Patsy Cline – Too Many Secrets

About The Song

“Too Many Secrets” is a track by American country singer Patsy Cline, featured on her self-titled debut studio album, Patsy Cline, released on August 5, 1957, by Decca Records. The song was recorded on December 13, 1957, at Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, during one of her sessions under the Four Star Records contract, which distributed through Decca. It was written by Don Hecht and W.S. Stevenson, songwriters associated with Four Star who supplied much of Cline’s early material. This recording captures Cline in her pre-Nashville Sound era (1955–1959), characterized by traditional honky-tonk and country arrangements before her shift to smoother, crossover productions starting in 1960.

The song was not released as a standalone single and did not chart on the Billboard Hot Country Songs or pop charts. During this period, Cline’s main commercial success was “Walkin’ After Midnight” (1957, peaking at number 2 country and 12 pop). Other album tracks like “Fingerprints” and “Then You’ll Know” also received limited exposure. “Too Many Secrets” later appeared on various posthumous compilations, including Here’s Patsy Cline (1965), Patsy Cline’s Golden Hits (1967 budget reissue), The Patsy Cline Story (1973), and numerous collections such as Walkin’ After Midnight: The Original Sessions Vol. 1 (2003) and gospel/inspirational packages. It has a runtime of approximately 2:18 to 2:20 across releases and was occasionally included in Four Star-era EPs and reissues.

Musically, “Too Many Secrets” is a mid-tempo country ballad with a straightforward honky-tonk feel, featuring Cline’s emotive vocals over acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, and a simple rhythm section typical of mid-1950s Nashville production. Produced by Owen Bradley (who handled most of her Decca sessions), the track showcases her expressive phrasing and vocal control. The lyrics tell the story of a woman confronting her partner’s infidelity, piecing together clues from lipstick on his collar, perfume on his coat, and other telltale signs—culminating in the realization that “too many secrets” reveal the truth of his cheating. The narrative builds tension through suspicion and heartbreak, a common theme in Cline’s early catalog of “cheatin’ songs.”

The song is part of Cline’s extensive Four Star/Decca output of over 100 recordings from 1955 to 1963, a period constrained by her contract to label-provided material with modest commercial results until her breakthrough hits. Expert discographies note its inclusion in retrospectives emphasizing her raw emotional delivery and honky-tonk roots. While not a major hit, “Too Many Secrets” exemplifies the storytelling style and vocal authenticity that defined her early work, setting the stage for later successes like “I Fall to Pieces” (1961) and “Crazy” (1961). Following her death in a plane crash on March 5, 1963, the track has been reissued frequently in compilations, contributing to her legacy as a pioneering female voice in country music who blended vulnerability with strength in her interpretations of heartbreak themes.

Video

Lyric

Too many secrets have been told
Too many hearts have been broken
Too many lies have been sold
Too many promises spoken

I found lipstick on your collar
And perfume on your coat
And there’s too many secrets
Between your heart and mine

Too many nights you’ve been gone
Too many days I’ve been lonely
Too many times I’ve been wrong
To believe you when you say you love me

I found matches in your pocket
From a place I’ve never been
And there’s too many secrets
Between your heart and mine

Too many secrets have been told
Too many hearts have been broken
Too many lies have been sold
Too many promises spoken

There’s too many secrets
Between your heart and mine