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.
It Don't Matter
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it don't matter
A two garage with a new Cherokee
But it don't matter
[Chorus]
Cause we don't ever seem to talk anymore
And you don't hold me like you did before
But now I know and now I see
Nothing matters if you don't love me
We've given twelve precious years of our lives
But it don't matter
And I guess for awhile we were both satisfied
But it don't matter
It wouldn't be easy to walk out tonight
But it don't matter
And I know I would miss you if you said goodbye
But it don't matter
In these lyrics, Reba McEntire paints a picture of a couple’s life that appears perfect on the surface, with a nice little house on a quiet little street and a two-car garage with a new Cherokee. But, as she sings in the chorus, there is a major problem: “we don’t ever seem to talk anymore and you don’t hold me like you did before”. Despite all their material possessions, the couple’s relationship has deteriorated to the point where nothing else matters if they don’t love each other.
The bridge of the song further emphasizes the theme of the song, as Reba sings about the 12 years they’ve spent together and how, while they were initially satisfied with their life together, things have changed. Now, even though it wouldn’t be easy to walk out, she knows that nothing else matters if they don’t have love.
These lyrics represent a poignant reminder that the material possessions we have in our lives mean nothing if we don’t have love and connection in our relationships. No matter how perfect our life looks to others, it doesn’t matter if we’re not happy on the inside.
Line by Line Meaning
We've got a nice little house on a quiet little street
We have a comfortable and peaceful living arrangement
But it don't matter
However, it doesn't bring happiness or fulfillment
A two garage with a new Cherokee
We have a spacious garage and a new car
But it don't matter
Despite the material possessions, satisfaction is still lacking
Cause we don't ever seem to talk anymore
Communication has diminished in our relationship
And you don't hold me like you did before
Physical and emotional intimacy has faded away
We've got everything we wanted and more
We have all the material things we thought we wanted
But now I know and now I see
However, I understand the true value of love and affection
Nothing matters if you don't love me
Without love, material possessions and comforts become meaningless
We've given twelve precious years of our lives
We have spent a significant amount of time in this relationship
But it don't matter
However, the duration of our relationship does not guarantee happiness
And I guess for awhile we were both satisfied
At some point, both parties had felt happy and content
But it don't matter
Nonetheless, current discontentment overshadows past satisfaction
It wouldn't be easy to walk out tonight
Leaving the relationship would be difficult
But it don't matter
However, staying without love is even harder
And I know I would miss you if you said goodbye
I am aware that I would feel the loss of your presence
But it don't matter
Regardless, staying unhappy is not an option
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRIS DESTEFANO, BRETT JAMES, KIP MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind