Whitney's "I Will Always Love You": Hog Calling at its best.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

@Colophon

I agree with quite a lot (but not all) of this blog post.

A couple of my favourite snippets:

Yes, people actually use this song (opening lines: “If I should stay, I would only be in your way, so I’ll go…”) as their special wedding song :smack:

Its funny…the fact that its a bittersweet goodbye song seems to elude some people, who ignore the verses of the song and focus solely on the chorus.

[WordMan]

WH’s version does start with 45 seconds of low-key acapella singing before she changes the settings from Stun to Kill ;).

Again, if you accept that this is an interpretation based on “we’re not right for each other, but you should rejoice that I’ll always love you” - well, then, starting low-key and then selling the CRAP out of the “but there’s a silver lining” kinda makes sense.

And “Every Breath You Take” is played at weddings with a similar tone-deafness to the underlying meaning. Eh - it is what it is…

Again, I have no problem with people not liking this version - I don’t love it; don’t even much like it - or being angry because it got so overplayed and is getting overplayed again now. But attacking the craft of this version the way we might attack too much Auto-Tune, or modern song production that over-compresses songs so that everything is LOUD ALL THE TIME isn’t quite right either…

[VinylTurnip]

@FoieGrasIsEvil

Its funny…the fact that its a bittersweet goodbye song seems to elude some people, who ignore the verses of the song and focus solely on the chorus.

“Borrrrrrrn in the U.S.A!”

[woodstockbirdybird]

@Bridget_Burke

I prefer Dolly’s version, too. But I respect Whitney’s, although it has been overplayed–for a very sad reason, lately.

Some folks are just too white to like it, though…

Bwahaha! This has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this board in quite a while. I’d be willing to bet I’ve got way more R&B in my collection than most people on this board, and I can’t stand Whitney’s version of the song. Nice try, though - attempting to come off as superior by insinuating people who don’t appreciate it are subtly racist by making a subtly racist remark yourself is quite a feat.

[Chopper9760]

I’m too attached to the Dolly Parton version to enjoy the Whitney Houston version much.

I have to hunt down “Saving all my love for you,” that’s by far my favorite Whitney Houston song, she just kills it.

[JoelUpchurch]

@WordMan

It sure as hell got overplayed, and is one of those songs/versions that doesn’t stand up to repeated, to-death overplaying like, say Hey Yaa by Outkast or Pumped Up Kicks, weird lyrics and all, by Foster the People. We seem to have a low tolerance, as a species, for diva-based overplayed songs, like the Titanic theme by Celine Dion.

If I only heard the version a few times, I would say it is an excellently-sung Gospel-style interpretation of the song. I accept the transition from Dolly’s reflective to Whitney’s triumphant/overcoming the heartache tone as part of that. I prefer Dolly’s interpretation, but thought Whitney put a different-but-legitimately different spin on it. And the irony of her triumphant tone now is…ironic. :dubious:

So don’t feel the hate for the version. But man it got overplayed.

I’ll second that. I don’t think there is any song that can survive that kind of treatment. I remember liking the song “Brandy (you’re a fine girl)”, but it ending up being played every half hour on the radio until I loathed it.

[DMark]

@Imasquare

I’ve always hated that song. If it comes on the radio I have to turn it off.

I agree and my co-workers quickly figured out how to get me out of the room - play that song and up and off I go. I liked a lot of songs by Whitney, but I hate that song with a passion. If terrorists ever want me to give up government secrets, all they have to do is play “I Will Always Love You” (or “American Pie”) and I’ll tell them anything they want to know.

[cjepson]

@mambocrow

I never liked Houston’s version either. I thought of it as bellowing rather than singing. I thought the same for everything else she sang. No dynamics, just loud, loud, loud, all the way through. Probably why I don’t like, and will never like Gospel music.

That’s my reaction too. The melisma doesn’t bother me so much as the feeling that someone’s yelling in my ear.

[Normal_Phase]

@VinylTurnip

Yeah, it’s obvious that anyone claiming not to like the song is lying in order to sound cool. And she’d only been a drug addict for what, the last 12-15 years or so? A drop in the bucket compared to the 10 years she was relevant and successful. Stupid haters gotta bring everybody down to their level. Don’t you listen to them, Whitney… WE WILL ALWAYS LUV UUUUuuUUUUuUUuuUUUUUUUU!!!

I’m not saying they’re lying. I think they’ve always disliked her, believe that most normal people do as well, and are just using the opportunity of her death to natter on about it in the belief that they’ll get a ton of “right on, dude, you said what I was thinking but was too repressed to say! How edgy is you” from the crowd. It’s not people saying they weren’t fans, it’s the over-the-top way that some people choose to say it, as if to invite admiration from the masses or flailing attacks from those who did love her, to which the originator can sit back and act above it all. I find it ridiculous.

[Normal_Phase]

@RealityChuck

There was an article in Slate a few years ago that seemed to hit upon what the problem was with Houston’s rendition: Basically, it does not build to a crescendo; it puts all it’s strength into the very first line and keeps it there. The problem, then is a lack of contrast in the song. When you’re singing everything as powerfully as you can, it gives no respite and also reduces the emotions that can be portrayed.

That’s kinda bizarre – as has been pointed out the song actually starts with a long, quiet, a capella intro, and it doesn’t hit all-out until the final chorus. The point does resonate in a way since – even if only by comparison to Dolly Parton, who is an absolute master of the craft – Whitney does go light on emotional nuance and variation. Her version is a basic crescendo. But that doesn’t make the “all out from the first line” characterization remotely correct.

And a hell of a lot of people enjoy “Bolero”, you know?

[Cat_Whisperer]

@RealityChuck

There was an article in Slate a few years ago that seemed to hit upon what the problem was with Houston’s rendition: Basically, it does not build to a crescendo; it puts all it’s strength into the very first line and keeps it there. The problem, then is a lack of contrast in the song. When you’re singing everything as powerfully as you can, it gives no respite and also reduces the emotions that can be portrayed.

@Normal_Phase

That’s kinda bizarre – as has been pointed out the song actually starts with a long, quiet, a capella intro, and it doesn’t hit all-out until the final chorus. The point does resonate in a way since – even if only by comparison to Dolly Parton, who is an absolute master of the craft – Whitney does go light on emotional nuance and variation. Her version is a basic crescendo. But that doesn’t make the “all out from the first line” characterization remotely correct.

And a hell of a lot of people enjoy “Bolero”, you know?

I was going to point this out, too - you can criticize the song for many things, but one thing it does not do is start out full-out with nowhere to go.

I think people might need a reminder of what Whitney’s version actually sounds like. I’m not going to argue that there is too much melisma in it, or that it is overplayed, but it is an excellent example of a beautiful, powerful voice singing a beautiful, powerful song and nailing every single note.

[Billy_Baroo]

Tragic tale of wasted youth and the “disease” of addiction? Nahhh. That’s what they want you to believe. Follow the money.

10% of drug patents are ending soon, and the $800 billion Big Pharma cabal doesn’t want you to buy generic. In order to inject the “doctor shopping” meme into public consciousness, and increase pressure for federal prescription regulation (e.g. Online Pharmacy Safety Act) that would benefit Big Pharma and squeeze out generic medication, Ms. Whitney had to be sacrificed. #noagendashow #shutupslave #DrDrewIsAShill

Analysis

[Cat_Whisperer]

I think I speak for all of us when I say, “Buh-whaa?”

[Marley23]

Billy Baroo, that doesn’t have much to do with the subject at hand and is a better topic for another thread. Please don’t hijack this one.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

Somebody got into Whitney’s leftover stash…

[Colophon]

@Cat_Whisperer

I think I speak for all of us when I say, “Buh-whaa?”

I think you mean

BuuUUUuuuUUUUUuuuuuhhhh-WHAAAAAA[SIZE=“3”]aaaaa AAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAAAooooOOOaaa-ooOOOooo[/SIZE]

[gaffa]

Jevetta Steele’s “Calling You” is a perfect example of Gospel technique applied tastefully and movingly to a wistful lyric. Apply liberally as a balm to sooth your ears after Whitney.

[drastic_quench]

@Colophon

I think you mean

BuuUUUuuuUUUUUuuuuuhhhh-WHAAAAAA[SIZE=“3”]aaaaa AAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAAAooooOOOaaa-ooOOOooo[/SIZE]

Dolly Parton’s befuddlement was better.

[Shodan]

Sorry - Whitney’s cover is a spectacular vocal performance, and one reason why it is a shame she died is that we will not get more of the same.

That woman had chops, and I am sorry she is silenced.

Regards,
Shodan

[handsomeharry]

@marley23

i can say this with total confidence: No. :d

ha!:d:d:d