Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty are undeniable country icons. In addition to their widely successful solo careers, they enjoyed a fruitful partnership in the 1970s when they joined forces as a duo. This spawned several hits that landed at the top of the country charts, further establishing their icon status and dear friendship.
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“Everybody else fought us on it,” Twitty recalled in his 1987 biography, The Conway Twitty Story, of how the duo formed. “Of course, I was my own boss and stood firm. As for Loretta, she finally just had to tell everybody ‘Hey, we’re gonna do it and that’s the way it is.’” Check out five of their best collaborations below.
[RELATED: The History Behind the Country Duo Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn]
1. “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”
“Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” is a hallmark of Lynn and Twitty’s collaborations. Adding a little rockabilly sound to their partnership, the lively track shows off the strength in both of their voices, especially Lynn’s when the chorus kicks in. They sound like naturals together, making for a defining track of the decade they spent together as duet partners.
2. “After the Fire is Gone”
Lynn and Twitty came in hot when they released their first of many duets in 1971, “After the Fire is Gone.” The song finds the two in a compromising position. Since the love has fizzled out with their respective partners, they’ve found a new fire in their adulterous relationship. “After the Fire is Gone” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, setting off a firestorm of hits.
3. “Lead Me On”
Though Twitty and Lynn were both married to other people while working together, they knew how to turn on the romance musically. They prove this with “Lead Me On,” a tender ballad that finds both of their voices glowing. Like “After the Fire is Gone,” the two star as cheating lovers who can’t seem to resist one another. “Lead Me On” kept their winning streak going, as it also topped the Hot Country Songs chart immediately following “Fire.”
4. “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”
Though the title is rather harsh, the song is actually more comical than hurtful. The bluesy ditty finds the country legends as a couple who hurl playful insults at each other through such lyrics as, Conway, why in the devil don’t you go and shave/And put on a clean pair of pants?/But Loretta, look at yourself/Now I wish you’d take them curlers out of your hair/And go put on a little makeup. Though it wasn’t released as a single, “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly” is one of Twitty and Lynn’s most beloved duets.
5. “From Seven Till Ten”
While most of Twitty and Lynn’s duets are often playful and romantic, “From Seven Till Ten” turns up the heat. This symphonic ballad casts them as a couple sneaking away for some much-needed romance. We have to steal all the love that we feel/And we’re feelin’ like stealin’ again/We’ll never be free, so it’s gotta be/Lovin’ from seven till ten, they croon harmoniously. “From Seven Till Ten” was one of their many hits that reached the Top 10 on the country charts.
Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns
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