Hard Candy Christmas - Misplaced Pages

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. 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

Dolly Parton

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

Cyndi Lauper

Chart (2016)	Peak position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	27

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

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).

References

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

External links

Hard Candy Christmas lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line

v t e The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
1978 musical "Hard Candy Christmas" 1982 film Film soundtrack The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public Chicken Ranch (Texas)

Dolly Parton

Studio albums

1960s	Hello, I'm Dolly Just Because I'm a Woman In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy

1970s	The Fairest of Them All The Golden Streets of Glory Joshua Coat of Many Colors Touch Your Woman My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner My Tennessee Mountain Home Bubbling Over Jolene Love Is Like a Butterfly The Bargain Store Dolly All I Can Do New Harvest...First Gathering Here You Come Again Heartbreaker Great Balls of Fire

1980s	Dolly, Dolly, Dolly 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Heartbreak Express Burlap & Satin The Great Pretender Once Upon a Christmas Real Love Trio Rainbow White Limozeen

1990s	Home for Christmas Eagle When She Flies Slow Dancing with the Moon Honky Tonk Angels Something Special Treasures Hungry Again Trio II Precious Memories The Grass Is Blue

2000s	Little Sparrow Halos & Horns For God and Country Those Were the Days Backwoods Barbie

2010s	Better Day Blue Smoke Pure & Simple I Believe in You

2020s	A Holly Dolly Christmas Run, Rose, Run Rockstar

Live albums

Soundtrack albums

Compilation albums

Singles

1960s	"Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" "Dumb Blonde" "Something Fishy" "In the Ghetto"

1970s

"Mule Skinner Blues"
"Joshua"
"Comin' for to Carry Me Home"
"Coat of Many Colors"
"Touch Your Woman"
"My Tennessee Mountain Home"
"Jolene"
"I Will Always Love You"
"Love is Like a Butterfly
"The Bargain Store"
"The Seeker"
"We Used To"
"All I Can Do"
"Light of a Clear Blue Morning"
"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"
"Here You Come Again"
"Two Doors Down"
"It's All Wrong, But It's All Right"
"Heartbreaker"
"It's Too Late to Love Me Now"
"Baby I'm Burnin'"
"I Really Got the Feeling"
"You're the Only One"
"Great Balls of Fire"
"Sweet Summer Lovin'"

1980s

"Starting Over Again"
"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
"9 to 5"
"But You Know I Love You"
"The House of the Rising Sun"
"Single Women"
"Heartbreak Express"
"Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"
"Hard Candy Christmas"
"Potential New Boyfriend"
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
"Downtown"
"She Don't Love You (Like I Love You)"
"Tennessee Homesick Blues"
"Medley: Winter Wonderland/Sleigh Ride"
"Don't Call It Love"
"Real Love"
"Think About Love"
"Tie Our Love (In a Double Knot)"
"We Had It All"
"To Know Him Is to Love Him"
"Telling Me Lies"
"Those Memories of You"
"The River Unbroken"
"Wildflowers"
"Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That"
"Yellow Roses"

1990s	"Time for Me to Fly" "White Limozeen" "Love Is Strange" "Rockin' Years" "Silver and Gold" "Eagle When She Flies" "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" "Romeo" "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" "To Daddy" "Just When I Needed You Most" "Peace Train" "After the Gold Rush" "Feels Like Home" "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" "Walking on Sunshine"

2000s	"Seven Bridges Road" "Shine" "Imagine" "Both Sides Now" "Twelfth of Never" "Travelin' Thru" "Where Do the Children Play" "Better Get to Livin'" "Drives Me Crazy"

2010s	"Together You and I" "Calling My Children Home" "The Story" "The Last Word in Lonesome Is Me" "Here I Am" "Girl in the Movies" "God Only Knows" "There Was Jesus" "Faith"

2020s	"When Life Is Good Again" "Mary, Did You Know?" "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" "Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas" "In the Sweet By and By" "Magic Man" "We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You" "Step by Step" "Let It Be" "What's Up?" "Wrecking Ball" "Southern Accents"

Features

Film and TV

Dolly (1976)
Dolly (1987)
Dolly & Carol in Nashville
Hollywood to Dollywood
The Book Lady
For the Love of Dolly
Coat of Many Colors
Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
Christmas on the Square

Tours

Theme parks

Category

v t e Cyndi Lauper singles
She's So Unusual	"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" "Time After Time" "She Bop" "All Through the Night" "Money Changes Everything" "When You Were Mine"
True Colors	"True Colors" "Change of Heart" "What's Going On" "Boy Blue" "Maybe He'll Know"
A Night to Remember	"I Drove All Night" "My First Night Without You" "Heading West" "A Night to Remember"
Hat Full of Stars	"Who Let In the Rain" "That's What I Think" "Sally's Pigeons"
Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some	"Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun)" "I'm Gonna Be Strong" "Come on Home"
Sisters of Avalon	"You Don't Know" "Sisters of Avalon" "Ballad of Cleo and Joe"
Merry Christmas ... Have a Nice Life	"Early Christmas Morning"
Shine	"Shine"
At Last	"At Last" "Walk On By"
The Body Acoustic	"Time After Time"
Bring Ya to the Brink	"Set Your Heart" "Same Ol' Story" "Into the Nightlife"
Memphis Blues	"Just Your Fool"
Detour	"Hard Candy Christmas" "Funnel of Love"
Other singles	"You Make Loving Fun" "We Are the World" "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" "Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China)" "Another Brick in the Wall" "The World Is Stone" "Disco Inferno" "A Christmas Duel" "Girls Just Wanna Set Your Heart"

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