The Production of this song, as confirmed by Francoi Tetaz, ( Vows album Co Producer), was designed almost as a pastiche as he heard a “ Prince like” power ballad in the making. The idea of flame as the element that forms the power of love goes back to ancient Greek and Roman traditions.įlame can be restorative and powerful as well as destructive and painful, metaphorically and in reality, (well Duh)! Upon first listen, I was almost put off by the title until I started to hear the metaphors right there in front of me ripe for the interpretation. To use the phrase in the self conscious way Kimbra sings about it,without the possessive ‘my’, in the title, is akin to using an offensive epithet so often that it loses its original meaning, thus granting the user fresh lease on the layered meanings it now holds. The title using the possessive ‘m y’, seals the fate of the song to being a simple ode to an old boyfriend that pops into her head now and again with mostly positive connotations. The corny/charming movie clip above featuring Hollywood vixen Mae West is the first thing that went through my mind when I saw the title of the song.

In that simple context, the song might be easy to dismiss as perhaps a slightly cliched and overused phrase of love lost. The idea of having an Old Flame, is rooted in the thoughts of a much older person looking back through years of life upon someone much loved, possibly toxic, but, nonetheless, longed for with Rose colored glasses. It seems almost ludicrous that when Kimbra wrote this, she was maybe 16-18 years old or so. As always with great art, everyone is free to have their own interpretations…and with that…we take a look at Romantic Nostalgia with “Old Flame”! In no way am I saying this is a definitive encapsulation of what is happening musically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, etc. This will be the last time I write it out…once again, I reiterate that these reviews are solely my personal interpretation of the songs, the layers that I see and how they affect me musically and emotionally. I have been asked by some about what I consider to be the subtext /or “storyline” underneath the overall Production of the album and challenged that none of it is really there. Sorry for the delay in this next installment of the “Vows” mega review! Been a bit of a busy Summer and looks to be a Productive Autumn!

Kimbra vows vinyl