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.
Face To Face
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I expected blue eyes
That's how I pictured you would be
And you don't have long hair
I thought you'd have long hair
So this is all a shock to me
Or believe me
When I said that I was fooled
I really thought that I would hate you
I know I meant to
There'd only be one of us left when we're through
Now that we're face to face
And I put myself in your place
I see the truth
I see who's really to blame
And I won't play his game
Or try to get even
He'll know he's lost watching us leaving
I blamed you, but I see my mistakes
Now that we're face to face
I believe in true love something to be sure of
Isn't that what we deserve
There's no blame here, we both end up the same here
A little wiser than we were
There was a time this would have killed me
And it may still be
Hard to look you in the eye
And now that all the spells are broken
The truth's been spoken
My heart has the strength to tell him goodbye
Now that we're face to face
And I put myself in your place
I see the truth
I see who's really to blame
And I won't play his game
Or try to get even
He'll know he's lost watching us leaving
I blamed you, but I see my mistakes
Now that we're face to face
And I won't play his game
Or try to get even
He'll know he's lost watching us leaving
I blamed you, but I see my mistakes
Now that we're face to face
Now that we're face to face
The song Face to Face by Reba McEntire is a ballad that explores the nuances of a failing relationship from the perspective of a woman who is coming to terms with the truth of her situation. The opening lines of the song reveal that the woman has preconceived notions about what her partner would look like, expecting him to have blue eyes and long hair. However, upon meeting him face to face, she realizes that he is not who she expected him to be, and this comes as a shock to her.
Throughout the rest of the song, the woman comes to the realization that she had been blaming her partner for everything that had gone wrong in their relationship when in fact, she is just as much to blame. She recognizes that they both made mistakes and that they are both at fault. However, instead of seeking revenge or trying to get even, she decides to walk away from the relationship, knowing that it is best for both of them.
In summary, Face to Face is a song that shows us that sometimes, relationships can be messy and complicated, and it takes a lot of courage and honesty to see the truth and move on. It teaches us that blaming others for our problems is never the answer, and that taking responsibility for our actions is the first step towards healing and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, you don't have blue eyes
I was surprised to see that your eyes are not blue.
I expected blue eyes
I had imagined you with blue eyes.
That's how I pictured you would be
That is what I had visualized you to look like.
And you don't have long hair
I was also taken aback by your short hair.
I thought you'd have long hair
I had assumed you would have long hair.
So this is all a shock to me
Seeing you in person and realizing you look different than what I envisioned was a surprise to me.
I didn't know if you would meet me
I was uncertain if you would actually come meet me.
Or believe me
I was worried that you would not trust what I had to say.
When I said that I was fooled
I had to convince you that I had been tricked.
I really thought that I would hate you
Initially, I was convinced that I would detest you.
I know I meant to
I had intended to feel hatred towards you.
There'd only be one of us left when we're through
I had anticipated that one of us would be the clear winner in a conflict.
Now that we're face to face
Now that we are meeting in person,
And I put myself in your place
and I understand your perspective.
I see the truth
I now recognize the reality of the situation.
I see who's really to blame
I understand who is responsible for our problems.
And I won't play his game
I refuse to participate in his manipulative tactics.
Or try to get even
I will not seek revenge.
He'll know he's lost watching us leaving
He will realize he has lost when he sees us walking away.
I blamed you, but I see my mistakes
I had placed the blame on you previously, but now I understand that I was wrong.
And I won't play his game
I will not engage in his manipulative behavior.
Now that we're face to face
Now that we are in each other's presence,
I believe in true love something to be sure of
I believe in the existence of genuine love that is certain.
Isn't that what we deserve
Don't we deserve to experience true love?
There's no blame here, we both end up the same here
There is no need to assign blame, as we both end up in the same position.
A little wiser than we were
We are both a bit more knowledgeable than before.
There was a time this would have killed me
In the past, this situation would have been incredibly painful for me.
And it may still be
It is possible that it is still painful.
Hard to look you in the eye
Difficult to make eye contact with you.
And now that all the spells are broken
Now that all the illusions have been shattered,
The truth's been spoken
The truth has been revealed.
My heart has the strength to tell him goodbye
I am now strong enough to say goodbye to him.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Malloy, Gary Scott Burr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind