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.
Lighter Shade Of Blue
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well maybe I can make it on my own
I don't stay up wonderin' if you'll call
And some nights I don't dream of you at all
Your memory's still hurtin' deep inside
That's something I'm still learnin' how to hide
Though this heart of mine has lost an ache or two
[Chorus]
Lookin' down the line sometimes
I think I see a change
But then I think again and think of you
Here and there I've turned a stone
But the mountain hasn't moved
I've only turned a lighter shade of blue
I'm still afraid of turning out the light
And it takes all my strength to face the night
Cause that's the time I face the bitter truth
I've only turned a lighter shade of blue
[Chorus]
In Reba McEntire's song "Lighter Shade Of Blue," she portrays the emotional turmoil and heartbreaks that come with a relationship ending. She reflects on finding the courage to move on with her life and start anew. She confesses that she has learned to live without her significant other, and she is okay with it. The opening lines of the song suggest that it has finally dawned on her that her former lover is gone. She has begun to build the wall of defense and is learning to accept and deal with the pain of the breakup.
The lyrics express her inner state of mind and her struggle with the new reality. She admits that her memories of the former lover still hurt her deeply inside, and she is struggling to come to terms with it. While her heart has lost some pain, she still hasn't completely moved on. The chorus "Here and there I've turned a stone but the mountain hasn't moved; I've only turned a lighter shade of blue," suggests that she has made small progress in moving on with her life, but the bigger picture hasn't changed much. She still has a long way to go before she can completely let go.
Overall, "Lighter Shade Of Blue" is a powerful expression of the pain and struggle that comes with losing someone you love. It's a song that many who have been in such a situation can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess it finally dawned on me you're gone
I have finally come to the realization that you are no longer a part of my life
Well maybe I can make it on my own
Perhaps I can survive without you and learn to be self-sufficient
I don't stay up wonderin' if you'll call
I no longer spend sleepless nights waiting for your phone call
And some nights I don't dream of you at all
Occasionally, I do not dream about you in my sleep
Your memory's still hurtin' deep inside
Your memory still causes me pain that I cannot completely get rid of
That's something I'm still learnin' how to hide
I am still learning to conceal the pain caused by your memory
Though this heart of mine has lost an ache or two
Although my heart has healed slightly from the pain you caused me
I've only turned a lighter shade of blue
I have not entirely moved on, but have only managed to reduce the intensity of my sadness
Lookin' down the line sometimes
Occasionally, I contemplate the future
I think I see a change
I perceive some positive change that may happen in the future
But then I think again and think of you
However, my thoughts return to you and my disappointment resurfaces
Here and there I've turned a stone
I have managed to overcome a few obstacles along the way
But the mountain hasn't moved
Unfortunately, the bigger challenges still remain and are yet to be conquered
I'm still afraid of turning out the light
I am still scared of the dark and being alone in the silence of the night
And it takes all my strength to face the night
It requires all my courage to confront my fears and make it through the night
Cause that's the time I face the bitter truth
It is during this time that I confront the harsh reality of your absence
I've only turned a lighter shade of blue
Despite my efforts, my pain and sadness have only slightly diminished
Lyrics © WRITE! ON MUSIC, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DONALD EWING II, MAX BARNES, TROY SEALS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind