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.
Is It Really Love
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That love's the hardest thing to understand
I thought once in love my troubles would blow over
But it seems that's when the heartache just begins
And I remember when you first said that you love me
I tried not to let the words go to my head
The things you said you spoke so sincerely
Is it really love
Is it really love
Or just my heart playing tricks on me
I fall so easily
Is my heart telling me
That I'm your fool
Or is it really love
This time love's got me feeling so uncertain
My heart's seen all the breaks that it can take
I can't tell you if this is just infatuation
Or another chance to learn from my mistakes
Is it really love
Is it really love
Or just my heart playing tricks on me
I fall so easily
Is my heart telling me
That I'm your fool
Or is it really love
I'm a little bit leary
Of the love 'em and leave 'em behind kind
I'm just a little bit weary
Cause other lovers like messing with my mind
Oh all the time
Is it really love
Is it really love
Or just my heart playing tricks on me
I fall so easily
Is my heart telling me
That I'm your fool
Or is it really love
Am I your fool
Or is it really love
In Reba McEntire's song "Is It Really Love", she expresses her uncertainty about whether the romantic feelings she is experiencing are truly love or just infatuation. She acknowledges how difficult it can be to understand love, and how it can often lead to heartache. She reflects on the past, remembering when her lover first professed their love to her, and how she tried not to let their words influence her too strongly, knowing how easily she falls in love. She questions whether her heart is telling her that she's a fool for falling for this person, or whether it's really love.
Throughout the song, Reba expresses her doubts and fears about love. She has been hurt before and is hesitant to believe that these new feelings are real. She is tired of being with people who mess with her mind and leave her heartbroken. However, despite these reservations, she is open to the possibility that this could be love and is willing to take the chance to find out.
The lyrics of "Is It Really Love" encourage listeners to question their own feelings and to be cautious when entering into romantic relationships. They acknowledge how easy it is to become infatuated with someone and how difficult it can be to discern true love. Reba's powerful vocals convey the emotional turmoil that comes with falling in love and the uncertainty that often accompanies it.
Line by Line Meaning
They say that it's the same the whole world over
People everywhere say that understanding love is difficult and complicated.
That love's the hardest thing to understand
Love is the most difficult concept to comprehend and interpret.
I thought once in love my troubles would blow over
I believed that my problems would be solved when I fell in love.
But it seems that's when the heartache just begins
However, it turns out that my grief and pain started only after entering the relationship.
And I remember when you first said that you love me
I recall the time when you first professed your love for me.
I tried not to let the words go to my head
I attempted to remain calm and not get carried away by the expression of love.
The things you said you spoke so sincerely
The words you used to articulate your feelings were genuinely heartfelt.
Somewhere in between the lines of red
But I sensed something dubious between the lines of your words.
Is it really love
I'm questioning whether this is genuine romantic love.
Or just my heart playing tricks on me
Perhaps I'm just fooling myself into thinking that this is love.
I fall so easily
I find myself easily attracted and falling for people.
Is my heart telling me
Maybe my emotions and intuition are giving me signals.
That I'm your fool
I'm afraid of being taken advantage of and being made a fool.
Or is it really love
But I'm also hopeful that this is actually true, romantic love.
This time love's got me feeling so uncertain
This time, I'm feeling very unsure and anxious about love.
My heart's seen all the breaks that it can take
My heart has suffered and endured all the pain and sorrow it could handle.
I can't tell you if this is just infatuation
I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is just a temporary, intense attraction.
Or another chance to learn from my mistakes
Or if this is a new opportunity to gain wisdom and knowledge from previous experiences.
I'm a little bit leary
I'm a bit cautious and suspicious.
Of the love 'em and leave 'em behind kind
I'm wary of people who engage in short-term, shallow relationships.
I'm just a little bit weary
I'm feeling a little tired and exhausted.
Cause other lovers like messing with my mind
Because I've had past lovers who have played mind games with me.
Oh all the time
This has happened too many times to count.
Am I your fool
I'm still wondering if I'm being made a fool of in this relationship.
Or is it really love
Or if this is actually true, sincere love.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: DON SCOTT HARE, RITA GANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind