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.
I Wouldn't Go That Far
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When he drove me down that old dusty road
He took me as far as I'd ever been
He wanted me and I wanted him
But I'd always been told I shouldn't give in
[Chorus]
I wouldn't go that far
He said he loved me
But I wasn't ready
And I wouldn't go that far
He was so patient, he didn't give up
With a ring in his hand and a heart full of love
He asked me for forever, I asked him to wait
To please understand these dreams I must chase
Though it was a promise I wanted to make
[Chorus]
After all these years. I saw him again
He had his wife and his family with him
He said he was proud of all my success
He guessed both of us had found happiness
[Chorus]
Yes, I knew he loved me
But I wasn't ready
And I wouldn't go that far
The lyrics to Reba McEntire’s song “I Wouldn’t Go That Far” depict a woman who faces a major decision - whether to follow her heart and give in to the man she loves or to live by the rules and resist his advances. The first verse tells the story of a night long ago when the man took her down a dusty road, offering her as much as she had ever experienced before. Though she wanted him, she had been taught not to give in easily.
In the chorus, the woman expresses her reluctance to follow her heart, instead of listening to the conventional wisdom. She didn’t go that far, and she didn’t follow what her heart told her, even though the man said he loved her. The second verse features the man’s persistence. He had a ring in hand, asked her for forever, but she asked him to wait until she chases her dreams. It is a promise she wanted to make, but she wasn’t ready yet.
The final verse describes the woman meeting the man again after all these years. He was with his family and congratulated her on her success, but both of them had already found happiness with someone else. The song conveys the message that life is full of choices, and sometimes, it's difficult to choose. In this case, the woman listened to her head rather than her heart, but in the end, it didn’t matter as she found happiness and so did he.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never forget that night long ago
The singer vividly remembers a significant past experience.
When he drove me down that old dusty road
The person the singer is referring to was the one driving on a specific road.
He took me as far as I'd ever been
The singer reached an unprecedented physical or emotional distance because of the driver.
He wanted me and I wanted him
Both people had romantic feelings for each other.
But I'd always been told I shouldn't give in
The artist had been taught not to let their emotions dictate their actions when it came to romantic relationships.
I wouldn't go that far
The singer did not want to fully engage in a romantic relationship of a certain level.
I didn't follow my heart
The singer did not act on their feelings.
He said he loved me
The driver expressed their romantic feelings to the artist.
But I wasn't ready
The artist did not feel emotionally or mentally prepared to act on those feelings.
And I wouldn't go that far
The artist repeated their initial sentiment about not wanting to fully engage in a romantic relationship of a certain level.
He was so patient, he didn't give up
The driver waited for the singer to be ready and did not abandon their pursuit of a romantic relationship.
With a ring in his hand and a heart full of love
The driver was ready to make a serious commitment to the artist.
He asked me for forever, I asked him to wait
The driver proposed marriage, but the singer needed more time to make a decision.
To please understand these dreams I must chase
The singer had personal goals and aspirations they needed to pursue before making a serious commitment to anyone else.
Though it was a promise I wanted to make
The singer cared about the driver and would have liked to make a commitment, but couldn't bring themselves to do it yet.
After all these years. I saw him again
The artist and driver had not seen each other in a long time.
He had his wife and his family with him
The driver had moved on and started a family with someone else.
He said he was proud of all my success
The driver congratulated the singer on their achievements.
He guessed both of us had found happiness
The driver assumed that both the singer and themselves had found happiness despite not ending up together.
Yes, I knew he loved me
The artist was aware of the driver's feelings for them.
But I wasn't ready
The artist still didn't feel emotionally or mentally prepared to act on those feelings, even after all these years.
And I wouldn't go that far
The artist repeated their initial sentiment about not wanting to fully engage in a romantic relationship of a certain level, even after all this time.
Lyrics © CALHOUN ENTERPRISES, Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp., THIRD TIER MUSIC, LLC
Written by: BRUCE BURCH, DANA MCVICKER, VIP VIPPERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind