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.
If I Were A Boy
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd roll out of bed in the morning and throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the guys and chase after girls
I'd kick it with who I wanted and I'd never get confronted for it,
'Cause they stick up for me
If I were a boy, I think I could under stand
And I'd listen to her,'cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted, 'cause he's takin' you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
If I were a boy, I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's broken, so they'd think that I was sleepin' alone
I'd put myself first and make the rules as I go
'Cause I know that she'll be faithful, waitin' for me to come home,
To come home
And if I were a boy, I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl, I swear I'd be a better man
And I'd listen to her, 'cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted, 'cause he's takin' you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake, think I'd for give you like that
If you thought I would wait for you, you thought wrong
But you're just a boy, you don't understand, you don't understand
Oh, how it (feels to love a girl someday, you wish you were a better man
Oh, you don't listen to her, and you don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted, 'cause you're takin' her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
But you're just a boy
Reba McEntire's "If I Were a Boy" is a powerful expression of the differences between men and women in society. The song is sung from the perspective of a woman imagining what life would be like if she was a man, pondering everything from how she would dress to how she would interact with other people. The song touches on issues like gender roles, expectations, and communication.
The first verse discusses how society can sometimes restrict women's behaviour while men have more freedom. The woman in the song longs to dress how she wants and hang out with her friends without the fear of being chastised or shamed. The second verse depicts the woman's desire to understand how it feels to love a girl, and how she thinks she could be a better man if she were in that position. The chorus then repeats the message that men need to listen to women, particularly when they express feelings of hurt or betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were a boy even just for a day
If I had the chance to experience life from a male perspective for just a day
I'd roll out of bed in the morning and throw on what I wanted and go
I would dress as I pleased and freely move without worrying about societal expectations or judgment
Drink beer with the guys and chase after girls
I would indulge in stereotypically masculine activities such as drinking beer with male friends and pursuing romantic interests
I'd kick it with who I wanted and I'd never get confronted for it,
'Cause they stick up for me
I would enjoy the freedom of socializing with whoever I pleased, as men often do not face the same scrutiny or judgement for their social choices as women do
If I were a boy, I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl, I swear I'd be a better man
If I were male, I believe I would be able to empathize with the experience of loving a woman and I would strive to be a more honorable partner in relationships
And I'd listen to her,'cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted, 'cause he's takin' you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
I would prioritize listening to my partner and understanding her perspective, recognizing the pain of being taken for granted and the subsequent destruction of a meaningful relationship
If I were a boy, I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's broken, so they'd think that I was sleepin' alone
If I were male, I would exercise the privilege of turning off my phone and intentionally avoiding communication with others while still being perceived as single and independent
I'd put myself first and make the rules as I go
'Cause I know that she'll be faithful, waitin' for me to come home,
To come home
I would prioritize my own needs and desires above others, confident that my partner would remain faithful and devoted to me even as I prioritize myself
And if I were a boy, I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl, I swear I'd be a better man
If I were male, I believe I would be able to empathize with the experience of loving a woman and I would strive to be a more honorable partner in relationships
And I'd listen to her, 'cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted, 'cause he's takin' you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
I would prioritize listening to my partner and understanding her perspective, recognizing the pain of being taken for granted and the subsequent destruction of a meaningful relationship
It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake, think I'd for give you like that
If you thought I would wait for you, you thought wrong
It is too late for an ex-partner to return and apologize for taking the relationship for granted and expecting forgiveness easily
But you're just a boy, you don't understand, you don't understand
Oh, how it (feels to love a girl someday, you wish you were a better man
The ex-partner is not capable of fully understanding and empathizing with the experience of loving a woman, and may eventually regret his past behavior and wish to become a more honorable partner
Oh, you don't listen to her, and you don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted, 'cause you're takin' her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
The failure to listen to and understand a partner's perspective can ultimately lead to the loss of a meaningful relationship and the destruction of mutual trust and respect
But you're just a boy
The ex-partner is young and inexperienced in terms of understanding and prioritizing the needs and emotions of a romantic partner
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brittany Jean Carlson, Tobias Gad
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matiss
If I were a boy
Even just for a day
I’d roll outta bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after girls
I’d kick it with who I wanted
And I’d never get confronted for it.
'Cause they’d stick up for me.
[Chorus]
If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man.
I’d listen to her
'Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
'Cause he’s taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
[Verse]
If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it’s broken
So they’d think that I was sleepin’ alone
I’d put myself first
And make the rules as I go
'Cause I know that she’d be faithful
Waitin’ for me to come home (to come home)
[Chorus]
If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man.
I’d listen to her
'Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted (wanted)
'Cause he’s taken you for granted (granted)
And everything you had got destroyed
[Bridge]
It’s a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake
Think I’d forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought wrong
[Chorus 2]
But you’re just a boy
You don’t understand
Yeah, you don’t understand, oh
How it feels to love a girl someday
You wish you were a better man
You don’t listen to her
You don’t care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
'Cause you’ve taken her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
But you’re just a boy
Lisa S
I like both versions. Beyonce's is more uptempo and makes me say "she is so right". Reba's got me in my feelings and almost made me want to cry.
Sir M
Yes I agree
Joe Groves
Lisa S you are right! Reba had a way with it! Could you imagine the two together! They each make this song have a different feeling that’s for sure! Both blow it out of the water and really put you through emotions
passion pop
no no no honey lol Beyonce's version is wayyy better.
Miss_christie1217
Bc Jean is the original writer you should give it a listen
AlexZandria
The fact that she chose this dress and this huge house as a way to symbolize dragging around extra weight and being held down while feeling so alone. 💯 👏🏼 I see you Reba.
Bree Boyd
I grew up with Reba, my mom absolutely loved her. She still looks SOOOOO amazing n gorgeous. Such a timeless woman
Justice Harrison
Hello there Bree nice meeting you here
Kimberly Bonneau
I didn’t even know she had done her own version of it. It’s beautiful.
Christopher Cathcart
Pretty sure this is the original and other people covered it