OldiesButGoodies

Country

Conway Twitty – It’s Only Make Believe

It's Only Make Believe

Introduction:

A Love Song Born on the Road: The Story of “It’s Only Make Believe”

In the late 1950s, a young, aspiring rock and roll singer named Harold Lloyd Jenkins, who would later become known as Conway Twitty, was touring Canada with his band. During a break at the Flamingo Lounge in Hamilton, Ontario, Jenkins and his drummer, Jack Nance, began crafting a heartfelt ballad about the yearning for unrequited love. This impromptu collaboration would soon become one of the most enduring love songs in music history.

The song, initially titled “I’ll Try,” was recorded in Nashville’s legendary Bradley Studios on May 7, 1958. However, it was the B-side, “It’s Only Make Believe,” that captured the hearts of listeners. Released in July 1958, the single climbed the charts, eventually reaching the coveted number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of that year. It remained at the top for two weeks, solidifying Twitty’s place in music history.

“It’s Only Make Believe” resonated with audiences due to its raw emotion and relatable lyrics. The song’s protagonist expresses his deep love for someone who may not reciprocate his feelings, leading to a poignant sense of longing and uncertainty. Twitty’s soulful vocals, combined with the song’s simple yet powerful melody, created a timeless masterpiece that continues to be cherished by music lovers around the world.

Video:

https://youtu.be/0XbM7G-zJDY?si=9hf4O4W2UiSEnT3-

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Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

Merle Haggard rarely needed to invent heartbreak. He had known it since childhood. In 1946, when Merle was only nine years old, his father, James Haggard, died following a stroke. For a boy who deeply needed his father’s presence, the loss became a turning point. His mother, Flossie, worked to support the family. Merle, meanwhile, became increasingly restless. He skipped school, ran away, got into trouble, and began a long journey through juvenile institutions that eventually led somewhere far darker. Looking back at his life, it is difficult not to see that nine-year-old boy behind many of the adult Merle Haggard’s songs. People later called him a rebel, an outlaw and a survivor. But before any of those labels existed, there was simply a grieving boy who had lost his dad—and never seemed to completely outrun that loss.

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