About The Song
“You’ve Never Been This Far Before” was written by Conway Twitty and recorded on April 4, 1973, at Bradley’s Barn in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, with producer Owen Bradley. MCA released it in July 1973 as the title track and second single from the album of the same name. The record became Twitty’s tenth solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, holding the top position for three weeks and remaining on the chart for a total of sixteen weeks.
The single also crossed over to the pop charts, reaching number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100—the highest placement Twitty achieved on that chart during his country career and his only Top 40 pop entry from that period. It peaked at number 37 on the Adult Contemporary chart and topped the Canadian country listing as well.
The lyric describes a couple approaching their first intimate moment. The narrator notes the woman’s nervousness and the physical signs of her uncertainty, while reassuring her that he understands this is new territory for her. Some radio stations banned the song at the time of its release because of what they considered overly suggestive content, yet the controversy did not prevent strong commercial performance.
By 1973 Twitty had already established a consistent run of country hits and was in the middle of a highly successful phase that included frequent duets with Loretta Lynn. Naming both the single and the album after a song with such direct implications was a calculated risk that paid off in chart success and lasting recognition.
The recording features Twitty’s familiar smooth delivery backed by the polished Nashville Sound production associated with Owen Bradley’s sessions. Background vocals from Joe E. Lewis and The Nashville Sounds support the arrangement without overpowering the lead.
Within Twitty’s catalogue the song remains notable both for its commercial peak and for the attention it drew at the time of release. It stands as one of the clearer examples of the more intimate material he recorded in the early 1970s, combining a straightforward narrative with the restrained style that defined much of his work during that decade.
Video
Lyric
I can almost hear the stillness
As it yields to the sound of your heart beating
I can almost hear the echo
Of the thoughts that I know you must be thinking
And I can feel your body tremble
As you wonder what this moment holds in store
And as I put my arms around you
I can tell you’ve never been this far before
I don’t know what I’m saying
As my trembling fingers touch forbidden places
I only know that I’ve waited
For so long for the chance that we are taking
Well I don’t know and I don’t care
What made you tell him you don’t love him anymore
And as I taste your tender kisses
I can tell you’ve never been this far before
And as I take the love you’re giveing
I can feel the tension building in your mind
And you’re wondering if tomorrow
I’ll still love you like I’m loving you tonight
You have no way of knowing
Tonight will only make me love you more
And I hope that you’ll believe me
‘Cause I know you’ve never been this far before