I fought forest fires in California
Battled with a blaze in New Orleans
Turned my back on fear and faced the danger
But I could not face the truth 'bout Betty Jean
I heard Betty Jean was hard to handle
But I was too in love to be concerned
Lord, she'd burn both ends of a candle
And somewhere in the middle I got burned, but
A new flame put out the fire
Oh, a memory strikes and flickers now and then
But that old flame don't get no higher
Because a new flame put out the fire
My second try at love was kin to lightnin'
Burned me to the ground then disappeared
I woke up lying face down on my pillow
Tried to catch my breath and choked on tears
I rolled around a while in burning embers
And I guess I took a fever with my pain
There's days and weeks and months I can't remember
And times that I cannot recall her name, because
A new flame put out the fire
Oh, a memory strikes and flickers now and then
But that old flame don't get no higher
Because a new flame put out the fire
I think I'd been more than understandin'
I'd been fairly patient through it all
Rejection number three's the one
That knocked me to my knees
Had to look Jesus' number
But I finally made the call and then
A new flame put out the fire
Oh, a memory strikes and flickers now and then
But that old flame don't get no higher
Because a new flame put out the fire