Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You

"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" is a country song written by singer-songwriter Pebe Sebert and Hugh Moffatt. It was a number 14 U.S. country hit for Joe Sun in 1978, and a number 86 hit for Brian Collins the same year. It was later covered by Dolly Parton, who took it to the top of the U.S. country singles charts in August 1980.[1] Parton included her version on her 1980 Dolly, Dolly, Dolly album, and it was released as the album's second single after the success of "Starting Over Again". In 2013, Sebert's daughter, Kesha, released an acoustic cover of the song as part of her extended play Deconstructed. A new version featuring Parton is a track on Kesha's 2017 album Rainbow.

"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
Single by Joe Sun
B-side"(Home Away From Home) I'll Find It Where I Can"
ReleasedApril 1978
RecordedFebruary 1978
StudioLSI Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
GenreCountry
Length3:12
LabelOvation
Songwriter(s)Patricia Rose Sebert, Hugh Moffatt
Producer(s)Brien Fisher
"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
B-side"I Knew You When"
ReleasedJune 23, 1980
Recorded1980
StudioSound Labs, California
GenreCountry
Length3:26
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Patricia Rose Sebert, Hugh Moffatt
Producer(s)Gary Klein
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"Starting Over Again"
(1980)
"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
(1980)
"9 to 5"
(1980)

Content

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In the song, the narrator tells their lover not to feel threatened by past affairs for these "old flames" are in the past and disappear from memory because of the current love.

Chart performance

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Joe Sun

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Chart (1978) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[2] 29
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] 14

Brian Collins

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Chart (1978) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 86

Dolly Parton

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Chart (1980) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[5] 2
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[6] 1

References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 262.
  2. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 0010a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  3. ^ "Joe Sun Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  4. ^ "Brian Collins Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 0246a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  6. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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