When two of the biggest country stars joined forces, the result was instant success. "After the First Is Gone," Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty's first duet single, soared to number one and crossed over to the pop charts, inaugurating a professional association that would yield over a decade of hits. We Only Make Believe, their first duet album, plays on the title of Twitty's first big solo hit, "It's Only Make Believe," which the pair reinterprets as a country duet with steel guitar. "After the Fire Is Gone" is here, and Lynn and Twitty each contribute an original song. Lynn's composition, "Don't Tell Me You're Sorry," is reminiscent of the playful sparring songs of Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton and ends with some strained ad libs (they'd get better at that as time went on). Nothing on the album approaches the excellence of "After the Fire Is Gone," but We Only Make Believe is a good starting point for one of the archetypal duos in country music.
LORETTA LYNN & CONWAY TWITTY
WE ONLY MAKE BELIEVE
Decca DL-75251January 2/1971
Produced by Owen Bradley
Recorded:Nov/1970, Bradley's Barn, Mount Juliet
1.
IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE
(Conway Twitty - Jack Nance) « © '59 Tree Publishing, BMI »People see us everywhere they all think we really care
But myself I can't deceive I know it's only make believe
My one and only prayer is that some day you'll care
My hopes my dreams come true my one and only you
No one will ever know how much I love you so
My only prayer will be some day you'll care for me
But it's only make believe
My hopes my dreams come true my life I give for you
My heart or wedding ring my all my everything
My heart I can't control you lure my very soul
My only prayer will be some day you'll care for me
But it's only make believe
My one and only prayer is that some day you'll care
My hopes my dreams come true my one and only you
No one will ever know how much I love you so
My plans my hopes my schemes you are my every dream
But it's only make believe
**********
2.
WE'VE CLOSED OUR EYES TO SHAME
(Betty Sue Perry - Doyle Wilburn) « © '70 Sure-Fire Music, BMI »We both agree we shouldn't be so much in love this way
Although it's wrong we go along just lovin' more each day
We act so proud out in the crowd while another wears my name
We've opened up our hearts to love and closed our eyes to shame
We've opened up a patience we can't fight
And closed our eyes to everything that's right
She won't agree to set me free still we get all the blame
We've opened up our hearts to love and closed our eyes to shame
[ steel ] We've opened up a patience we can't fight
And closed our eyes to everything that's right
We're victims of forbidden love we play a losin' game
We've opened up our hearts to love and closed our eyes to shame
**********
3.
I'M SO USED TO LOVING YOU
(Conway Twitty) « © '70 Tree Publishing, BMI »I'm so used to loving you sweetheart
You're on my mind each minute we're apart
And I love you more each day that we go through
You're my life and I'll live it loving you
I'm so used to loving you it seems
I can't stand the thought of losing you not even in my dream
Hold me close and tell me what I'd do without you
I couldn't take it I'm so used to loving you
[ steel - guitar ] I'm so used to the little things you say
Like hello darlin' did you have a busy day
And the way you hold me close when day is through
Yes you're my love and I'll love it loving you
I'm so used to loving you it seems...
**********
4.
WILL YOU VISIT ME ON SUNDAY
(Dallas Frazier) « © '67 Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »Just outside these prison bars a hanging tree is waiting
At sunrise I'll meet darkness and death will say hello
Darling touch your lips to mine and tell me that you love me
And hold me close once more before I go
Will you visit me on Sunday will you bring me pretty flowers
Will your big blue eyes be misty will you brush away a tear
A grave is filled with silence but if a sleeping man could hear
Darling you'd hear my footsteps up here
[ piano - steel ] I promise you that time won't seperate you from my mem'ry
That I'll remember you until the days of silver hair
If not for you I know I'd lose my mind before the morning
Hold me close and tell me that you care
Will you visit me on Sunday...
Yes I'll you visit you on Sunday and I'll bring you pretty flowers
**********
5.
AFTER THE FIRE IS GONE
(L.E. White) « © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »Love is where you find it when you find no love at home
And there's nothing cold as ashes after the fire is gone
The bottle is almost empty the clock just now struck ten
Darling I had to call you to our favorite place again
We know it's wrong for us to meet but the fire's gone out at home
And there's nothing cold as ashes after the fire is gone
Love is where you find it...
[ steel ] Your lips are warm and tender your arms hold me just right
Sweet words of love you remember that the one at home forgot
Each time we say it's last time but we keep hanging on
And there's nothing cold as ashes after the fire is gone
Love is where you find it...
**********
6.
DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY
(Loretta Lynn) « © '70 Sure-Fire Music, BMI »I'm sorry honey that you walked in and caught her in my lap
But it's not what you're thinking so think before you slap
I suppose you're weighin' that little blonde that walked here in this bar
Ah don't tell me you're sory cause I know how sorry you are
I'm sorry that you think I'm drunk I ain't had a drink today
Would you believe I held her just to see how much she'd weight
That cheatin' look that's on your face is lit up like a star
So don't tell me you're sorry cause I know how sorry you are
Don't tell me you're sorry but I'm as sorry as I can be
Oh you better look best but you give me no sass cause you belong to me
Now honey we ain't done nothing wrong but I'm sorry it's gone this far
But don't tell me you're sorry cause I know how sorry you are
[ guitar ] Don't tell me you're sorry...
(Now wait a minute Loretta you know how sorry I am
Conway you better believe I know how sorry you are...)
**********
7.
PICKIN' WILD MOUNTAIN BERRIES
(Cliff Thomas - Ed Thomas - Robert McRee) « © '68 Crazy Cajun Music, BMI »Where you been where you been it's the same old question again
What's the use baby what's the use they ain't never gonna turn us loose
You got dirt all over your face and your lipstick is way out of place
Oh we gonna tell 'em what we tell 'em every time before
They won't leave us alone they want us to come home
We been busy makin' merries and pickin' wild mountain berries
We're pickin' wild mountain berries that's our excuse every time
We've been busy makin' merries and pickin' wild mountain berries
[ steel ] Conway I don't know Loretta I don't know
If I can keep honey from lettin' it show
What's our plan tell me what's our plan
Now you know they won't understand
If my hair is a drippin' wet and my clothes are soakin' wet
And we didn't go skinny dippin' in a cement pond
You're my baby and you're my man
And though your hair is sure gettin' to be a mess
And there ain't no berries in your bucket
Now we'll explain it honey as best as we can
They won't leave us alone...
**********
8.
TAKE ME
(Leon Payne - George Jones) « © '64 Glad Music, BMI / Pappy Daily Music, BMI »Take me
Take me to your darkest room close every window and bolt every door
The very moment I hear your voice I'll be in darkness no more
Take me to your most barren desert a thousand miles from the nearest sea
The very moment I saw your smile it would be like heaven to me
There's not any mountain too rugged to climb no desert too barren to cross
Somewhere if you could just show a sign of love I could bear any call
Take me to Siberia and to coldest weather of the wintertime
It would be just like spring in California as long as I knew you were mine
There's not any mountain...
Take me
**********
9.
ONE I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
(Alma Rhodes - James Perry Pulliam) « © '70 Coal Miners Music, BMI »You say I shouldn't be here it's the same thing every night
You say I should go home to her what we're doing just ain't right
It's true she's there waitin' and wondering there's no doubt
But she's the one you live with and you're the one I can't live without
She's the one you live with but you're the one I can't live without
And she's the one you dream with but you're the one I dream about
They say I'm breaking up your home it's not a home it's just a house
She's still the one you live with but you're the one I can't live without
[ steel ] If I knew you only lived there and your love for me was true
But how can I be certain you're not makin' me a fool
Surely you must kissin' who keep proof from findin' out
But she's the one you live with but you're the one I can't live without
She's the one you live with...
**********
10.
HANGIN' ON
(Ira Allen - Buddy Mize) « © '67 ATV Songs, BMI »You've got me where you want me you keep stringing me along
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on
It's true you have me twisted around your finger
It seems that's where I belong
You know how to hold me thrill me and control me
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on
Oh just enough to keep me a hangin' on
My heart is like a yo-yo on a string
I'm tied to you right or wrong
My love keeps a growing cause your love keeps a showing
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on
Oh just enough to keep me a hangin' on
A love that's strong as mine will make me do most anything
Like hiding tears and heartaches and dreaming silly dreams
You've got me where you want me you keep stringing me along
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on
Oh just enough to keep me a hangin' on
**********
11.
WORKING GIRL
(Wes Buchanan) « © '70 Buckles Music, BMI »Working girl working girl I love you
Working girl and all the things that you do
Oh I don't know what I would do if you should up and leave
Just sit and grieve Sit and grieve working girl
Working man you've got money all the time
Working man pays my rent and treats me fine
Oh I don't know if I could take it if you should up and go
I love you so I love you so working man
[ guitar ] She giveS me money when I'm down working girl
She takes me out on the town working girl
Each time I think it's over she makes me see
Mhm she loves just me only me working girl
Buys me rings expensive things working man
Pretty boots a swinging clothes working man
Shany car a new guitar and that ain't all
When I'm with you I walk real proud you walk real tall
Working girl working girl I love you
Working man I love the things that you do
**********
