“I Will Always Love You” is a song written by Dolly Parton in 1973. She wrote it for her one-time partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner, when they were ending their professional partnership after seven years.
The lyrics talk about a breakup between a man and a woman. It’s different from typical breakup songs as it focuses on parting with respect, especially because of the woman’s decision.
In this article, we’ll explore the meaning behind the lyrics.
Table of Contents
“I Will Always Love You” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
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
In Verse 1, the singer expresses the idea that if she were to stay in the relationship, she would only be causing problems or hindering her partner in some way. Therefore, she has decided to leave.
However, she also mentions that even though she is leaving, she will continue to think about her partner with each step she takes away.
[Chorus]
And I will always love you
I will always love you
The chorus of the song is a straightforward declaration of the singer’s enduring love. It emphasizes that she will always love her partner, regardless of the circumstances. It’s a heartfelt and unwavering expression of love and affection.
[Verse 2]
Bittersweet memories
That’s all I am taking with me
Goodbye, please don’t cry
We both know that I’m not what you need
In Verse 2, the singer reflects on leaving the relationship and describes her emotions as “bittersweet memories.” This means that while she has fond memories of the relationship, she is also acknowledging the sadness of saying goodbye. She asks her partner not to cry and reassures him that they both know she is not what he needs.
[Bridge]
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all of this, I wish you love
In the Bridge section, the singer expresses her well wishes for her former partner. She hopes that life treats him kindly and that he achieves all his dreams. She wishes him joy and happiness but emphasizes that above all else, she wishes him love.
Deeper Meaning Behind “I Will Always Love You”
Many people think Dolly Parton’s famous song, “I Will Always Love You,” is a love song about saying a heartfelt goodbye to an ex-boyfriend. But the truth is, Dolly didn’t write the song about a romantic breakup; it was about a professional one.
Back in 1973, Dolly faced a challenge in her relationship with Porter Wagoner, her mentor and on-screen duet partner. She had agreed to appear on his TV show, “The Porter Wagoner Show,” for five successful years. However, Dolly was ready to pursue her own career independently. Unfortunately, Porter wasn’t ready to see her leave, leading to disagreements about her decision.
Despite this, their seven-year partnership was ending, and Dolly wanted to use the song to show that breakups don’t have to be bitter; respect can remain even when relationships end.
In an interview with CMT, Dolly explained, “There was a lot of grief and heartache there, and he just wasn’t listening to my reasoning for my going. I thought, ‘Well, why don’t you do what you do best? Why don’t you just write this song?’… so I went home and out of a very emotional place in me at that time, I wrote the song, ‘I Will Always Love You.'”
The next day, armed with her new song, Dolly sang “I Will Always Love You” to Porter. He was deeply moved and started crying. Dolly recalled, “When I finished, he said, ‘Well, hell! If you feel that strong about it, just go on — providing I get to produce that record because that’s the best song you ever wrote.'”
From there, history was made: Dolly left the show, and Porter produced her next album, “Jolene,” which included “I Will Always Love You.” Dolly also sang it to Porter one last time on the day he passed away in 2007.
According to Dolly, “I Will Always Love You” represents her wish to express how much she cared for and valued Porter, even though it was time for her to leave.
“It’s saying, ‘Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean I won’t love you. I appreciate you, and I hope you do great, and I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I’m out of here.'”
Overall, the song’s heartfelt lyrics carry the message that love and respect can endure even when relationships come to an end.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.