Does anyone know the story behind the song “I Will Remember You” and specifically the original studio version and the live version
I’ve got a question for the longtime Sarah McLachlan fans here.
I may be late to the party on this, but until recently I only knew the live version of “I Will Remember You.” I just discovered the original soundtrack version with the opening verse.
After listening to both versions back to back, it almost feels like two different songs because removing that first verse changes where the listener enters the story.
With the original opening verse, I naturally hear a specific relationship with a history. Without it, the song feels much more open-ended. Instead of wondering what happened to these two people, I find myself thinking about any relationship that’s about to change forever.
Does anyone know whether Sarah McLachlan, Dave Merenda, Pierre Marchand, or anyone else involved with the song has ever talked about why that first verse was dropped from the live arrangement? Was it simply a performance decision, or has anyone ever commented on how differently the song feels without it?
If there’s an interview, article, or concert story that sheds some light on it, I’d love to read it.