My Old Flame
Clifford Brown & Sonny Rollins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My old flame, I can't even think of his name but it's funny now and then
How my thoughts go flashing back again to my old flame
My old flame, my new lovers all seem so tame
For I haven't met a gent so magnificent or elegant as my old flame

I've met so many who had fascinating ways
A fascinating gaze in their eyes, some who took me up to the skies
But their attempts at love were only imitations of my old flame

I can't even think of his name but I'll never be the same
Until I discover what became of my old flame

I've met so many who had fascinating way
A fascinating gaze in their eyes, some who took me up to the skies
But their attempts at love were only imitations of my old flame

I can't even think of his name but I'll never be the same
Until I discover what became of my old flame

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "My Old Flame" by Clifford Brown & Sonny Rollins explore the theme of nostalgia and the hold that past relationships can have on a person long after they have ended. The singer of the song is unable to remember the name of their old flame, yet the memory of them continues to haunt their thoughts. The singer compares their past lover to their current partners and finds them lacking in comparison. They describe their old flame as magnificent and elegant, suggesting that the memory of this relationship has set a high standard that others cannot meet.

The repetition of the line "I can't even think of his name but" emphasizes the power of memory and how it can linger even when details are vague. The use of the pronoun "his" suggests that the singer is a woman, which adds another layer to the lyrics. The song speaks to the universal experience of holding onto past relationships, and the bittersweet feelings that can come with remembering them.

Line by Line Meaning

My old flame, I can't even think of his name but it's funny now and then
I have a past love that I can't remember the name of, but sometimes it amuses me

How my thoughts go flashing back again to my old flame
I often have thoughts that remind me of my past love

My old flame, my new lovers all seem so tame
Compared to my past love, my current lovers seem boring or unexciting

For I haven't met a gent so magnificent or elegant as my old flame
I have yet to find someone as impressive or refined as my past love

I've met so many who had fascinating ways A fascinating gaze in their eyes, some who took me up to the skies
I have encountered many people with interesting personalities and attractive features

But their attempts at love were only imitations of my old flame
However, their attempts at love could not compare to the love I shared with my past flame

I can't even think of his name but I'll never be the same Until I discover what became of my old flame
Although I can't recall his name, I will continue to search and find out what happened to my past love. He had a profound impact on my life and I know I will never forget him.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS