Old Flames Song lyrics and guitar chords
Recorded by Foster And Allen [ song lyrics ] and written by Siebert/Moffan. I have included the basic sheet music also. This is my version of the song on guitar in the key of D.
Down[D] town tonight,I saw an old flame someone[G] who,
I[A] used to take comfort from[G] long before I met[D] you,[A],,
I caught a[D] spark from her eye,a forgotten[G] desire,
With a[A] word or a totch love I[G] could have rekindled that[D] fire.
[Chorus]
But[D] old flames cant hold a candle to[G] you,
[A]No one can light up the night like you[D] do,[A],,
Flickering[D] embers of love I've known one or[G] two,
But[A] old flames cant hold a candle to[D] you,
[2]
Sometimes at night I think of the lovers I've known,
And I remember how holding them,
Helped me not feel so alone,
Then I feel you beside me,and even their memories are gone,
Like the stars in the night,lost in the sweet light of dawn,
I[A] used to take comfort from[G] long before I met[D] you,[A],,
I caught a[D] spark from her eye,a forgotten[G] desire,
With a[A] word or a totch love I[G] could have rekindled that[D] fire.
[Chorus]
But[D] old flames cant hold a candle to[G] you,
[A]No one can light up the night like you[D] do,[A],,
Flickering[D] embers of love I've known one or[G] two,
But[A] old flames cant hold a candle to[D] you,
[2]
Sometimes at night I think of the lovers I've known,
And I remember how holding them,
Helped me not feel so alone,
Then I feel you beside me,and even their memories are gone,
Like the stars in the night,lost in the sweet light of dawn,
“Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” is a tender, slow country waltz in D major, famously performed by Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.
It’s simple, emotional, and perfect for both gentle strumming and light fingerpicking.
Below you’ll find:
✅ Waltz strumming pattern (3/4)
✅ Fingerpicking tab for all verses and chorus
✅ Tips for transitions and style
🎼 Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: ~65–70 BPM (slow waltz, sentimental feel)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)Count: “ONE–two–three, ONE–two–three”
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ 1 2& 3&
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (All Verses + Chorus)We’ll use a simple, elegant thumb–index–middle pattern (p–i–m) per measure.
Each measure = 3 beats, one arpeggio per bar.
Beat 1: Thumb on bass (D/A/E string)
Beat 2: Index on G string
Beat 3: Middle on B string
Let the notes ring slightly into each other — keep it warm and legato.
It’s simple, emotional, and perfect for both gentle strumming and light fingerpicking.
Below you’ll find:
✅ Waltz strumming pattern (3/4)
✅ Fingerpicking tab for all verses and chorus
✅ Tips for transitions and style
🎼 Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: ~65–70 BPM (slow waltz, sentimental feel)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)Count: “ONE–two–three, ONE–two–three”
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ 1 2& 3&
- Beat 1: Strong downstroke on bass string (root note)
- Beats 2–3: Gentle down-up on middle/treble strings
- Play softly with a brush motion — this song is intimate and flowing.
- D → 4th → 5th string
- G → 6th → 4th string
- A → 5th → 4th string
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (All Verses + Chorus)We’ll use a simple, elegant thumb–index–middle pattern (p–i–m) per measure.
Each measure = 3 beats, one arpeggio per bar.
Beat 1: Thumb on bass (D/A/E string)
Beat 2: Index on G string
Beat 3: Middle on B string
Let the notes ring slightly into each other — keep it warm and legato.
🎶 Verse 1
D G A
e|--------2-------------2------|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------3---3---------3---3----|------0---0---------0---0----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------0-------------|----------------2-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|
Downtown tonight I saw an old flame, someone who,
G D A
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------2-----------|----------------0-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-3---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
I used to take comfort from long before I met you.
🎶 Verse 2
D G A
e|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------0-----------|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|
I caught a spark from her eye, a forgotten desire,
G D A
e|--------3-------------3------|--------2-------------2------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------0---0---------0---0----|------3---3---------3---3----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------2-------------|----------------0-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
With a word or a touch, love, I could have rekindled that fire.
🎶 Chorus
D G A
e|--------2-------------2------|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------3---3---------3---3----|------0---0---------0---0----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------0-------------|----------------2-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|
But old flames can’t hold a candle to you,
A D A
e|--------0-------------0------|--------2-------------2------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------2---2---------2---2----|------3---3---------3---3----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--2-----------2--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|0-----------------------------|----------------0-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
No one can light up the night like you do.
D G A
e|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------0-----------|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|
Flickering embers of love I’ve known one or two,
G A D
e|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|--------2-------------2----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|------3---3---------3---3--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|----------------0-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
But old flames can’t hold a candle to you.
D G A
e|--------2-------------2------|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------3---3---------3---3----|------0---0---------0---0----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------0-------------|----------------2-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|
Downtown tonight I saw an old flame, someone who,
G D A
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------2-----------|----------------0-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-3---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
I used to take comfort from long before I met you.
🎶 Verse 2
D G A
e|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------0-----------|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|
I caught a spark from her eye, a forgotten desire,
G D A
e|--------3-------------3------|--------2-------------2------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------0---0---------0---0----|------3---3---------3---3----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------2-------------|----------------0-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
With a word or a touch, love, I could have rekindled that fire.
🎶 Chorus
D G A
e|--------2-------------2------|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------3---3---------3---3----|------0---0---------0---0----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------0-------------|----------------2-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|
But old flames can’t hold a candle to you,
A D A
e|--------0-------------0------|--------2-------------2------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------2---2---------2---2----|------3---3---------3---3----|------2---2---------2---2----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|
D|--2-----------2--------------|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|0-----------------------------|----------------0-------------|0-----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
No one can light up the night like you do.
D G A
e|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|
B|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|
A|----------------0-----------|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|
Flickering embers of love I’ve known one or two,
G A D
e|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|--------2-------------2----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------2---2---------2---2--|------3---3---------3---3--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----2-------2-----2-------2|
D|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|0---------------------------|----------------0-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
But old flames can’t hold a candle to you.
Alternative guitar chords for Old Flames in the key of G Major.
Down[G] town tonight,I saw an old flame someone[C] who,
I[D] used to take comfort from[C] long before I met[G] you,[D],,
I caught a[G] spark from her eye,a forgotten[C] desire,
With a[D] word or a totch love I[C] could have rekindled that[G] fire.
But[G] old flames cant hold a candle to[C] you,
[D]No one can light up the night like you[G] do,[D],,
Flickering[G] embers of love I've known one or[C] two,
But[D] old flames cant hold a candle to[G] you,
Down[G] town tonight,I saw an old flame someone[C] who,
I[D] used to take comfort from[C] long before I met[G] you,[D],,
I caught a[G] spark from her eye,a forgotten[C] desire,
With a[D] word or a totch love I[C] could have rekindled that[G] fire.
But[G] old flames cant hold a candle to[C] you,
[D]No one can light up the night like you[G] do,[D],,
Flickering[G] embers of love I've known one or[C] two,
But[D] old flames cant hold a candle to[G] you,
Old flames easy piano sheet music
