Dolly Parton vs. Kesha & Dolly Parton → Face Off

In the 19^th edition of Face Off (2026), Dolly Parton and Kesha x Dolly Parton face off for the best rendition of “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You).”

Ah, let the Face Off begin! In Face Off, musicians compete to determine who delivered the best version of a song. In most cases, the musicians are performing the same song or a remix, rearrangement, or variation of the song.  Each performance will be evaluated for vocal or instrumental performance, production, and so forth. After blurbing about each performance, I will briefly deliberate and deliver a verdict about who wins the Face Off.  Draws and ties are acceptable, but in most cases, one band, group, or musician will get the edge. In the 19^th edition of Face Off (2026), Dolly Parton and Kesha x Dolly Parton face off for the best rendition of “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)”. May the best musician win!

1. Dolly Parton, “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)”

Dolly Dolly Dolly → BMG Music → 1980 

“Downtown tonight, I saw an old friend, someone who / I used to take comfort from long before I met you.” Beloved country music icon Dolly Parton (1946 – 2026) excelled at writing and recording her fair share of hits. “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” was not a Dolly original, however.  Joe Sun (James Joseph Paulsen, 1943 – 2019) originally recorded it in 1978. It peaked at number 14 on the Country singles chart. Of course, Parton’s cover of the song, written by Pebe Sebert (b. 1956) and Hugh Moffatt, was more successful.  Like Sun’s original, it failed to reach the pop charts but topped the Country singles chart. Gary Klein produced Parton’s cover.

“Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” features delightful production: gorgeous pedal steel, rhythmic acoustic guitar, piano, and easygoing but prominent bass.  Even with grand accompaniment, Dolly Parton is the star.  Her vocals are pure and radiant.  She sings the first verse, excerpted earlier, alone. Her younger brother, Randy Parton (1953 – 2021), duets with her in the chorus.  Their voices mesh superbly. The chorus is the best moment of “Old Flames”:

“Old flames can’t hold a candle to you

No one can light up the night like you do

Flickering embers of love, I’ve known one or two

Old flames can’t hold a candle to you.”

A modulation occurs following the chorus, leading into the second verse. Dolly begins singing the second verse, with Randy joining her in the back half, selectively (“Then I feel you beside me and even their memories are gone / Like stars in the night lost in the sweet light of dawn”). The synergy between the musical siblings during the second chorus is especially awesome. While “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” wasn’t a pop hit for Dolly (shame, shame), it still ranks as one of her best songs in an illustrious music catalogue.  Topping this cover, which sounds as if it could’ve been the original, is an arduous task!

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2. Kesha & Dolly Parton, “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)”

Rainbow → Kemosabe Records → 2017

“But old flames can’t hold a candle to you / No one can light up the night like you do.” One of the very best songs from Kesha’s third studio album, Rainbow, arrives near the end. “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” is certainly worth the wait. Kesha duets with country royalty and icon, Dolly Parton (1946 – 2026). Kesha has ties to “Old Flames.” Her mother, Pebe Sebert (b. 1956), composed it with Hugh Moffatt. Parton also has ties to “Old Flames.”  She covered it on her 1980 album, Dolly Dolly Dolly.

Kesha and Dolly make this oldie sound incredibly fresh in the 2010s. The essence of the gem remains. The arrangement is livelier than Parton’s cover.  The instrumental moments go a bit harder, distinguishing it. Kesha performs the first half of the first verse, with Dolly joining her for most of the second half. “I caught a spark in his eyes of forgotten desire,” they sing, and continue, “With a word or touch, I could’ve have rekindled that fire.” In the second verse, Parton takes the reins initially, before she and Kesha assert, “Then I feel you beside me and even their memories are gone.” Whose memories? Old lovers… old flames, of course!  Their bread is buttered during the chorus, as well as a powerful outro that separates itself from Dolly’s cover. Ultimately, “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” is magical and memorable, ranking among the crème de la crème of the pop star’s career.

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Deliberation

Ah, we’ve arrived at the deliberation! To Deliberate is “to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully.” With that definition courtesy of my go-to, Merriam-Webster, briefly break down these two distinct performances with some notes!

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Verdict

After much deliberation, yo boi, The Musical Hype, has reached a verdict. In the case… I mean, in the Face Off between Dolly Parton and Kesha x Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton comes out on top! No surprise because she couldn’t lose – she’s featured in both! But, in all seriousness, her original cover gets the nod. What was the difference? It’s a classic that surpassed the original and charted, unlike the more recent cover with Kesha.  That said, the outro of Kesha’s version nearly swayed me.  The “hell yeah” by the studio engineer at the end is warranted. And with that said, stay tuned for the next Face Off!

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