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.
Hallelujah Amen
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
First kiss wasn't what you thought it'd be
The call you got that you only thought could be a bad dream
Your only child leaving home when they turn 18
Breaking up ends up being the best thing
When you realize what you want ain't what you need
Hallelujah for the heartache
Hallelujah for every breathe we get
Hallelujah amen
It's a Saturday night you never want to end
It's the broken heart you never got to mend
It's the words that you heard, that you can't un-hear again
It's the what you didn't know was the last goodbye
When you learn everything has a last time
The same mistakes that you made, you see in your little girls eyes
Hallelujah for the heartache
Hallelujah for the good days
Hallelujah for every breathe we get
Hallelujah amen
For the times we get
For the chance we don't
From the very first breathe
'TIl it's carved in stone
Hallelujah for the heartache
Hallelujah for the good days
Hallelujah for every breathe we get
Hallelujah amen
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah for every breathe we get
Hallelujah amen
Hallelujah
Amen
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Amen
Reba McEntire's "Hallelujah Amen" is a song that celebrates the ups and downs of life. Through its lyrics, the song acknowledges that difficult moments and heartaches are just as important as the good days. The first verse talks about some of life's less glamorous moments, such as a bad first kiss or a phone call that delivers terrible news. However, the song argues that even these moments should be celebrated with a "Hallelujah," because they are an essential part of what makes us human.
The second verse touches on some more profound issues, including the experience of breaking up and learning to appreciate the time we have before it's gone. The line "The same mistakes that you made, you see in your little girls eyes" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that we all repeat the same patterns and pass on our struggles to the next generation. Similarly, the repeating chorus of "Hallelujah for the heartache, hallelujah for the good days" is a reminder that both joy and pain are necessary for us to grow and become better versions of ourselves. Overall, the song is an affirmation of life and all that comes with it, both the happy moments and the difficult ones.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a Sunday morning choir just a little off-key
Even when our lives are less than perfect, we can still find happiness in the small moments.
First kiss wasn't what you thought it'd be
Things may not always turn out the way we want them to, but that's okay because life still goes on.
The call you got that you only thought could be a bad dream
Sometimes life throws us a curveball and we have to be strong and face our fears.
Your only child leaving home when they turn 18
Watching our children grow up and leave us can be bittersweet, but we have to let them fly.
Breaking up ends up being the best thing
When relationships end, it can be tough, but it's often for the best and can lead us to new beginnings.
When you realize what you want ain't what you need
Sometimes we think we know what we want, but in reality, it's not what we need to be truly happy.
Hallelujah for the heartache
We can find gratitude even in the tough times by learning and growing from the pain.
Hallelujah for the good days
We should always celebrate and appreciate the good days in our lives.
Hallelujah for every breathe we get
Every moment we have in this life is a gift, and we should be grateful for each breath we take.
Hallelujah amen
Let us give thanks and praise for all that we have.
It's a Saturday night you never want to end
We should cherish the moments of pure happiness and joy in our lives.
It's the broken heart you never got to mend
Sometimes we don't get closure or the opportunity to heal, but we can still find peace within ourselves.
It's the words that you heard, that you can't un-hear again
Words can hurt and scar us, but we can learn to forgive and move forward.
It's the what you didn't know was the last goodbye
We never know when our last goodbye will be, so we should value every moment we have.
When you learn everything has a last time
Nothing in life lasts forever, so we should cherish it while we can.
The same mistakes that you made, you see in your little girls eyes
We often see pieces of ourselves reflected in our children and can use that to learn from our mistakes and become better people.
For the times we get
Let us be grateful for the moments of success and happiness in our lives.
For the chance we don't
Let us use our setbacks and failures as opportunities to grow and learn.
From the very first breathe
We should be grateful for every moment of life, from the very beginning.
'Til it's carved in stone
Let us hold onto the memories and moments that matter most to us, so they never fade away.
Hallelujah
Let us give thanks and praise.
Amen
So be it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID MCKEE BARNES, LUCIE SILVAS, JEREMY SPILLMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind