I'll Always Love You

Album: Tell It To My Heart (1988)
Charted: 41 3
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Songfacts®:

  • Taylor Dayne's third single, this ballad was written by the songwriter Jimmy George, whose other credits include "Just To See Her" for Smokey Robinson and "I Wonder Who's She's Seeing Now" for The Temptations.

    Dayne was signed to Arista Records, which was helmed by the legendary music executive Clive Davis. In a Songfacts interview with Taylor Dayne, she said: "I'll be the first to tell you I didn't get that song at all. But you're talking about a 20-year-old girl that's all of the sudden told 'sing this song.' I'm like, are you kidding me? I'm coming from 'Tell It To My Heart,' 'Prove Your Love,' and you want me to sing this? I just didn't get it, but Clive did. That's a maturity factor. I didn't get that song, but the rest of the world did."

    "I'll Always Love You" established Dayne as a versatile singer and not just a dance diva, a crucial step on the path to relevance. The big hit ballad delivers staying power and a big career boost: note how Paula Abdul ("Rush, Rush") and Madonna ("Crazy For You") pulled away from the pack with their softer hits.
  • Long Island's Taylor Dayne made her first appearance on the charts in 1987 with her double-platinum debut, "Tell It To My Heart." The album featured four Top 10 hits, mainly in the dance-pop vein. But Dayne varied her repertoire between lively and soulful, and this quiet love song was her first Top 5 single. Dayne had pursued a singing career for years, fronting local bands before being discovered singing in the Russian-American nightclubs of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. By that time, she had legally changed her name to Taylor Dayne. The atmosphere in the late '80s was right for Dance music, and Dayne managed to stay on the charts for several more hits, thanks to two successful follow-up LP's, a sexy new look and plenty of airplay on MTV. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Rob - Rothesay, NB, Canada
  • One of the most popular songs at weddings, Taylor told us that this is one of her four most popular songs in concert as well, along with "Love Will Lead You Back," "Tell It To My Heart" and "I'll Be Your Shelter."

Comments: 3

  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrAlthough the writing credit for the lyrics was given to Jimmy George, the words were inspired by a love letter Dayne wrote to her husband in 1985. Taylor met her soon-to-be husband in 1980 when she was 18. At that time, she knew that he would be just the right kind of guy for her. However, there was only one problem, he was 13! After 4 years of going steady love, they were married in 1985. He was 18, and Taylor was 23. Shortly after their wedding, Taylor sat down and wrote a nice long love letter to her husband. Taylor's poignant words told of wedded bliss and true love to last forever, making the song a favorite at weddings. When Taylor met Ric Wake in late 1985, he suggested that she put those lyrics to music. It was then that Ric sent her to Jimmy George. When Taylor read these lyrics to Jimmy, his heart pounded the whole time. Jimmy looked over and said to her, "Taylor, you've really touched my heart with those lyrics." Jimmy then sat down behind his keyboard, and within an hour and a half, he composed a melody for Taylor's lyrics.
  • Larry from Coral Springs, FlThis is a very nice song by her.
  • Dale from Santa Fe, NmGreat vocal performance
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