Foster and Allen are a musical duo from Ireland consisting of Mick Foster a… Read Full Bio ↴Foster and Allen are a musical duo from Ireland consisting of Mick Foster and Tony Allen.

Foster & Allen began back in the seventies when Mick and Tony were playing in Country Music bands around Ireland. In 1975 they formed a small group and went over to the UK to work the Irish music venues on a short tour.

Mick & Tony had at this stage the idea of working together as a duo, playing ‘easy listening’ music with a touch of traditional Irish instrumentals. When their UK tour finished they decided to let the band return to Ireland whilst they stayed behind to try and break into the public eye. They played several venues in the London area and the reaction was very favourable; so much so, they decided to remain as a duo and Foster and Allen was formed.

It was difficult at the beginning and after a time working around the circuit in the UK and Ireland, they released their first single record The Rambles of Spring. This made a good impact on the Irish market and Foster and Allen were soon in demand for cabaret venues all over Ireland and to a lesser extent the UK At the end of 1978 Foster and Allen released the single A Bunch Of Thyme in Ireland, which entered the Irish charts and became their first top-selling No. 1 single.

It was not until 1982 that this single was released in the UK. It was played by all the radio stations in Britain and was soon in the pop charts. It climbed rapidly to number 18 in the UK Singles Chart. At the time, Mick & Tony were in the U.S. on a tour. They were contacted and told to fly back to Britain immediately as they were required to appear on television’s Top of the Pops.

Demand for Foster and Allen's services at venues all over Ireland and the UK increased at this point. They released another single "Old Flames" which also made its way into the UK Charts. They did their first concert tour of the UK in 1983 and this tour was boosted even more by the release of another single Maggie. This reached number 27 in the UK singles chart and, along with A Bunch Of Thyme, these became the signature tunes for the duo. Since then they have toured the UK twice each year.

In addition to the UK tours, Foster and Allen have toured the U.S.A, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They had five No. 1 Hits in Australia/New Zealand. They have also appeared on numerous TV shows in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales as well as Australia, USA and Canada, and they have had their own TV series on RTE Television in Ireland.

In the early days Mick & Tony performed on stage as a duo, but in 1982 (when the concert tours started) they added a band to their show thus giving a much fuller sound to their program. On the recording front, Foster and Allen have to date released a total of 27 albums, all of which have gone into the British charts. This is a great achievement for a middle-of-the-road ‘easy listening’ act.

As well as the albums, they have released thirteen videos, again all of which have entered the British charts. The video "Souvenirs and Memories" reached No. 3 in the British charts around Christmas 1991, the "By Request" video went straight into the No. 1 spot in 1993 and their latest DVD/Video release "After All These Years" was a Top 10 Chart Release in the UK. To date Foster and Allen have achieved album and video sales in excess of 19 million worldwide.

Foster and Allen celebrated their 30th Anniversary together in the music industry with the release of their new album "Foster & Allen Sing The No. 1’s" which was a Top 30 Chart hit in the UK during Christmas 2005 bringing the sales of their last three albums in the UK and Ireland to over 500,000 units.

The duo recently completed their “World Concert Tour – 2005/2006” which took them on tour to the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, U.S.A., Australia and Ireland.

Old Flames
Foster & Allen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Downtown tonight, I saw an old friend, someone who
I use to take comfort from long before I met you
I caught a spark from his eyes of forgotten desire
With a word, or a touch, I could have rekindled that fire
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
But old flames can't hold a candle to you

Sometimes at night, I think of old lovers I've known
I remember how holding them helped me not feel so alone
Then I feel you beside me and even their memories are gone
Like stars in the night lost in the sweet light of dawn

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
But old flames can't hold a candle to you

Old flames can't hold a candle to you
Mmmm

Overall Meaning

The opening verse of "Old Flames" speaks of the main character meeting an old friend in the city at night who they once took comfort from, long before they met the current love of their life. The friend's eyes spark with the forgotten desire that they once shared, and with a mere word or touch, they could have rekindled that flame. However, the singer asserts that no other flame, old or new, can hold a candle to their current love interest's light. This is repeated twice in the chorus, with the emphasis on how no one can light up the night like their true love.

The second verse talks about how the singer thinks of old lovers they've known sometimes. They remember holding them and how it helped them not feel alone, but then they feel the presence of their current partner beside them, and even the memories of old flames are gone like stars in the night lost in the sweet light of the dawn. The song's overall theme seems to be about the enduring nature of true love and how past relationships can't compete with it.

Line by Line Meaning

Downtown tonight, I saw an old friend, someone who
While walking in the city tonight, I bumped into an acquaintance from the past, whom I used to find solace in, long before I met you

I use to take comfort from long before I met you
I used to confide in this person and depend on their company for emotional support when I did not know you

I caught a spark from his eyes of forgotten desire
I detected a glimpse of a passion long suppressed in their gaze, which reminded me of the exciting times we shared before

With a word, or a touch, I could have rekindled that fire
I realized that a mere hint or gesture from me might have led to a rekindling of that once intense romance

Old flames can't hold a candle to you
However, none of my past flames could compare to the love and light that you bring into my life

No one can light up the night like you do
There is nobody else who can bring as much joy and brightness into my life as you do

Flickering embers of love
I have had some fleeting love affairs in the past

I've known one or two
I have had some experience with romantic dalliances

But old flames can't hold a candle to you
But they all pale in comparison to the depth and intensity of my love for you

Sometimes at night, I think of old lovers I've known
Occasionally, I reminisce about my past lovers during sleepless nights

I remember how holding them helped me not feel so alone
I recollect how embracing them made me feel less isolated and lonely

Then I feel you beside me and even their memories are gone
But then, as soon as I sense your presence next to me, all those memories and former attachments fade into insignificance

Like stars in the night lost in the sweet light of dawn
Just like the stars that vanish into the sunrise glow, my previous experiences seem insignificant when compared to the love I share with you

Old flames can't hold a candle to you
To reiterate, no other person from my past can match the depth and scope of my adoration for you

Mmmm
This is just a hummed tune that does not convey any specific message

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hugh Moffatt, Rosemary Patricia Sebert

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

Enjoy Yourself

3y↑8

Haven't listened to this song since losing my mum and honestly wasn't prepared for how deeply it would hit me. But I'm grateful that it did, pain aside.