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{{Infobox single
{{Infobox song
| Name = Hard Candy Christmas
| name = Hard Candy Christmas
| Cover =
| cover =
| alt =
⚫
| Artist = [[Dolly Parton]]
| type = single
| from Album = [[Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Soundtrack]]
| B-side = "Act Like a Fool"
| artist = [[Dolly Parton]]
| album = [[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (soundtrack)|The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]
| Released = October 1982
| B-side = Me and Little Andy
| Format =
| Recorded = 1982
| released = October 11, 1982
| format =
⚫
| Genre = [[Country music|Country]]
| Length = 3:56
| recorded = 1982
| Label = [[RCA]]
| studio =
| venue =
⚫
| Writer = [[Carol Hall]]
⚫
| genre = [[Country music|Country]]
⚫
| Producer = Greg Perry
| length = 3:56
| Last single = "[[I Will Always Love You]]" <br />(1982)
| label = [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| This single = "'''Hard Candy Christmas'''" <br />(1982)
⚫
| writer = [[Carol Hall]]
⚫
| Next single = "[[Potential New Boyfriend]]" <br />(1983)
⚫
| producer = Greg Perry
| prev_title = [[I Will Always Love You#1982 version|I Will Always Love You]]
| prev_year = 1982
⚫
| next_title = [[Potential New Boyfriend]]
| next_year = 1983
}}
}}


"'''Hard Candy Christmas'''" is a song written by composer-lyricist [[Carol Hall]] for the [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]''.
"'''Hard Candy Christmas'''" is a song written by composer-lyricist [[Carol Hall]] for the [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]''.


Near the end of the original play, individual girls of the brothel sing lines of the verses as they are preparing to leave; they join together on the [[refrain]]s. This pattern was adopted for the film version of the musical, except that [[Dolly Parton]] (who played Miss Mona) is featured as soloist on the refrains, with the girls accompanying her. A further alteration can be found on the [[soundtrack]] album for the film in which Parton alone sings the verses.
Near the end of the original play, individual girls of the brothel sing lines of the verses as they are preparing to leave; they join together on the [[refrain]]s. This pattern was adopted for the film version of the musical, except that [[Dolly Parton]] (who played Miss Mona) is featured as soloist on the refrains, with the girls accompanying her. A further variation can be found on the [[soundtrack]] album for the film in which Parton alone sings the verses.


Parton's version of the song was released as a single and reached number 8 on the U.S. country singles chart in November 1982.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=262}}</ref> In 1998, the song re-entered the country charts and peaked at number 73 based on unsolicited airplay. Though not expressly a "Christmas song", Parton's recording received some airplay on country stations around the holiday seasons during the 1980s and 1990s; Parton also performed the song on [[Bob Hope]]'s Christmas Special in 1988. During the late 90s, when RCA reissued Parton's 1984 holiday album with [[Kenny Rogers]], ''[[Once Upon a Christmas]]'', Parton's recording of "Hard Candy Christmas" was added to the track list.
Parton's version of the song was released as a single in October 1982, reaching number 8 on the U.S. country singles chart in January 1983.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=262}}</ref> In 1998, the song re-entered the country charts and peaked at number 73 based on unsolicited airplay. Parton's recording received some airplay on country stations around the holiday seasons during the 1980s and 1990s, and she also performed the song on [[Bob Hope]]'s Christmas Special in 1988. During the late 1990s, when RCA reissued Parton's 1984 holiday album with [[Kenny Rogers]], ''[[Once Upon a Christmas (Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton album)|Once Upon a Christmas]]'', Parton's recording of "Hard Candy Christmas" was added to the track list.


[[Hard candy]] encompasses a large array of inexpensive sweet treats like candy canes and lollipops. The phrase "hard candy Christmas" refers to a time when families who did not have much money could only afford to give hard candy or penny candy ([[bulk confectionery]]) to their children at Christmas. The hard candy metaphor suggests that life can simultaneously be hard and sweet.
⚫
In 1997, the song was covered by [[RuPaul]] on the album ''[[Ho, Ho, Ho]]'' featuring [[Michelle Visage]] and [[High Inergy|Barbara Mitchell]]. The song has also been recorded by indie rocker [[Dan Bryk]], and former [[Sixpence None The Richer]] vocalist [[Leigh Nash]] on their respective 2006 releases ''Christmas Record'' and ''[[Wishing for This]]''.

⚫
[[The Venture Bros.]] released a version of the song in 2005 as performed by Henchmen Nos. 21 and 24 and [[Monarch (The Venture Bros.)|The Monarch]].

⚫
June Carter Cash performed the song on the 1982 ''Johnny Cash Christmas'' special on CBS Television.

⚫
In 2012, [[Tracey Thorn]] recorded a version of the song for her Christmas album ''[[Tinsel and Lights]]''.

⚫
In 2015, [[Cyndi Lauper]] recorded a cover of the song for her album ''[[Detour (Cyndi Lauper album)|Detour]]'' as a duet with [[Alison Krauss]].

⚫
In 2016, [[Reba Mcentire]] recorded a cover of the song for her album "My Kind of Christmas"


==Chart performance==
==Chart performance==
⚫
===Dolly Parton===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1982)
!align="left"|Chart (1982–1983)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|8|artist=Dolly Parton|artistid=2465}}
|align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1983-01-22 |title=Country Music: Top Country Songs Chart |publisher=Billboard |date=1983-01-22 |accessdate=2016-10-31}}</ref>
⚫
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|-
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks
|align="left"|Canadian Country Tracks (''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'')
| style="text-align:center;"|27
| style="text-align:center;"|27
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1998)
⚫
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|73|artist=Dolly Parton|artistid=2465}}
|-
|}
|}

===Cyndi Lauper===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (2016)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|27|artist=Cyndi Lauper|artistid={{BillboardID|Cyndi Lauper}}}}
|-
|}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Dolly Parton|title=Hard Candy Christmas|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1982|certyear=2022|access-date=October 26, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}

==Covers==
⚫
In 1997, the song was covered by [[RuPaul]] on the album ''[[Ho, Ho, Ho]]'' featuring [[Michelle Visage]] and [[High Inergy|Barbara Mitchell]]. The song has also been recorded by indie rocker [[Dan Bryk]], and former [[Sixpence None The Richer]] vocalist [[Leigh Nash]] on their respective 2006 releases ''Christmas Record'' and ''[[Wishing for This]]''.

⚫
[[The Venture Bros.]] released a version of the song in 2005 as performed by Henchmen Nos. 21 and 24 and [[Monarch (The Venture Bros.)|The Monarch]].

⚫
[[June Carter Cash]] performed the song on the 1982 ''Johnny Cash Christmas'' special on CBS Television.

In 2001, the song was covered by The Torpedoes on their CD ''Hard Rock Candy Christmas''.

In 2008, [[Kristine W]] released a dance cover version, remixed by Paul Goodyear, on her EP ''Hey Mr. Christmas''.

⚫
In 2012, [[Tracey Thorn]] recorded a version of the song for her Christmas album ''[[Tinsel and Lights]]''.

In 2014, [[LeAnn Rimes]] recorded a version of the song for her Christmas EP ''One Christmas: Chapter 1''.

⚫
In 2015, [[Cyndi Lauper]] recorded a cover of the song for her 2016 album ''[[Detour (Cyndi Lauper album)|Detour]]'' as a duet with [[Alison Krauss]].

⚫
In 2016, [[Reba McEntire]] recorded a cover of the song for her 2016 album ''[[My Kind of Christmas (Reba McEntire album)|My Kind of Christmas]]''.

In 2016, [[The Nymphs]]'s [[Inger Lorre]], Eric James Contreras, and Marshall O’boy recorded a cover of the song for [[Amazon.com|Amazon]]'s ''Acoustic Christmas'' album.

In 2020, [[Liz Callaway]] included a cover of "Hard Candy Christmas" on her 2020 Christmas album, ''Comfort and Joy (An Acoustic Christmas)''.

[[Zach Top]] also covered Hard Candy Christmas in 2023.


==References==
==References==
Line 54: Line 95:
==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/hardcandy.shtml Hard Candy Christmas lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line]
*[http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/hardcandy.shtml Hard Candy Christmas lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line]
* {{MetroLyrics song|dolly-parton|hard-candy-christmas}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->


{{The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas}}
{{The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas}}
Line 60: Line 100:
{{Cyndi Lauper singles}}
{{Cyndi Lauper singles}}


{{authority control}}

[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:1982 songs]]
[[Category:1982 songs]]
[[Category:Dolly Parton songs]]
[[Category:Dolly Parton songs]]
[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:Cyndi Lauper songs]]
[[Category:Alison Krauss songs]]
[[Category:Reba McEntire songs]]
[[Category:American Christmas songs]]
[[Category:American Christmas songs]]
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]

Latest revision as of 22:10, 25 December 2024

"Hard Candy Christmas"
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
B-side"Me and Little Andy"
ReleasedOctober 11, 1982
Recorded1982
GenreCountry
Length3:56
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Carol Hall
Producer(s)Greg Perry
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"I Will Always Love You"
(1982) 		"Hard Candy Christmas"
(1982) 		"Potential New Boyfriend"
(1983)

"Hard Candy Christmas" is a song written by composer-lyricist Carol Hall for the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Near the end of the original play, individual girls of the brothel sing lines of the verses as they are preparing to leave; they join together on the refrains. This pattern was adopted for the film version of the musical, except that Dolly Parton (who played Miss Mona) is featured as soloist on the refrains, with the girls accompanying her. A further variation can be found on the soundtrack album for the film in which Parton alone sings the verses.

Parton's version of the song was released as a single in October 1982, reaching number 8 on the U.S. country singles chart in January 1983.[1] In 1998, the song re-entered the country charts and peaked at number 73 based on unsolicited airplay. Parton's recording received some airplay on country stations around the holiday seasons during the 1980s and 1990s, and she also performed the song on Bob Hope's Christmas Special in 1988. During the late 1990s, when RCA reissued Parton's 1984 holiday album with Kenny Rogers, Once Upon a Christmas, Parton's recording of "Hard Candy Christmas" was added to the track list.

Hard candy encompasses a large array of inexpensive sweet treats like candy canes and lollipops. The phrase "hard candy Christmas" refers to a time when families who did not have much money could only afford to give hard candy or penny candy (bulk confectionery) to their children at Christmas. The hard candy metaphor suggests that life can simultaneously be hard and sweet.

Chart performance

[edit]

Dolly Parton

[edit]
Chart (1982–1983) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2] 8
Canadian Country Tracks (RPM) 27
Chart (1998) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2] 73

Cyndi Lauper

[edit]
Chart (2016) Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[3] 27

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[4] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

[edit]

In 1997, the song was covered by RuPaul on the album Ho, Ho, Ho featuring Michelle Visage and Barbara Mitchell. The song has also been recorded by indie rocker Dan Bryk, and former Sixpence None The Richer vocalist Leigh Nash on their respective 2006 releases Christmas Record and Wishing for This.

The Venture Bros. released a version of the song in 2005 as performed by Henchmen Nos. 21 and 24 and The Monarch.

June Carter Cash performed the song on the 1982 Johnny Cash Christmas special on CBS Television.

In 2001, the song was covered by The Torpedoes on their CD Hard Rock Candy Christmas.

In 2008, Kristine W released a dance cover version, remixed by Paul Goodyear, on her EP Hey Mr. Christmas.

In 2012, Tracey Thorn recorded a version of the song for her Christmas album Tinsel and Lights.

In 2014, LeAnn Rimes recorded a version of the song for her Christmas EP One Christmas: Chapter 1.

In 2015, Cyndi Lauper recorded a cover of the song for her 2016 album Detour as a duet with Alison Krauss.

In 2016, Reba McEntire recorded a cover of the song for her 2016 album My Kind of Christmas.

In 2016, The Nymphs's Inger Lorre, Eric James Contreras, and Marshall O’boy recorded a cover of the song for Amazon's Acoustic Christmas album.

In 2020, Liz Callaway included a cover of "Hard Candy Christmas" on her 2020 Christmas album, Comfort and Joy (An Acoustic Christmas).

Zach Top also covered Hard Candy Christmas in 2023.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 262.
  2. ^ a b "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  3. ^ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  4. ^ "American single certifications – Dolly Parton – Hard Candy Christmas". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
[edit]
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