Most people think the hit ballad “I Will Always Love You” is a Whitney Houston song, but it was originally written and performed by Dolly Parton. Wanna know what inspired such a beautiful tune?
She’s basically breaking up with the man who launched her career. Porter Wagner was the host of a popular tv show that centered around him singing country music. After a while, he needed to spice it up… enter Dolly Parton.
Being the best thing since sliced bread, Dolly Parton took the program to the next level. For seven years straight, they sang side by side and dominated the air waves. So natrually, he got real upset when Dolly announced she’d be leaving to persue a solo career.
He refused to give his blessing and she didn’t want to leave on bad terms or hurt him in any way, leading her to sit down and pen this poinant goodbye.
“Bittersweet memories, that is all that I’m taking with me. And I will always love you.” she sang, leaving him in tears.
Porter Wagner replied, “That’s the best song you have ever written…” and promised to support her new path after insisting ‘I will always love you’ be the last song they produce together.
She went on to be one of the biggest star in the world and he faded into the background. But when Porter fell on hard times and found himself flat broke. Dolly bought the rights to all his music from the label and gave them to him as a gift. Such was her long standing devotion.
Please keep this fact in the back of your mind as you finish this blog.
I asked Ai to interpret the story being told by Dolly Parton’s ‘I will always love you’, based on the lyrics and write it as a Grimm Fairytale. It took about 15 seconds and here it is…
The Enchanted Goodbye
Young Love
Once upon a time, in a peaceful village nestled between high mountains and deep forests, there lived a young woman named Ellie. She was known throughout the land for her golden voice, which could soothe the most troubled hearts and bring joy to those who heard it. But it was not just her voice that made Ellie beloved—it was her kind and gentle spirit, her unwavering loyalty, and the deep love she held for those around her.
Ellie lived with her childhood friend, a young man named Thorne. The two had grown up together, inseparable since they were children. As they grew older, their friendship blossomed into something more profound—a deep, abiding love that seemed destined to last forever. Thorne was strong and brave, a skilled hunter who provided for the village, and Ellie was his light, the one who made every day worth living. Together, they were the perfect pair, admired by all who knew them.
The Old Oak Tree
But as time passed, Ellie began to feel a change in her heart. She loved Thorne deeply, but she also felt a growing need to explore the world beyond their village, to follow her dreams of sharing her music with others. She knew that Thorne would never leave the village, that his heart was bound to the land they called home. Torn between her love for Thorne and her longing for something more, Ellie made a difficult decision.
One evening, as the sun dipped behind the mountains, painting the sky in hues of gold and purple, Ellie asked Thorne to meet her by the old oak tree where they had spent so many happy moments together. With tears in her eyes, she told him of her decision to leave the village and follow her dreams.
Breaking Up
“I love you, Thorne,” Ellie said, her voice trembling. “I will always love you, but I cannot stay. There is a part of me that needs to see the world, to share my songs with others. If I don’t go now, I fear I will regret it for the rest of my life.”
Thorne’s heart broke at her words, but he understood. He had always known that Ellie was meant for something greater, that her spirit could not be confined to their small village. Though it pained him to let her go, he knew he had to.
Saying Goodbye
“I will always love you, Ellie,” Thorne replied, his voice steady despite the tears in his eyes. “But I cannot hold you back. Follow your heart, and may it lead you to happiness. Just promise me that you will never forget me.”
Ellie nodded, her heart heavy with the weight of their parting. She leaned in and kissed Thorne one last time, a bittersweet farewell that would linger in both their hearts for the rest of their lives. Then, with one final look at the man she loved, Ellie turned and walked away, her steps light but her heart burdened with sorrow.
Soul Ties
As Ellie journeyed into the world, she quickly gained fame for her beautiful voice and her heartfelt songs. She traveled far and wide, sharing her music with kings and queens, peasants and nobles alike. Yet, no matter where she went or how much she achieved, Ellie never forgot Thorne. Her love for him remained strong, a constant presence in her heart, even as the years passed and the distance between them grew.
But Ellie’s story was not one of simple love and loss. Unbeknownst to her, the village where she and Thorne had grown up was protected by an ancient enchantment, a powerful magic that bound the fates of those who truly loved one another. The enchantment was meant to ensure that true love would always find a way, that those who were destined to be together would never be separated by time or distance.
Chasin’ Love
As the years passed, the enchantment began to take its toll on Thorne. Though he had tried to move on, to live his life without Ellie, he found himself unable to forget her. His love for her consumed him, growing stronger with each passing day, until it became an unbearable weight on his heart. The magic that bound them together was relentless, demanding that they reunite, no matter the cost.
One cold winter’s night, Thorne could bear it no longer. The pain of their separation had become too great, the longing too intense. Driven by the enchantment’s power, he set out to find Ellie, determined to bring her back to the village and restore the life they had once known. The journey was treacherous, the roads icy and the forests filled with danger, but Thorne pressed on, guided by the love that had never left his heart.
Homecoming
Meanwhile, Ellie had returned to the village, having decided that no amount of fame or success could replace the love she had left behind. She wanted to see Thorne again, to tell him that she had never stopped loving him. But when she arrived, she found the village eerily quiet, the once-vibrant community now shrouded in a strange, unnatural stillness.
As Ellie wandered through the village, she came to the old oak tree where she and Thorne had said their goodbyes. There, beneath the snow-covered branches, she found Thorne. But he was not the man she remembered—his face was pale, his eyes hollow, and his once-strong body was withered and frail. He had become a ghost of his former self, consumed by the enchantment that had bound them together.
Dark Magic
Ellie ran to him, tears streaming down her face as she called his name. Thorne looked up at her, his eyes filled with both love and despair. “Ellie,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I came to find you… but it’s too late. The magic… it’s too strong. I cannot break free.”
Ellie fell to her knees beside him, her heart breaking at the sight of the man she loved reduced to this state. In that moment, she realized the true nature of the enchantment—it was not a blessing, but a curse. A curse that had bound them together so tightly that they could never truly be free, that had doomed them both to a life of longing and regret.
One Last Song
Desperate to save Thorne, Ellie sang the most beautiful song she had ever sung, pouring all her love and sorrow into the melody. She hoped that her voice, the gift that had brought her so much joy, could somehow break the curse. But as the final notes of her song faded into the cold night air, she knew it was not enough.
Thorne’s eyes closed, and his body crumbled into snow, carried away by the wind. Ellie was left alone beneath the oak tree, her heart shattered, the weight of her love now a burden she would carry forever. The enchantment, once thought to protect true love, had instead destroyed it, leaving only a hollow echo of what might have been.
Day By Day
In the days that followed, Ellie wandered the earth, her voice as beautiful as ever, but her heart empty. She sang of love and loss, of the man she would always love but could never have, a haunting melody that echoed through the ages, a warning to those who dared to love too deeply.
And they lived happily never after.
The End
Anyway, time for this Byrd to fly. Bye Bye Now.