Starter Kits are Country Universe’s way of introducing country music fans to an artist that they might not be fully aware of. Our first Starter Kit features Conway Twitty, the legendary Hall of Famer with forty number one singles to his credit.
After having major success on the pop charts in the fifties, Twitty crossed over to country, where he was a regular presence in the top ten from the late sixties until the early nineties. No country music fan should be without some Conway Twitty in their collection. Here are ten tracks to start off with.
“It’s Only Make Believe” from the 1958 album Conway Twitty Sings
Twitty’s clearly influenced by Elvis Presley as a vocalist on this #1 pop hit. He’d later develop a country style but never fully lose the soul sound found on his first hit.
“Hello Darlin'” from the 1970 album Hello Darlin’
Still his signature song, Twitty became a superstar with this plaintive plea to his former lover.
“How Much More Can She Stand” from the 1971 album How Much More Can She Stand
Twitty almost succeeds at making a cheating man sound sympathetic, as he ponders the weakness inside him and the impact it has on the woman that he loves but still betrays.
“You’ve Never Been This Far Before” from the 1973 album You’ve Never Been This Far Before
The first of many great suggestive Twitty hits, this song created a tremendous amount of controversy upon its release. The reality is that he’s talking about going far emotionally, not physically.
“Linda on My Mind” from the 1975 album Linda on My Mind
He claims he’s lying next to his wife with his lover Linda on his mind, but he’s really focusing his thoughts on his “soon to be the one I left behind.”
“Don’t Cry Joni” from the 1975 album The High Priest of Country Music
If you can get past the fact that he’s singing with his daughter, this is one of the best loved and lost songs of the seventies.
“This Time I’ve Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me” from the 1976 album Twitty
Something of a sequel to “How Much More Can She Stand”, his betrayed wife has finally had enough, as “she’s already stood for more than I was ever good for.”
“I’d Just Love to Lay You Down” from the 1980 album Heart & Soul
Don’t let the title fool you. This is a song about eternal love, a commitment that a man will still love his woman long after many years have gone by.
“Tight Fittin’ Jeans” from the 1981 album Mr. T
A high class woman fulfills her lifelong dream of being “a good old boy’s girl”, and Twitty is the lucky good old boy.
“That’s My Job” from the 1987 album Borderline
A father-and-son relationship told in three acts. The final act finds the singing son paying tribute to his father in the only way he knows how.
Your starter list is composed of very good songs. The problem ,of course, is that Conway had a long and productive career and you could make a decent case for several almost entirely different lists (“Hello Darlin’ ” and “It’s Only Make Believe” must be on any such list).
I would go with several 1960s numbers “Look Into MyTeardrops”, “The Image of Me”, and “Next In Line” plus the early 80s numbers “Lost In The Feeling” and “Grand Old Blues” and I wouldn’t object to “Fifteen Years Ago” or “I Don’t Know A Thing ABout Love” being included
Excellent job, Kevin. Conway was one of the all-time greats. Not for nothing was he called “the greatest friend a song ever had”. Narrowing down his catalog to just ten songs is a formidable task. I might have gone with a couple of different songs, but I can’t really argue with any of your choices.
I cant argue with any of these, but with an artist like Conway Twitty, narrowing it down was no easy task. I also might have added “I don’t Know a Thing about Love”
I really wanted to include “A Rainy Night in Georgia” with Sam Moore, but it’s not available digitally.
The idea behind this feature will be just getting people started on an artist. It’s going to be much trickier with artists who have very deep catalogs, but then again, perhaps those are the ones that will make people want to dig deeper anyway.
I really like Twitty’s voice. Great list. I like all of the song on it.
I also really like “I Don’t Know A Thing About Love” and, shamefully, his version of “Slow Hand.” “Rainy Night in Georgia” is excellent. It made me buy a Sam Moore album, actually.
“Rainy Night in Georgia” is available from iTunes.
Great list.
As was already said, Conway’s catalog is so vast that it’s all but impossible to only list 10 of his songs. The only one you added I wouldn’t have is ‘Don’t Cry Joni’. I never liked that song. But everybody else seems to. ‘Games That Daddies Play’ has a similar effect on me – just too “heartstring” for me. And I would have added ‘I May Never Get to Heaven’ or ‘There’s a Honky Tonk Angel Who’ll Take Me Back In’.
Actually, JR, I forgot to mention it, but I don’t like that song much either. My reason, however, is because I don’t think Twitty’s daughter’s voice is especially good. The story doesn’t really intrigue me either. It’s okay though.
I still buy a lot of old fashioned CDs. What single album would you recommend? I was thinking of ordering Silver Anniversary Collection.
Silver Anniversary Collection is definitely the best collection of hits to start with, Michael. Or his box set The Conway Twitty Collection.
Thanks JR, I’ll start with that one and possibly upgrade to the box set later. :)
I really like this. Let’s do more!
I DON’T DISAGREE WITH THE SONG SELECTION OF THE 10 SONGS YOU PICKED BUT I WOULD OF ADDED GOODBY TIME WHY ME LORD JULIA THE SHADOW OF A DISTANT FRIEND JUST THE THOUGHT OF LOSING YOU SLOW HAND BUT HOW CAN YOU PICK JUST 10 SONGS OUT OF 55 NUMBER ONE HITS THAT CONWAY HAD I LOVED ALL OF CONWAY SONGS FROM ROCK AND ROLL TO COUNTRY
I am related to the Country Music Songwriter, Troy Seals. Troy helped Conway switch from Rock N’ Roll to Country back in 1965-66. My dad, mom, and I (as a baby) was present at a family Seals breakfast with Conway and Roy Orbison present. If you want to know more about Conway Twitty to publish on this website, find Troy Seals in Nashville/Hendersonville, TN and have a LONG talk with him. Also go to old record stores and find all of Conway’s albums. Some of his very first albums have songs that were ALL written by cousin Troy Seals. Oh, and if you talk to Troy, tell him Cousin Ovie and his daughter, Jenni, say hello….Thanks!