10 Best Conway Twitty Songs
Prior to George Strait, Conway Twitty held the record for the most No. 1 records in country music history.
In the beginning, it looked like baseball was where the Mississippi man was headed until he was drafted during the Korean War. After discovering and following the rock and roll stars of the day, Twitty decided to give music a shot. Sun Records in Memphis was the first stop, but no hits prevailed.
After a switch to MGM Records, Twitty rocked the teenage jukebox with "Its Only Make Believe" in That also led to appearances in teen-based movies. Twitty had such an impact that his story and name were parodied by the character Conrad Birdie in the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie.
When Twitty hit his 30s, he decided to change courses and pursue his love of country music. In , the journey began, thanks to a loyal legion of fans who would follow him anywhere. From early country hits like "Youve Never Been This Far Before" and "Linda on My Mind," to 80s classics including "Tight Fittin Jeans" and "Id Just Love to Lay You Down," these are the Top 10 Conway Twitty songs.
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"The Rose"
From ‘Dream Maker’ ()In , Bette Midler hit No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts with "The Rose." Realizing the power of great love songs and how singing the song from a mans point of view would appeal to the ladies, Conway Twitty put his signature sensual tones on a country version of the hit. Twitty also had success covering other pop songs like the Commodores "Three Times a Lady," the Pointer Sisters "Slow Hand" and the Eagles "Heartache Tonight." Out of all of the covers, we selected "The Rose" to begin our list of the Top 10 Conway Twitty Songs.
- 9
"You’ve Never Been This Far Before"
From ‘You’ve Never Been This Far Before’ ()Twitty penned "Youve Never Been This Far Before" to tell the story of a person stepping outside of marriage for the first time. Banned by some radio stations at the time, it was misunderstood that the controversial single was about losing ones virginity, when it was really about finding a new love after a breakup. To prove that this wasnt just a "dirty" love song, Twitty always pointed to the lyrics, "I dont know and I dont care what made you tell him you dont love him anymore." In the end, Twittys female fans pushed the song to No. 1.
- 8
"It’s Only Make Believe"
From ‘Conway Twitty Sings’ ()While you wont find "Its Only Make Believe" anywhere on the country charts, its an integral part of the Conway Twitty songs catalog. In , MGM records released "Its Only Make Believe" and turned Twitty into a rock and roll star. Teen-targeted hits including "Danny Boy" and "Mona Lisa" set the foundation for an amazing musical journey that would be destined for country in Twittys first hit is a must-have on our list of the Top 10 Conway Twitty songs.
- 7
"Don’t Call Him a Cowboy"
From ‘Don’t Call Him a Cowboy’ ()Songwriter Johnny MacRae had the idea for "Dont Call Him a Cowboy" during the Urban Cowboy craze of the early 80s. After the John Travolta / Debra Winger movie became a hit, people from all walks of life were wearing cowboy hats and learning how to two-step. Twitty turned the idea into a No. 1 song in Although he would continue to record and tour until his death, Twitty's final Billboard chart-topper came a year later with "Desperado Love."
- 6
"Linda on My Mind"
From ‘Linda on My Mind’ ()Conway Twittys songs were often considered too risque for radio. "Linda on My Mind" was another example of a song he wrote that got people riled up because it spoke of a man who sleeps with one woman while dreaming of another. Twitty explained in Tom Rolands Billboard Book of No. 1 Country Hits, There are tons of songs like that. You cant take sex out of country music. If you did, it wouldnt be country music. But you can tell the story without being vulgar." Representing his catalog of hits from the 70s, "Linda on My Mind" eases into our list of the Top 10 Conway Twitty Songs.
- 5
"I Don’t Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song)"
From ‘By Heart’ ()Harlan Howard is easily considered one of the greatest country songwriters in history. Howard classics include Charlie Walkers "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down," Ray Charles and John Conlees "Busted," Ray Prices "Heartaches by the Number" and Buck Owens "Ive Got a Tiger by the Tail." The cute little story in "I Dont Know a Thing About Love" finds a man looking to the moon and stars for advice about relationships. Twittys interpretation once again found him at No. 1, and helped remind everyone of the great timeless music penned by Harlan Howard.
- 4
"I’d Just Love to Lay You Down"
From ‘Heart and Soul’ ()Once again, Conway Twitty managed to find another hit song that offended people. Like other Twitty recordings, "Id Love to Lay You Down" was considered too risque and was even banned from some radio station playlists. However, Twitty - who sang directly to his female fanbase - defended the song in Tom Rolands Billboard Book of No. 1 Country Hits. Its not an off-color song. Its a love song about a couple who have been married for several years," he explained. "I think the women who listen to the song recognize this fact. The men dont, and thats why some of the stations arent playing it - the men are making the decisions.
- 3
"That’s My Job"
From ‘Borderline’ ()Later in his career, Conway Twitty started to record songs slightly different than what his audience was accustomed to hearing on the radio. In , he took a gamble to tell a story song about a typical father-son relationship. The sparse production and deep story song touched the hearts of many people who were lucky to have a father so loving and caring that they would call parenthood their favorite job. "Thats My Job" is still one of the most-requested and downloaded Fathers Day songs on country radio, and its impact on the fans earns it a spot on our list of the Top 10 Conway Twitty Songs.
- 2
"Tight Fittin’ Jeans"
From ‘Red Neckin’ Love Makin Night’ ()Although most of his hits were written and sung with the ladies in mind, Conway Twitty recorded "Tight Fittin Jeans" for the guys. The song was born at Charley Prides publishing company, and in the end, Pride regretted that he didnt have the chance to record the song first. Ironically, Twitty's wife was never a big fan of the song, but he insisted that every once in a while, he had to record something for the men! Penned by Mike Huffman, the song became a staple on country radio in the early 80s, peaking at No. 1 in September of
- 1
"Hello Darlin’"
From ‘Hello Darlin’’ ()Conway Twitty wrote "Hello Darlin'" while he was a rock and roll singer in the 50s, but chose not to record it until , when he had made the switch to country music. Considering that the song has no chorus, and the title is only mentioned once in the very beginning of the song, the tune was considered a little risky. After hitting No. 1, "Hello Darlin'" made history after being played in space on the Apollo/Soyuz space mission. Twitty witnessed the U.S. and Soviet crews linked in space with the song playing in the background in Russian as "Privet Radost."
What Is Your Favorite Conway Twitty Song?
With 98 Billboard charted singles to his credit, and hundreds more album cuts, it was a tough task to pick just 10 Conway Twitty classics. Now, its your turn to agree or disagree with what made the cut. Please leave your favorite Conway Twitty songs in the comments section below.
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