Conway Twitty’s second album of 1973, You’ve Never Been This Far Before, reached number one on the US Country music album chart. It was also certified Gold by the RIAA for selling half a million copies. The single of the same name peaked at number one on the US country chart and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
My Impressions…
You’ve Never Been This Far Before is such a big song that they could do no better than to open the album with it. While, in his lifetime, Conway insisted that the acts described in the song were as innocent as holding hands etc, the descriptions are deliciously open to interpretation and must have opened the door to some of his later material, such as I’d Love to Lay You Down. It used to be said that the female record buyers outnumbered the male, in country music. Twitty’s output, previously but especially following this release, catered to the grown-up female record buyers.
His songs talked about mature romantic relationships with a touch which trod the line between romanticism, tenderness, reality and honesty so precisely. This album holds that balance perfectly, with every number justifying its inclusion, all complementary to that giant title track.
My Highlights…
It feels so lazy and trite to cite the title track, with all its fame and success, as one of the stand-outs on this album. But truly, You’ve Never Been This Far Before is still a monster of a song, in the very best way. It offers such a clever and irresistible build-up to a sweet and loving climax at its closing bars. The structure of the song, as well as Twitty’s masterful vocal technique, lead us on a very clever journey. He had many triumphs in his musical career, but this song is possibly one of the greatest. The musical and emotional intelligence and understanding used in partnership by Twitty as the songwriter and performer are sublime and surprising every time I hear it.
Above and Beyond is bouncy and compelling as one would expect from Harlan Howard’s songwriting, offering some light relief from some of the heavier tracks. It has a pleasing narrative, almost fairytale in its simplicity.
The Weakness in Your Man continues to illustrate Twitty’s acknowledgement of traditional male frailty, perhaps even more directly than he has previously. It has real integrity as a song and a statement, which is possibly due to his solo authorship of this one.
I Love You More In Memory shows how well L.E. White’s songwriting worked with Twitty’s vocal style and musical sensibilities. It delivers on that heightened agony, with a large backing behind him, that we have by this time in his career come to expect. A perfect closer for the album: it stands as a bookend, valiantly holding up the opposing end to the opener You’ve Never Been This Far Before.
Track Listing
- You’ve Never Been This Far Before
- Born To Lose
- Bring It On Home (To Your Woman)
- ‘Til the Pain Outwears the Shame
- The Weakness in Your Man
- Seasons of My Heart
- Baby’s Gone
- When The Final Change is Made
- Above and Beyond
- (You Make it Hard) To Take the Easy Way Out
- I Love You More in Memory
In Conclusion…
If I had been a record buyer in the early 1970s, I would have been overjoyed by the album You’ve Never Been This Far Before. I would have felt I had been waiting over a year for a really good Conway Twitty album. I would have been enjoying those I purchased in the meantime. But with this, I would feel I had been rewarded for my patience, and then some!
I have used this description earlier in my review, but I cannot help but repeat it. It is monstrous, in the most wonderful way. It is compelling, driving, peppered through with the most delicious emotion and sentimentality. It elevates Conway Twitty to another level. He was great before: You’ve Never Been This Far Before cements him as an artist who understands his audience on a level that many must have envied. The title track is a masterclass in musical stimulation and engagement. It is intoxicating, and the pace of the album following it does not leave the listener feeling deflated or disappointed.
Following this album, Conway Twitty is another musical animal entirely. He is more direct, yet somehow also more subtle due to the understanding he shows of human relationships through his songwriting and his emotional interpretation and expression of others’ lyrics. This album feels personal, like some of the work I highlighted in my review of Fifteen Years Ago, when his private life seemed to influence his musical output. You’ve Never Been This Far feels like it comes from somewhere very real inside Conway Twitty. His output in the following decade would continue to mine those depths, bringing commercial success and fan satisfaction.
You’ve Never Been This Far Before is powerful and heartfelt. It is emotionally compelling and musically pleasing. I am, once again, left hungry for the next album released by Conway Twitty, even in retrospect.
