Song Information
Title: It’s Only Make Believe
Artist: Conway Twitty
Co-writer(s): Conway Twitty & Jack Nance
Release Date: July 14, 1958
Genre: Rockabilly / Country
Label: MGM Records
Chart Performance:
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Reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1958
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Also hit No. 1 in the UK, Canada, and 20 other countries
Notable Covers: Glen Campbell (1970), Ronnie McDowell, Billy Fury
Originally released as the B-side to “I’ll Try”, “It’s Only Make Believe” became Conway Twitty’s first and biggest crossover hit. Co-written with drummer Jack Nance while they were on tour, the song launched Twitty’s transition from rockabilly star to country music legend.
Song Conten
“It’s Only Make Believe” is a haunting ballad of unrequited love. In the song, the narrator is hopelessly in love with a woman who doesn’t feel the same way. To the outside world, they appear to be a couple — they laugh, talk, and share moments together — but it’s all an illusion. In truth, she doesn’t return his love, and he’s painfully aware that the bond is one-sided.
The lyrics are raw and emotionally charged. Twitty’s aching vocals express a deep yearning, with lines like “My only prayer will be / Someday you’ll care for me / But it’s only make believe.” It’s a confession of emotional vulnerability and denial, as the protagonist clings to hope in a relationship that exists only in his imagination.
The powerful delivery, paired with a dramatic orchestral arrangement, gives the song a theatrical quality that resonated with both pop and country audiences. It became a timeless anthem for anyone who’s ever loved someone who couldn’t — or wouldn’t — love them back.
What Does the Song Really Say?
At first glance, “It’s Only Make Believe” seems like a simple love song. But at its core, it reveals a deeper emotional struggle — the human tendency to hold on to false hope rather than face heartbreak. The narrator lives in a fantasy, trying to convince the world (and maybe himself) that everything is fine. But behind closed doors, he suffers in silence, knowing the relationship is built on pretense.
This duality — the contrast between public perception and private pain — is what makes the song so powerful. It speaks to the inner lives of people who smile through sadness, who wear a mask of happiness while their hearts quietly break.
Twitty’s performance is especially compelling because he doesn’t overdramatize the emotions. Instead, he delivers the truth with restrained sorrow — the kind of quiet devastation that feels even more real.
The line “It’s only make believe” becomes a refrain not just about romantic disappointment, but about the illusions we create to survive emotional loss. It’s a timeless message: sometimes, pretending is easier than letting go.
Watch the Song Video
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbM7G-zJDY