 release, Elvis Presley asked to record the song, but his manager told Dolly she would have to sign over half the rights to it. She declined.
I said, 'I'm really sorry,' and I cried all night. I mean, it was like the worst thing. You know, it's like, Oh, my God… Elvis Presley.' And other people were saying, 'You're nuts. It's Elvis Presley.' …I said, 'I can't do that. Something in my heart says, 'Don't do that. And I just didn't do it… He would have killed it. But anyway, so he didn't. Then when Whitney [Houston's version] came out, I made enough money to buy Graceland. 😀
Here's the Whitney Houston version [1.5 billion views]
Dolly wrote that for Porter Wagoner, when she left the TV show they did together. Then it was a hit again in 1982 when she sang it in the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, singing it to Burt Reynolds. Good times.
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