"Candle on the Water" is a

torch song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affect ...

written by

Al Kasha Alfred Kasha (January 22, 1937 – September 14, 2020) was an American songwriter, whose songs include " The Morning After" from '' The Poseidon Adventure''. Life Kasha started songwriting and producing at a young age and was hired as a producer ...

and

Joel Hirschhorn Joel Hirschhorn (December 18, 1937 – September 17, 2005) was an American songwriter. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song on two occasions. He also wrote songs for a number of musicians, including Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. Hirsc ...

for

Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios unit ...

' 1977 live-action/animated film '' Pete's Dragon''. Originally recorded by Helen Reddy, who plays Nora in the film, the song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1977, though it lost to " You Light Up My Life".

Context

The setting for the song is entirely on the lantern-room balcony of the lighthouse in which Nora and her father, Lampie, live. Nora sings the song to her fiancé Paul, who has been lost at sea for over a year but Nora believes will one day return. Leading into the song, one night Lampie scolds Nora, telling her to accept that Paul is no doubt dead and will never return, only to apologize for his outburst and excuse himself. Dismayed, Nora retires to the lighthouse balcony and sings toward the ocean, assuring Paul that she is still waiting for him out there. "Candle on the Water" was originally intended to be the only song featured in the film, but when it met with such acclaim, the decision was made to turn the film into a musical. According to Helen Reddy, she was told by Kasha and Hirschhorn that "they deliberately placed religious and spiritual symbols within the song."

Chart performance

Helen Reddy's version

Cover versions

In 1979, the song was covered by Swedish singer Kikki Danielsson, translated in Swedish as "Jag är ditt ljus på mörka vatten" by Swedish translator Doreen Denning (sv), for Danielsson's album '' Rock'n Yodel''. On December 14, 2014, an audio-only cover of Candle On The Water was uploaded to the ミラクルミュージカル official YouTube page and Soundcloud. The track was dedicated to the memory of Diem Brown and Trevelyn Grace Campbell, fans of

Tally Hall Tally Hall is an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in December 2002. The band is known for upbeat melodies and whimsical lyrics. The members originally described their musical style as "wonky rock," later redefining their soun ...

. "Candle on the Water" has been sung on the ''

DisneyMania 4 ''Disneymania 4'' is the fourth in the ''Disneymania'' series. This is the second ''Disneymania'' album with the Disney Channel Circle of Stars (though the album just calls them "Disney Channel Stars"), with a few additions, such as Dylan and Cole ...

'' album by

Anneliese van der Pol Anneliese Louise van der Pol (born September 23, 1984) is a Dutch-born American actress and singer. She is known for her theatre work, and for starring as Chelsea Daniels on the Disney Channel series ''That's So Raven'' (2003–2007) and its sp ...

. It was also sung briefly by

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

and an unidentified a cappella group in the dramedy ''

Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to li ...

'' in the episode "The Legend of Merle McQuoddy". This song was also performed by

Okkervil River Okkervil River is an American rock band led by singer-songwriter Will Sheff. Formed in Austin, Texas, in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya set on the river Okkervil in Saint Petersburg. They beg ...

for the 2016 remake of '' Pete's Dragon''.

References

Bibliography

* 1977 songs 1977 singles Disney songs Helen Reddy songs Love themes Songs written for films Songs written by Al Kasha Songs written by Joel Hirschhorn Walt Disney Records singles Torch songs {{1970s-single-stub