“How Much More Can She Stand”
Conway Twitty
Written by Harry Conton
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
Mary 8, 1971
When I wrote about one of my favorite Randy Travis hits, “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart,” I noted how effective he had to be as a singer to make the lousy narrator sound sympathetic.
Maybe he had this Conway Twitty masterclass in mind when he recorded that hit, because the guy in this song is flat out disgusting. No redeeming moral qualities. He’s determined to cheat and he’s going to just ask for preemptive forgiveness because it’s not really him cheating, you see. It’s the devil that’s making him do it, and he feels so bad for what the devil is doing to his woman. “How much more can she stand,” he wails, “and still stand by me?”
She shouldn’t stand another second.
But here I am, a middle-aged man with a successful professional career in 2025, and I’m ready to take Conway back like I’m a 1971 housewife who can’t legally open a bank account in my name. That’s how incredibly convincing his heartbroken vocal is on “How Much More Can She Stand.”
Another classic from one of the greatest to ever do it.
“How Much More Can She Stand” gets an A.
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Agree completely. By the way, the album that contains this track, HOW MUCH MORE CAN SHE STAND, is a really good album. It contains a long Hank Williams medley that completely demonstrates Conway’s traditionalist bona fides, two songs in “Let Me Be The Judge” and “Everyday Family Man” that could have been hit singles, and two interesting covers in “Amos Moses” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night”
I agree. Another great classic from Conway.
Definitely one of the most effective cheating song narrators I’ve come across. I’ve never heard this song before but it’s a home run. Nice twist on the “stand by your man” lyrical template too.
LOL. I SO agree with your thoughts and commentary on this Conway Twitty classic.
I’m now wondering if this song’s storyline could be viewed as a precursor to “Linda on My Mind?”
Bonus Beats:
Here’s the version of “How Much More Can She Stand” that Mel Street recorded for his 1972 album Borrowed Angel:
https://youtu.be/_VfUAoO6Oeo
Every component of this song is brilliant from Twitty’s tortured vocals to John Hughey’s steel guitar to Grady Martin on electric guitar to Jimmy Capps on the acoustic guitar to Harold Bradley on the electric six-string bass to Larry Butler on the piano.
Pure gold, a stone-cold country classic.
I still believe Twitty might quietly be the most influential male artist in country music history.
And we’re back from vacation! Time to catch up.
Conway is channeling Tammy Wynette here, no? The vocal quiver, the explosion of volume on the chorus, the steel-heavy production with gentle piano and soothing background vocals. Conway’s vocal prowess sells this song so well. A classic indeed.