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.
Daddy
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's wrangled cattle dang near all his life
He also liked to rodeo
He traveled around with four kids and a wife
Well his old ranch is rocky
But his ropes sail smooth for several years
He worked real hard
And tried to get his ranch out in the clear
He didn't want us kids to rodeo
He wanted more out of life for us
Maybe banking, or a lawyer
Or maybe even driving some old bus
Well that's when we took up singing
And his pride grew greater day by day
And I know his eyes grew misty
The night I sang up on the Opry stage
[Chorus]
Now his ranch is so much bigger
The the days when he first started
The grass grows now where none used to be
His roping got him started
Cattle prices made it better
And he's trying to get his ranch out in the clear
Five years ago September, he bought more steers and hung up all his
Ropes
But he often tells the stories about the rodeos he won and cowboy jokes
Well it's funny that the first big roping that he won some thirty years
Ago
Was the same day that I sang on the stage of the Grand Old Opry show
[Chorus]
Now he's feeding cattle
Toting hay
And branding the Y.O.
And his hired hand's there to help him
And she also cooks their meals when they get home
They built their ranch together
And listening to the kids sing through the years
Well they worked real hard and roped real good and now they got their ranch
Out in the clear
Because when a family works together
They finally get their ranch out in the clear
Out in the clear
The song "Daddy" by Reba McEntire is a beautiful tribute to her father, who was a rancher and a rodeo enthusiast. The first verse describes her father's life, how he had been wrangling cattle for most of his life and liked to rodeo, traveling with his family. The second verse portrays his struggles in running a rocky ranch, but he managed to sail his ropes with great expertise. He worked real hard and roped well to get his land out in the clear. The third verse shows how Reba's father only wanted the best for his children, hoping they would have a successful career as a banker, a lawyer, or even a bus driver but not as rodeo riders. To his delight, they ended up pursuing a career in singing, and he felt very proud of them, misty-eyed when Reba performed at the Opry stage.
The chorus talks about how her father's ranch grew bigger than the last few years as the grass grew where none was before. Reba's father worked hard, and his roping got him started, and the cattle prices made it better for him. The last verse shows how her father worked tirelessly, feeding cattle, toting hay, and branding the Y.O., and listening to his children sing, they built their ranch and finally got it out in the clear. Thus, the song tells us that when a family works together, they can overcome all the struggles in life and achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
My daddy is a rancher
My father is a farmer who runs a cattle ranch.
He's wrangled cattle dang near all his life
He has been working with cattle for most of his life.
He also liked to rodeo
He enjoyed participating in rodeos as a hobby.
He traveled around with four kids and a wife
He used to move around with his family while taking care of the ranch.
Well his old ranch is rocky
His ranch has a rocky terrain.
But his ropes sail smooth for several years
Despite the terrain, his cattle roping skills have remained excellent for several years.
He worked real hard
He put in a lot of effort and dedication.
And roped real good
He was extremely skilled at roping cattle.
And tried to get his ranch out in the clear
He worked towards making his ranch debt-free and running smoothly.
He didn't want us kids to rodeo
He did not want his children to pursue rodeo as a career.
He wanted more out of life for us
He hoped his children would aim for a better life than his own.
Maybe banking, or a lawyer
He hoped his children would pursue more lucrative careers such as banking or law.
Or maybe even driving some old bus
He was open to his children pursuing any career as long as it brought them happiness and success.
Well that's when we took up singing
His children started singing as a hobby.
And his pride grew greater day by day
He was extremely proud of his children's hobby and their success.
And I know his eyes grew misty
He became emotional as his child performed on the Opry stage.
The night I sang up on the Opry stage
On a particular night, his daughter sang on the Opry stage.
[Chorus]
Refrain of the song.
Now his ranch is so much bigger
His ranch has grown significantly over the years.
The the days when he first started
It's a stark contrast to when he first began.
The grass grows now where none used to be
His ranch has become greener and more fertile.
His roping got him started
His exceptional roping skills were the foundation for his success.
Cattle prices made it better
The prices of the cattle he sold improved his financial position.
And he's trying to get his ranch out in the clear
He's actively working to make his ranch financially stable and independent.
Five years ago September, he bought more steers and hung up all his ropes
He stopped participating in rodeos and instead invested in more livestock.
But he often tells the stories about the rodeos he won and cowboy jokes
He enjoys reminiscing about his rodeo days by sharing his stories and jokes with his family.
Well it's funny that the first big roping that he won some thirty years ago
It's amusing that his first big cattle roping competition win was roughly 30 years ago.
Was the same day that I sang on the stage of the Grand Old Opry show
The same day his daughter performed on the Opry stage was the day he won his first competition.
[Chorus]
Refrain of the song.
Now he's feeding cattle
He's now responsible for feeding his livestock.
Toting hay
He's carrying hay from place to place on his ranch.
And branding the Y.O.
He's using the Y.O. brand to identify his livestock.
And his hired hand's there to help him
He has hired someone to assist him on the ranch.
And she also cooks their meals when they get home
The hired hand is also responsible for cooking their meals after a long day's work.
They built their ranch together
The family worked together to build their ranch.
And listening to the kids sing through the years
As his children grew up singing, he listened to them perform regularly.
Well they worked real hard and roped real good and now they got their ranch Out in the clear
Their hard work, dedication to roping, and investment in their livestock paid off and now they have a financially stable and independent ranch.
Because when a family works together
Their success was due to their collective effort.
They finally get their ranch out in the clear
Their hard work paid off and the ranch is now financially stable and independent.
Out in the clear
Refrain of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind