Song Information

Title: You’ve Never Been This Far Before
Artist: Conway Twitty
Songwriter: Conway Twitty
Album: You’ve Never Been This Far Before (1973)
Released: July 1973
Genre: Country
Label: MCA Records
Chart Performance:

  • Reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart

  • Peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 — one of Twitty’s few crossover hits
    Controversy:

  • The song was considered highly controversial at the time due to its sensual lyrics. Some radio stations refused to play it, but it still became a massive hit.


Song Content

“You’ve Never Been This Far Before” is a slow-burning country ballad that explores the intimate tension between two lovers as they cross emotional and physical boundaries for the first time. The narrator speaks directly to his partner, acknowledging her nervousness and innocence, while gently guiding her through a moment they both know will change everything.

The lyrics are deeply sensual, but never crude. Twitty’s smooth, husky voice wraps the listener in a tender yet charged atmosphere. Lines like “I can almost hear the stillness as it yields to the sound of your heart beating” reflect the emotional vulnerability of the moment — a mixture of desire, fear, and trust.

What sets this song apart is how emotionally intimate it feels. It isn’t about lust or conquest, but about closeness, mutual surrender, and respect. It captures the universal experience of a “first time,” not just physically but emotionally — the moment when love turns from words to reality.

The quiet arrangement, gentle steel guitar, and soft backing vocals all contribute to the atmosphere of warmth and reverence. It’s a song of love that feels both forbidden and fated — which is why it connected so deeply with fans.


Explaining the Song’s Controversy

When “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” was released in 1973, it raised eyebrows across conservative radio stations and family households. For a country song to openly describe a moment of physical intimacy was nearly unheard of at the time, especially with such detailed emotional and sensual imagery.

The controversy wasn’t just about the topic — it was the tone. Conway Twitty didn’t wrap the meaning in metaphors or euphemisms. Instead, he leaned into the vulnerability and rawness of the moment, singing from the perspective of a man fully aware of the emotional weight of the experience.

Some stations banned the song for being “too suggestive.” Critics accused it of being inappropriate for radio. But what they missed is that the song wasn’t about seduction — it was about mutual discovery and emotional honesty.

Ironically, the backlash may have fueled the song’s popularity. Fans felt something real in Twitty’s voice — a tenderness and sincerity that stood apart from typical love songs.

Looking back, the song marked a turning point in country music, pushing boundaries on how intimacy and emotion could be expressed. Today, it’s seen as a bold and honest classic — a trailblazer in blending romantic storytelling with genuine human feeling.


Watch the Song Video

▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V1fX-FvKW8


Lyrics

I can almost hear the stillnessAs it yields to the sound of your heart beatingI can almost hear the echoOf the thoughts that I know you must be thinking
And I can feel your body trembleAs you wonder what this moment holds in storeAnd as I put my arms around youI can tell you’ve never been this far before
I don’t know what I’m sayingAs my trembling fingers touch forbidden placesI only know that I’ve waitedFor so long for the chance that we are taking
Well I don’t know and I don’t careWhat made you tell him you don’t love him anymoreAnd as I taste your tender kissesI can tell you’ve never been this far before
And as I take the love you’re giveingI can feel the tension building in your mindAnd you’re wondering if tomorrowI’ll still love you like I’m loving you tonight
You have no way of knowingTonight will only make me love you moreAnd I hope that you’ll believe me‘Cause I know you’ve never been this far before