I thought I would start off my Conway Twitty blog by providing a list of his number one singles. The reason I do this is because over the years historians and critics often make reference to the fact of Conway having the "most #1 hits in country music". I am also providing this list as a reference because Conway's number one hit total is a combination of the chart-topping singles he accumulated not only on the weekly Billboard chart but also on the competitive music charts in publication during his career: Cashbox, Record World, Radio and Records. Historians rightfully single-out Billboard magazine as the only resource and reference because of the publication's longevity and impact. However, in some cases, even a publication as prestigious as Billboard can have policies and rules that prevent singles from attaining the #1 position in spite of public acceptance and airplay. Ticky-tack rules sometimes prevent heavy played songs from reaching #1...so this brings us to the topic of my first Conway blog...here are all 55 of Conway's number one hits. His first chart-topper happened on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1958 and the next 54 were country.
The singles in italics indicate those that hit #1 in the other music publications in competition with Billboard.
The year indicates when it reached #1...for late in the year releases, his singles often peaked early the following year.
Conway's duets with Loretta Lynn are specified with three symbols following the year it reached number one ***
1. It's Only Make Believe; 1958 Pop
2. Next In Line; 1968
3. Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie; 1969
4. I Love You More Today; 1969
5. To See My Angel Cry; 1969
6. That's When She Started To Stop Loving You; 1970
7. Hello Darlin'; 1970
8. Fifteen Years Ago; 1970
9. After The Fire Is Gone; 1971***
10. How Much More Can She Stand; 1971
11. I Wonder What She'll Think About Me Leaving; 1971
12. Lead Me On; 1971***
13. I Can't See Me Without You; 1972
14. I Can't Stop Loving You; 1972
15. Lost Her Love on Our Last Date; 1972
16. She Needs Someone To Hold Her When She Cries; 1972
17. Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man; 1973***
18. You've Never Been This Far Before; 1973
19. Baby's Gone; 1973
20. There's a Honky Tonk Angel; 1974
21. As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone; 1974***
22. I'm Not Through Loving You Yet; 1974
23. I See The Want To In Your Eyes; 1974
24. Linda On My Mind; 1975
25. Feelins; 1975***
26. Don't Cry, Joni; 1975 duet with daughter, Joni Jenkins
27. Touch The Hand; 1975
28. This Time I've Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me; 1976
29. After All The Good Is Gone; 1976
30. The Letter; 1976***
31. The Games That Daddies Play; 1976
32. I Can't Believe She Gives It All To Me; 1977
33. Play, Guitar Play; 1977
34. I've Already Loved You In My Mind; 1977
35. Don't Take It Away; 1979
36. I May Never Get To Heaven; 1979
37. Happy Birthday Darlin; 1979
38. I'd Love To Lay You Down; 1980
39. Rest Your Love On Me; 1981
40. Tight Fittin' Jeans; 1981
41. Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night; 1982
42. The Clown; 1982
43. Slow Hand; 1982
44. We Really Did But Now You Don't; 1982
45. The Rose; 1983
46. Lost In The Feeling; 1983
47. Somebody's Needin' Somebody; 1984
48. I Don't Know a Thing About Love; 1984
49. Ain't She Somethin' Else; 1985
50. Don't Call Him a Cowboy; 1985
51. Desperado Love; 1986
52. Fallin' For You For Years; 1987
53. Julia; 1987
54. She's Got a Single Thing In Mind; 1989
55. Crazy In Love; 1990
As the 1970's came to a close you will notice some gaps...the entire year of 1978 isn't shown because none of his Top-10 singles that year went to #1 and only one single in 1980 reached #1. The #1 hit-making would continue to thrive, though. The chart toppers went strong through 1986 when he obtained his 40th and final #1 country hit on the Billboard chart. When you add in his #1 pop hit, that gives him 41 Billboard chart topping singles. Fourteen additional country singles reached the top spot in the other music publications, which are listed above in italic print, adding to the 41 total...bringing it to 55 overall.
His Billboard achievement of 40 #1 country hits was broken by George Strait a few years ago and so Conway slips to #2 on the Billboard Most #1 Hits list. Conway had held the 40 #1 country hit record for 20 years, before George Strait took over in 2006.
Good article on Conway. I would like to know if you would let me share with my Conway Twitty fan club on Face book! Check out our fan club on Facebook, just search Ed Bouman & Friends Conway Twitty Fan Club, request becoming a member, and I will approve you right away!
ReplyDeleteYes...you can share this fan-created blog page with others. I'm only active in a couple of the blog pages that I've created, though, but I keep my less active blogs available for future discovery.
DeleteThe greatest country singer of all time
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a great article! Conway has always been and always will be the greatest country music artist of all time. I find it also amazing that George Strait surpassed Conway 13 years AFTER Conway left us! It makes me wonder as to how many more gold records Conway would have had if he were still with us today! I had the privilege to visit Twitty City with my wife before he passed. I was in awe seeing all those gold records lining each side of that long wall! If I remember correctly, the teal blue Thunderbird that was on display had less than 40 miles on it at the time. He built three houses together that joined each other for his privacy when he needed it and to spend time with his family! I'm sorry this is so long. While there are artist who appreciate their fans, Conway did more than that, he was dedicated to his fans, just as they were dedicated to him! Conway was more than a great singer and songwriter, he was a great performer that with a talent that was unsurpassed in country music!
ReplyDeleteMay I please share this as well on my Facebook page and will give full credit to you! Thank you again for such a great article with more information about the history of his music that I've ever read anywhere!
Great blog. Conway was absolutely the best. His music over the years changed with the times, but was still very true to country music. If you listen to some of his last music from albums like House on Old Lonesome Road and Final Touches you'll know what Im talking about. His later albums were some of his best music. Surprised that he didnt rack up another 5 or 6 #1's on his last few albums alone. Thanks for the blog
ReplyDeleteWow, dude.. I've talked to many-a Conway fan over the years but I can honestly say you're the first person I've ever heard say "his later albums were some of his best music." I was quite surprised to come across someone who believes that to be true.. It made my day because I've felt very strongly those exact sentiments all my life! But NO ONE EVER agrees with me! I've never understood why Conway struggled with chart success during his final years with Warner Bros & his second stint with MCA! Granted, I realize that maybe some of his chosen singles during the Warmer Bros years' ("Heartache Tonight", "Baby I'm-a Want You", "Three Times a Lady", "Slow Hand") were risky choices for the "New Traditional " movement that was happening in the '80s, but I always felt that it just showcased his versatility and brought an interesting vibe to his music, and to country radio.. To my bewilderment, apparently country radio listeners (or should I say country radio executives and big wigs) did not agree with me.. I think people maybe thought he was leaning into his rock roots a little deeper than they cared for, and so began the steady descent down the charts.. It's a shame too, because (allow me too steal a Conway song title here) *in my eyes* it would be a tough task to attempt to find any better music anywhere anytime than in the final decade of his life! And when it comes to albums as a whole , Hand to God, I'll take"Borderline", ""Chasin' Rainbows", or "Crazy In Love" over any album in the'60s or '70s! The last decade of his life was just the exact prime example of what great music is and should be! Saddest of all, my two favorite songs (and in my biased opinion, 2 of the top contenders for greatest songs of any genre in any period of history) are a couple of quote-unquote "throw aways" as far as everyone else seems to believe. One is tainted with the stain of being a 1985 unsuccessful single, the so simple, so perfect "You'll Never Know How Much I Needed You Today" which barely reached the top 20 (ask me I say, Top 20 ain't nothing to sneeze at). God, you feel every drop of pain the narrator feels by that unmatchable voice.. and to me, the best Conway song of all is the title track to his penultimate album.. the forgotten, non-single, mostly unheard of 1991 song "Even Now." Even Stevens just wrote a masterpiece and Conway took it and somehow made something great into something absolutely perfect! All I can say is, WHAT A SONG.. "Later Years" Conway is the best Conway far as I'm concerned!! My apologies if my unintended little diatribe is too long or too boring, but it just blew my mind that someone might actually agree with me concerning "Final Years Conway" and apparently I just vomited out a lifetime of frustration at feeling all alone about the subject! Do anyway, thanks for making my day, fella! Or madame! So uh, yeah.. Peace! or umm, maybe, "As-Salamu Alaykum" or "Cheers, mate!".. whatever takes your fancy lol! (Yo yo, my brotha check this out PS - No one will EVER be able to convince me that Conway has any fewer than 55 #1 hits! Cashbox and R&R may not be or mean anything today, but they sure did back then, and 55 is a legitimate, fair, & accurate number! And even if you only count Billboard, show me the list of all the artists with 40 or more #1s.. Alright, go ahead I'll wait.. hard to remember all those names isn't it? Probably gonna take ya awhile to write all those names down, huh? What's that? Oh, what?!? You say that other than Convey, it's only George Strait who makes that list? Seriously? Whoa, guy.. you just blew my mind!! They Conway dude, he musta been pretty good huh? Yeah I guess he was okay! Mic drop.. hah! Thank you and goodnight, like Marty McFly, I'm going back to the future! Buh-byes!
DeleteThat was real country music,unlike the so-called country music today. It's a shame an artist with that many number one hits was never awarded entertainer of the year
ReplyDeleteLove your blog .I do have a question and hoping maybe you can shed some light on this for me .Do you know how many songs Conway wrote or help co -write that became #1's for him .I have researched it and only come up with 18 and yet I have been told by many that it was actual 19 song .Can you help me solve this mystery please .I am the head admin on Conway Twitty Fans and I sure don't want to answer a question on Conway that is in correct :) He will always be my #1 when it comes to country music
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DeleteThe songs that you are also aware of, for example "Play Guitar Play", "It's Only Make Believe", "I've Already Loved You in My Mind", "Hello Darlin" are number one hits wrote...the list of number one hits he wrote or co-wrote is the same list I'm familiar. I am not aware of his having written/co-written more than the number officially cited. Whoever is saying that he had a hand at writing 19 number one hits ask for a list of those songs for verification.
DeleteWhat i found is only 13 songs that he wrote that where actually written by him alone 14 if you count Lost her Love on Our Last Date . he did write the words but the music was Floyd Cramers. the list i have is in order 1. To See my Angel Cry 1969 2. Hello Darlin 1970 3. I Can't See me Without You 4.Lost Her Love On Our Last Date 1972 (He wrote the words but the melody belong to Floyd Cramer)
Delete5.You've never been This Far Before 1973 6. As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone 1974 Duet with Loretta Lynn
7.Linda On My Mind 1975
8. Don't Cry Joni 1975 duet w/daughter Joni Lee Jenkins
9.Touch The Hand 1975
10 After All The Good Is Gone 1976
11 The Games That Daddies Play 1976
12 I Can't Believe She Gives It All To Me 1977
13 Play Guitar Play 1977
14 I've Already Loved You In My Mind 1977
This is the only ones he actually wrote himself of the 55 number 1's that he had :)
I did not add it's only make believe because it was co written with Jack Nance who was Conway's drummer at the time also
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DeleteGeorge Jones had always been my favorite country voice but you can't have the conversation without Conway! Conway understood how to sing with different emotions for different songs and had a great voice very few have ever put it all together like that! My son is 29 yrs old and his favorite song is you've never been this far before! Just shows his lasting impression and ability to reach all groups and ages. Great article love seeing people keeping real country music alive!
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