About The Song
In March 1988 Ray Price released “Old Loves Never Die” on the album *Just Enough Love*, issued by the independent Step One Records label. The Texas-born singer, then in his early sixties, continued his return to straightforward traditional country after a period of smoother productions and occasional crossover attempts. The project gathered a mix of new material and familiar ballad styles, giving Price’s warm, experienced baritone the chance to explore themes of enduring commitment that had long defined much of his catalog.
Price had earned the nickname Cherokee Cowboy in the early 1950s through hits such as “Crazy Arms,” whose distinctive shuffle rhythm became a dance-hall staple across the Southwest. After Hank Williams’ death he briefly fronted the Drifting Cowboys, and later scored major successes with songs like “For the Good Times” and “Release Me.” By the mid-1980s mainstream country radio had shifted toward newer, more contemporary sounds, prompting Price to record for smaller labels such as Step One where he could focus on the honest, unadorned storytelling that first built his audience in the years following World War II.
The song was written by Dave Kirby and Warren Robb. Kirby, a Texas-born songwriter and session guitarist, had already placed numerous hits in the country charts, including the Charley Pride classic “(Is Anybody Goin’ to) San Antone.” He also contributed guitar work to many Nashville sessions and co-wrote with a range of artists during the 1970s and 1980s. Robb, another established Music City tunesmith, frequently collaborated on heartfelt ballads that captured the emotional restraint typical of classic country narratives.
Gene Watson gave the track its first major recording in June 1981, releasing it as the title cut of his MCA album *Old Loves Never Die* that October. Watson’s version arrived during a strong commercial stretch for the traditional-leaning singer; the album itself reached number 57 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, while other singles from the project, such as “Fourteen Carat Mind,” climbed even higher. The song quickly found additional interpreters, including Curtis Potter and Ed Bruce, each adding their own measured delivery to the material.
At its core “Old Loves Never Die” offers a quiet plea for reconciliation. The narrator reminds a longtime partner how far they have traveled together and argues against throwing away years of shared history with simple words of goodbye. The lyrics emphasize patience and resilience in the face of ordinary troubles, portraying love as something that matures rather than fades. The gentle melody and understated arrangement allow the emotional weight of the message to emerge without dramatic flourishes.
Price recorded his interpretation in December 1987 and placed it as an album track rather than a single, so it did not appear on Billboard charts. Still, the performance fit seamlessly into *Just Enough Love*, reinforcing his commitment to the classic country sound at a time when many veteran artists faced industry indifference. Through Gene Watson’s original and subsequent versions by artists such as Price, the composition has endured as a concise reminder that some bonds, once deeply rooted, resist easy endings.
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Lyric
Don’t you think we’ve come much too far together
To just give up and say words like goodbye
After all we’ve been through with each other
I still believe that old loves never dieThe least that we can do is talk it over
And consider giving our love one more try
I think we owe that much to one another
And I still believe that old loves never dieIf our love dies it won’t go to Heaven
‘Cause it’s already been there all the time
If you must go I hope that you’ll remember
I still believe that old loves never dieIf you must go I hope that you’ll remember
I still believe that old loves never die