Whitney Houston
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1992)
Dolly Parton
Whitney Houston's R&B reimagining of Dolly Parton's country original became a global phenomenon as the lead single for The Bodyguard soundtrack. It is celebrated for its technical mastery, iconic a cappella opening, and its 14-week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100.
The harmonic structure is deceptively simple, relying on the '50s progression (I-vi-IV-V) which provides a stable, emotive foundation. Its distinctiveness lies in the dramatic 'truck driver's gear shift' modulation from A Major to B Major, which is one of the…
Dolly Parton wrote the song as a farewell to her mentor and professional partner of seven years, Porter Wagoner, after she decided to leave 'The Porter Wagoner Show' to pursue a solo career. She wanted to express her gratitude and love despite the professional…
“Kevin Costner was the one who suggested Houston record the song after the original choice, 'What Becomes of the Brokenhearted', was used for the film Fried Green Tomatoes.”
The harmonic structure is deceptively simple, relying on the '50s progression (I-vi-IV-V) which provides a stable, emotive foundation. Its distinctiveness lies in the dramatic 'truck driver's gear shift' modulation from A Major to B Major, which is one of the most famous examples of key change in pop history. This shift, combined with the a cappella opening and the gospel-inflected vocal delivery, transforms a standard ballad progression into a high-intensity power ballad.
Dolly Parton wrote the song as a farewell to her mentor and professional partner of seven years, Porter Wagoner, after she decided to leave 'The Porter Wagoner Show' to pursue a solo career. She wanted to express her gratitude and love despite the professional separation.
Whitney Houston's R&B reimagining of Dolly Parton's country original became a global phenomenon as the lead single for The Bodyguard soundtrack. It is celebrated for its technical mastery, iconic a cappella opening, and its 14-week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
R&B Pop
Era
90s
Mood
Emotional
Tempo
Ballad
Key
Major
Texture
Layered
Sound
Vocal-focused
Feel
Straight
5.4M
Plays
1.0M
Listeners
2.8M
Genius Views
5
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:29
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Whitney: The Greatest Hits
Final chorus
Chorus
Verse
N/A
Chords B ✕ G#m 4 E F# A ✕ F#m D ✕ ✕ F#m7 N/A B G#m E F# A F#m D F#m7 Harmony The harmonic structure is deceptively simple, relying on the '50s progression (I-vi-IV-V) which provides a stable, emotive foundation. Its distinctiveness lies in the dramatic 'truck driver's gear shift' modulation from A Major to B Major, which is one of the most famous examples of key change in pop history. This shift, combined with the a cappella opening and the gospel-inflected vocal delivery, transforms a standard ballad progression into a high-intensity power ballad. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Notify me when it's ready Request Full Analysis
Chord Diagrams B ✕ G#m 4 E F# A ✕ F#m D ✕ ✕ F#m7 N/A
Composition Dolly Parton wrote the song as a farewell to her mentor and professional partner of seven years, Porter Wagoner, after she decided to leave 'The Porter Wagoner Show' to pursue a solo career. She wanted to express her gratitude and love despite the professional separation. Inspiration: The professional dissolution of the partnership between Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Recording Studio: Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, CA), Warner Bros. Studios (Burbank, CA) Producer: David Foster Kevin Costner was the one who suggested Houston record the song after the original choice, 'What Becomes of the Brokenhearted', was used for the film Fried Green Tomatoes. Dolly Parton was driving when she first heard Whitney's version on the radio and had to pull over because she was so overwhelmed by the arrangement. The iconic sax solo was performed by Kirk Whalum.
Chord Sheet Transpose 0 Capo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Auto-scroll Print Reset Chords Used Hide functions A I T F#m vi T D IV P E V D Progression by Section Final chorus B I T G#m vi T E IV P F# V D Chorus A I T F#m vi T D IV P E V D Verse A I T F#m7 vi7 T D IV P E V D Chord Diagrams B ✕ G#m 4 E F# A ✕ F#m D ✕ ✕ F#m7 N/A Harmony Analysis The harmonic structure is deceptively simple, relying on the '50s progression (I-vi-IV-V) which provides a stable, emotive foundation. Its distinctiveness lies in the dramatic 'truck driver's gear shift' modulation from A Major to B Major, which is one of the most famous examples of key change in pop history. This shift, combined with the a cappella opening and the gospel-inflected vocal delivery, transforms a standard ballad progression into a high-intensity power ballad. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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