B-side "Up Comes the Bottle" Genre Country Label Decca | Released September 1970 Length 3:10 Writer(s) Raymond Smith | |
"Fifteen Years Ago" is a song written by Raymond Smith, and recorded by American country music artist Conway Twitty. It was released in September 1970 as the first single and title track from the album Fifteen Years Ago. The song was Twitty's fifth number one on the U.S. country singles chart. The single stayed at number one for a single week and spent a total of 16 weeks on the chart.
The song is about a man who still thinks about a former girlfriend, with whom he had broken up 15 years earlier after a deep, emotional relationship. His memories of the past are triggered when he runs into an old friend who mentions the ex-girlfriend's name, and despite his best efforts to make his wife happy he is troubled by his persisting thoughts of the past relationship.
Covers and parodies
"Fifteen Years Ago" was also recorded by other country music artists including The Statler Brothers for their Bed of Rose's album in 1970.
In 1971, comedian Sheb Wooley, recording under his alias Ben Colder, recorded a parody of the song called "Fifteen Beers Ago."