"Only a Memory" is a song by the American alternative rock group The Smithereens.

"Only a Memory" started life during a soundcheck in Madrid on the Especially for You European tour in January 1987.

Luckily for frontman Pat DiNizio, the band's roadie was there with his pocket tape recorder when he came up with the intro riff.

"[1] "Only a Memory" was released as the first single from the band's sophomore album, Green Thoughts.

The single was the band's most commercially successful single release to that point, topping the US Mainstream Rock Charts and becoming the first Smithereens song to hit the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 92.