With a contract to Mercury Records (1975), McEntire began her professional career singing heavily pop-influenced ballads, a far cry from the neotraditionalist movement she would help lead a few years later.
"I Don't Want To Be A One Night Stand" became her first charting single in 1976. Her first Top 10 hit "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" followed four years later, and in 1982 she scored her first #1 hit with "Can't Even Get The Blues."
Frustrated at her limited commercial success, McEntire left Mercury and signed with MCA Records in 1984. 1984's "Just A Little Love" wasn't much different form her Mercury material and was only moderately successful. However, another album followed later that same year, titled "My Kind of Country." This was a return-to-roots record, complete with fiddles and steel. It was comprised largely of covers of classic country songs, as well as original songs such as "How Blue" and the Harlan Howard-penned "Somebody Should Leave", both of which reached #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
In the early 1990s McEntire expanded her audience by adopting a softer, more pop-oriented sound. She became one of the best-selling country artists of all time, releasing three volumes of greatest hits collections.
Since that first #1 hit in 1982, she's forked out 21 more chartbusters, which are all recapped on "Reba #1s" released on November 22nd, 2005. The 2-disc compilation features all 22 number one singles (according to Billboard magazine) in chronological order, including two new tracks "You're Gonna Be" and "Love Needs A Holiday." "Reba #1s" also contains 11 singles that reached the #1 spot in publications other than Billboard.
She won the Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association four times in a row (a record she holds with Martina McBride), and had dozens of Top Ten hits during the 80s. For her contribution to the recording industry, Reba McEntire has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. In 1995, she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
She is one of only six solo women (others include Shania Twain, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Taylor Swift), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, "Entertainer Of The Year". McEntire continued to hit the charts through the 2000s, as well as appearing in television and film, most notably Tremors, a cult horror movie series, Forever Love, and One Night at McCool's. She also starred as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway, receiving critical acclaim.
From 2001 to 2007, Reba starred in the hit WB television show, Reba (with Texan actor Christopher Rich as her philandering ex-husband), even getting a visit from fellow country star Dolly Parton who played Reba's character's supervisor at a real estate firm.
But Why
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm strong enough to face this world
Without anybody's help
But why, why would I want to
Why, when you love me like you do
[Chorus]
I could go on livin'
Get by without this moment
You touching me like this, but why
I could keep this feeling locked in my heart
I could bury these emotions, and put up my guard
But why, why start resisting
Why, look at all I'd be missing
[Chorus]
But why would I do that
I'd have to be crazy
To give up all you give me
What you do to me baby
Oh I could go on livin'
Without tasting your kiss
Get by without this moment
You touching me holding me and loving me
Like this, but why
Why would I want to baby
Oh, why
In Reba McEntire's song "But Why", she contemplates why she would ever want to live without the love of her significant other. Reba acknowledges that she is capable of living life independently, opening doors and facing the world on her own. However, despite this, she asks the rhetorical question: "But why, why would I want to? Why when you love me like you do?" This indicates that she sees the value in relying on her partner's love and support, rather than going through life alone.
Reba continues in the chorus, asserting that she could carry on with her life without physically experiencing the love of her partner, but asks "why" she would ever want to do so. She acknowledges the fact that she could try to bury her emotions and lock them away, but again, she questions why she would want to resist the love and potential happiness in her life.
Overall, the song explores the idea of valuing and cherishing the love of those closest to us. Although we may be capable of independent living, the love and support of others should never be taken for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
I can open doors all by myself
I am a strong and independent person who does not need anyone's assistance.
And I'm strong enough to face this world
I have the confidence and courage to deal with the challenges of life on my own.
Without anybody's help
I am capable of achieving success without relying on others for support.
But why, why would I want to
Despite my self-sufficiency, I still want to be with you and enjoy your company.
Why, when you love me like you do
Your love for me is so strong that it makes me question why I would want to be alone.
I could go on livin'
It is possible for me to continue my life without you.
Without tasting your kiss
I could live without experiencing the physical intimacy shared between us.
Get by without this moment
My life could go on without this particular moment of being with you.
You touching me like this, but why
However, I cannot resist the temptation of your touch.
I could keep this feeling locked in my heart
I could suppress my emotions and keep my feelings hidden.
I could bury these emotions, and put up my guard
I could conceal my emotional vulnerability by building emotional walls around myself.
But why, why start resisting
But why should I resist the feeling of love that we share?
Why, look at all I'd be missing
If I resist, I would miss out on a great deal of love and happiness that we could share together.
But why would I do that
Why would I willingly give up on something so beautiful and special?
I'd have to be crazy
It would be insane of me to let you go.
To give up all you give me
I would have to let go of all the love and joy that you provide me with.
What you do to me baby
Your love and affection has a profound impact on me.
Oh I could go on livin'
I could live my life without you by my side.
You touching me holding me and loving me
But I cannot live without your touch, warmth and embrace.
Like this, but why
Your love is too precious for me to let go of, and I cannot imagine living without it.
Why would I want to baby
I simply cannot imagine wanting to let go of you and the love that we share.
Oh, why
I have no reason to give up what we have together, for it is too beautiful to let go of.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JASON D. SELLERS, NEIL THRASHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind