Martina McBride released her honky tonk-flavored debut album The Time Has Come in 1992. Her first big hit was the single "My Baby Loves Me" from her more pop-oriented second album, 1993's The Way That I Am. She became even more visible in 1994 with the crossover success of her anti-domestic violence anthem "Independence Day", also from this album.
In 1995 McBride released the album Wild Angels; "Safe in the Arms of Love" and the title track were country hits, later being her first #1 hit. Her 1997 album Evolution sold over two million units, and included an adult contemporary crossover hit in "Valentine" as well as four number one or number two country hits. The album Emotion came out in 1999; "I Love You" was a big hit in both country and adult contemporary circles. So was the socially conscious "Love's the Only House", a trend that would continue with 2003's "This One's for the Girls", which would become the theme song for the 2005 NCAA Women's Basketball championship tournament. [1] This was followed by the hit singles "How Far" (written by fellow country singer Jamie O'Neal) and "God's Will".
The Long Distance Lullaby Songfacts states that Eleven was Martina's first album for Republic Nashville, ending a 20 year association with RCA. Label head Scott Borchetta encouraged her to write more songs for the record than she had on any of her previous 10 albums, and she ended up co-writing six of the 11 tracks. Eleven was released October 11, 2011.
As of 2005 McBride is generally recognized as one of the top female singers in popular music; with her strong and pure soprano voice she has been labelled "the Céline Dion of country music." Also in 2005 she released a 18-track CD of classic country music standards, which landed at #1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart in its opening week and received much critical acclaim for its authenticity towards traditional country.
She is a four-time Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year winner (a record she holds with Reba McEntire), three-time Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year winner and a Grammy Award winner. This left-hander performed The Star-Spangled Banner at Game 3 of the 2004 World Series.
"Independence Day" is used as the introductory music for Sean Hannity's popular talk radio show. McBride has appeared at benefit events organized by Hannity, but has declined to take an active political stance. [2] McBride has performed free for fans, such as in a July 3, 2004 show in Owensboro, Kentucky to celebrate the grand opening of the new Independence Bank headquarters.
Recently she helped out contestants on the Canadian version of "American Idol". The winner worked on a song with McBride as well as went on tour with her across Canada.
Martina has sold over 13 million albums in USA alone.
A Great Disguise
Martina McBride Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Think I'm doing fine
Goin' through the motions of my life
Go to work now every mornin'
Yeah I play the part
And hide away the contents of my solemn heart
But when the sun goes down
I can't control the flood of all these tears inside
And if they only knew
They'd be so surprised
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
Keep 'em guessin', keep 'em laughin'
Build that wall up high
As long as they don't see the other side
You've really done it
Done a number, a number on my soul
But I'll be damned if I'll ever let you know
But when the sun goes down
And the moon is high
There's no way to hide the truth from me, myself, and I
Yeah, I wear it well
Though it ain't my size
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
I'm not one to show emotion
Like some fools I see
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
I don't miss you
Not for a moment
I'm gonna be okay
Words of wisdom spoken
By the light of day
But when the sun goes down
And the moon is high
Your memory pulls me under like a strong riptide
I'm still in love with you
It's all smoke and lights
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
In Martina McBride's song "A Great Disguise," the singer talks about standing in front of everyone with a façade on. The lines "People talking, think I'm all right / Think I'm doing fine" demonstrate that no one knows the internal struggles that the singer is holding. Day in and day out, the singer continues to go to work and performs their role. This pattern leaves no time for the singer to open up to anyone or to give out any signs that things are not going well. It takes a toll on them to act like everything is okay. The lines "But when the sun goes down / And the moon is high / I can't control the flood of all these tears inside" reveal that beneath it all, she is just holding the pain within her.
She continues to put on a persona, concealing her feelings, despite the fact that people believe she's okay. The lines "As long as they don't see the other side / You've really done it / Done a number, a number on my soul / But I'll be damned if I'll ever let you know" reveal that she was hurt and embittered by her relationship. She's hiding her emotions for a purpose. She doesn't want to seem weak, and she won't let any person know that she's "just a good pretender in a great disguise."
Overall, the message of the song is that everyone wearing a mask. Nobody wants to seem vulnerable or weak, so they put on a façade. Still, there will come a time when someone must snatch that mask off and show their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
People talking, think I'm all right
Others think that I am okay and doing well.
Think I'm doing fine
They believe that I am doing well in life.
Goin' through the motions of my life
I am just going through the routines of my everyday life.
Go to work now every mornin'
I go to work every morning as part of my daily routine.
Yeah I play the part
I act and behave as expected in front of others.
And hide away the contents of my solemn heart
I hide my feelings and emotions from others, keeping them to myself.
But when the sun goes down
However, when it's dark outside,
And the moon is high
and the moon is shining brightly,
I can't control the flood of all these tears inside
I can't prevent myself from crying because of the deep emotions that I have kept repressed.
And if they only knew
If they only knew the truth,
They'd be so surprised
They would be shocked by what I am truly feeling.
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
I am like an excellent actor who is skilled in hiding my true self from others.
Keep 'em guessin', keep 'em laughin'
I keep others guessing about my true feelings, and make them laugh to keep up the act.
Build that wall up high
I put up a barrier to keep others from seeing the real me.
As long as they don't see the other side
As long as no one can see beyond the surface.
You've really done it
You have truly succeeded at
Done a number, a number on my soul
Making me feel terrible and affecting me at a deep level emotionally.
But I'll be damned if I'll ever let you know
I will never let you know how much you've affected me in this way.
There's no way to hide the truth from me, myself, and I
I can't hide the truth from myself, no matter how hard I try to pretend.
Yeah, I wear it well
I may show it, but I still manage to maintain the illusion.
Though it ain't my size
Even if the facade doesn't fit me perfectly.
I'm not one to show emotion
I am not the kind of person who displays emotion easily.
Like some fools I see
Unlike others whom I consider foolish for showing their emotions.
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
I will not show my emotions openly.
I don't miss you
I don't long for you.
Not for a moment
I don't miss you even for a second.
I'm gonna be okay
I will be fine and survive without you.
Words of wisdom spoken
My wise words spoken about moving on and surviving,
By the light of day
In the daytime when I can see clearly.
Your memory pulls me under like a strong riptide
Your memory has a strong emotional pull, threatening to drown me like a riptide.
I'm still in love with you
Despite everything, I am still deeply in love with you.
It's all smoke and lights
My previously declared success and well-being is just an illusion.
I'm just a good pretender in a great disguise
I am an adept actor, portraying someone I am not, wearing a convincing disguise.
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: GREGORY WILLIAM BARNHILL, EVEN STEVENS, HILLARY KANTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind