Our top 10 Conway Twitty songs list presents ten of the best songs released by a legendary musical artist with a huge catalog of songs. Born in 1933, Conway Twitty was active in the music scene from 1955 till his demise in 1993. His passion for music saw him form a singing group called the Phillips County Ramblers. Conway Twitty started writing songs after he heard “Mystery Train” by Elvis Presley.
Later in 1957, Conway Twitty recorded and released two singles under Mercury Records. However, he barely achieved success with the two singles. The next year, Conway Twitty started releasing music under MGM Records. One of his earliest successful hits was “It’s Only Make Believe,” a song he co-wrote with Jack Nance. The song legacy lives to date, having it rise steadily to the peak of the Billboard pop music charts.
“It’s Only Make Believe” topped the charts in twenty-one more nations selling over four million copies. The main reason for the song’s success of the vocal similarity between Elvis Presley and Conway Twitty. Conway Twitty continued to make successful releases, including “Lonely Blue Boy” and “Danny Boy.”
After enjoying quite a successful start in the rock and roll scene, Conway Twitty started recording country songs in 1965. Initially, some of the country-music radio stations didn’t play his music. This followed the fact that he was a renowned rock artist. However, his songs were gaining quite a following by country fans and prompted the radio stations to play his music. One of his first successful country hits is “Next in Line,” an almost three-minute track released in 1968.
Two years later, Conway Twitty released his most renowned country song, “Hello Darlin’.” The song topped the country charts maintaining the position for four weeks. Conway Twitty would later start making duets with country singer Loretta Lynn. “After the Fire is Gone” marked his first duet with Loretta Lynn, with several others following in the ’70s.
Once more, Conway Twitty took his fans to yet another musical evolution. It all started with transforming his looks especially, the hairstyle. In the late ’70s, Conway Twitty took on the country-pop music style. He maintained in this genre till death. Conway Twitty proved that he was in the country-pop scene to conquer thanks to his successful start.
Very few artists have achieved feats as Conway Twitty did with his musical style evolution to country-pop. The artist saw his next twenty-three consecutive singles reach number ten on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Among the twenty-three songs, Conway Twitty saw thirteen of them rise to number one.
Conway Twitty marked his fiftieth number one hit on the chart with “Don’t Call Him a Cowboy” in 1985. He would later have five more number one songs on the charts ending up with fifty-five number one songs. In 2002, country musician George Strait made it fifty number singles with the song “She’ll Leave You With a Smile.”
This saw him match Conway Twitty’s 1985 record. It took him five more years to break Conway Twitty’s record of fifty-five number one songs on the chart. George Strait achieved this feat thanks to his hit “Wrapped.” Conway Twitty’s final effort before his death in 1993 was his album Final Touches (1993).
By the Conway Twitty died, he had released a total of sixty-seven studio albums. Of the sixty-seven albums, fifty-eight were his solo studio album, with the rest being albums he released with country singer Loretta Lynn. Throughout his music career, Conway Twitty has received multiple awards, most of which have recognized his vocal capabilities. Here are the best Conway Twitty songs from his over thirty-five years in the music scene.
#10 – Don’t Take It Away
Ushering us in the top 10 Conway Twitty songs is the cover hit “Don’t Take It Away.” The song is featured on Conway Twitty’s album Cross Winds (1979). Initially, “Don’t Take It Away” was released by country musician Jody Miller on her album Will You Love Me Tomorrow (1975). Conway Twitty’s version outperformed the original song having it reach number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
#9 – Crazy in Love
“Crazy in Love” is the album title track to Conway Twitty’s first full-length album of the ’90s. The song is a cover of a 1984 hit by Joe Cocker going by the same title. Conway Twitty was among the many artists to deliver a rendition of this song. Other artists who covered the song include Kim Carnes, Kenny Rogers, and Julio Iglesias.
Conway Twitty delivers this song in a sentimental mood with words with a smooth melodramatic tune. “Crazy in Love” was Conway Twitty’s last release to make it to number one on reputable music charts. Among all versions of the hit “Crazy in Love,” Conway Twitty’s version was the most successful.
#8 – Linda on My Mind
Our number eight song on the top 10 Conway Twitty songs is the hit “Linda on My Mind.” The song is the title track to Conway’s 1975 album Linda on My Mind. “Linda on My Mind” managed to rise and stay at number one of the Billboard Hot Country Songs for a week. The song remained on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for eight weeks.
“Linda on My Mind” features the background vocals of L.E. White and Carol Lee Cooper, which add glamor to Conway Twitty’s vocals. The song also managed to rise to number sixty-one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also managed a number one position on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
#7 – I See the Want To in Your Eyes
Conway Twitty achieved his eleventh number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “I See the Want To in Your Eyes.” The song was penned by Wayne Carson and Mischa Scorer. Often referred to as the honky-tonk king, Gary Stewart was the first to record the song.
Conway Twitty covered the song featuring it on I’m Not Through Loving You Yet (1974). His version spent two weeks on the number one spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs.
#6 – You’ve Never Been This Far Before
Number six on our top 10 Conway Twitty songs is “You’ve Never Been This Far Before.” The song is the title track to Conway Twitty’s 1973 album of the same name. “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” was his tenth number one song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart as a solo artist.
The song spent three weeks and a total of sixteen weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” is also the best-performing country song by Conway Twitty on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number twenty-two. The song was covered by Canadian singer Carroll Baker. Like the original version, Carroll Baker’s version peaked at number one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
#5 – Don’t Call Him a Cowboy
Conway Twitty was flying high in the country scene, with almost every album releasing a number one song on Billboard Hot Country Songs. In 1985, he welcomed his 50th number one song on the national charts with the hit “Don’t Call Him a Cowboy.” However, this was his thirty-fourth number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
This country ballad is the album title track to his 1985 album, Don’t Call Him a Cowboy. Johnny MacRae, Bob Morrison, and Debbie Hupp helped Conway Twitty in penning the song’s lyrics. The song finds the artist taking a dig at the Urban Cowboy movement of the early ’80s.
#4 – After the Fire Is Gone ft. Loretta Lynn
American Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter L.E. White provided more than just backing vocals to some of Conway Twitty’s songs. L.E. White penned several successful hits for Conway. Among the song he penned is our number four hit on our top 10 Conway Twitty songs list, “After the Fire Is Gone.”
Conway Twitty teams up with Loretta Lynn for the release of the song. “After the Fire Is Gone” is featured on Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn’s first collaborative album, We Only Make Believe (1971). The song was Conway and Loretta’s first number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles as a duo. “After the Fire Is Gone” rose to number fifty-four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Willie Nelson and Tracy Nelson covered the song three years later. Their version reached number seventeen on the Billboard Hot Country Singles. Conway Twitty received his first Grammy Award in the Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1972, thanks to this ballad.
#3 – I’d Love to Lay You Down
Heart & Soul (1980) is home to our number three hit on our top 10 Conway Twitty songs list, “I’d Love to Lay You Down.” The song marked Conway Twitty’s twenty-fourth number one hit on the country chart. “I’d Love to Lay You Down” is one of the finest works of country music composer Johnny MacRae. Johnny MacRae has been lauded by many for his incredible work with other artists, including Ricky Van Shelton, Dixie Chicks, George Strait, and Blackhawk.
Country singer Daryle Singletary remade “I’d Love to Lay You Down” in 2002. His version peaked at number forty-three on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Legendary country artist Chris Young references this song in his track “I Can Take It from There.” “I’d Love to Lay You Down” was Gold-certified in the US after sales exceeded five hundred thousand copies.
#2 – Hello Darlin’
“Hello Darlin'” is one of the most successful Conway Twitty songs of all time. He released the song as the first single and title track to his 1970 album Hello Darlin’. While he might have had a lot of reputable number one country ballads, “Hello Darlin'” remains his signature song in the country scene.
“Hello Darlin'” alludes to a man who bumps into a girl he used to date. The guy seems to be blown away by the lady’s beauty. He goes on to acknowledge that he made a mistake by ruining their relationship. More often than not, Conway Twitty used this Gold-certified song as a concert opener. Other than topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs, “Hello Darlin'” reached position sixty on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.
#1 – It’s Only Make Believe
Number one on our top 10 Conway Twitty songs list is the hit “It’s Only Make Believe.” The song was penned by Conway Twitty and drummer Jack Nance. “It’s Only Make Believe” is a blend of rock and pop music, with touches of country elements felt from afar. At the time of the song’s release, Conway Twitty was unknown in the rock and roll scene.
However, the song led Conway Twitty through to global success, with the song peaking at number one on charts in different nations. The song also sold over eight million copies, the most any of his songs have made. “It’s Only Make Believe” is his only song to peak at number one on the UK Singles Chart and Billboard Hot 100.
Many singers/bands have covered this song, including Glen Campbell, Billy Fury, Roy Hamilton, Ronnie McDowell, Cold Chisel, Child, The Hollies, and Carroll Baker. Conway Twitty later recorded a duet of this song with her long-time collaborator Loretta Lynn.
Photo: United Talent Inc. (management)/MCA Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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