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.
Maggie Creek Road
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mama stood on the front porch ringin' her hands
Watched the tail lights fadin' on his black tranzam
With her precious little baby taking off inside
Staring at him with stars in her eyes
She tried to tell her but the girl might as well have been deaf
She wasn't gonna listen to a word she said
Don't go down Maggie Creek Road
With a boy lookin' like that
He'll tell ya thangs that you wanna hear
And they'll be no turnin' back
There's an oak tree down by the lake
In the shade where the wild flowers grow
What'll happen only heaven knows
So don't go down Maggie Creek Road
(at the end)........don't go down....... Maggie Creek Road)
Verse 2
Was a still black night as dark is cold
Nobody heard her when she said no
She kicked and screamed and got free somehow
Tore her dress on the door when he pushed her out
She walked 13 miles on the gravel road
With tears in her eyes 20 years ago
Don't go down Maggie Creek Road
With a boy lookin' like that
He'll tell ya thangs that you wanna hear
And they'll be no turnin' back
There's an oak tree down by the lake
In the shade where the wild flowers grow
What'll happen only heaven knows
So don't go down Maggie Creek Road
(at the end)........don't go down....... Maggie Creek Road)
Verse 3
Somehow mama's always know
Cause they shoulda been home an hour ago
When she pulled up it was just going down
She turned her headlights off didn't make a sound
She heard her baby crying no but he wouldn't stop
Her heart went cold and her blood ran hot
With a pistol in her hand she opened his door
You don't wanna see mama go to war
Don't go down Maggie Creek Road
With a boy lookin' like that
He'll tell ya thangs that you wanna hear
And they'll be no turnin' back
There's an oak tree down by the lake
In the shade where the wild flowers grow
What'll happen only heaven knows
So don't go down Maggie Creek Road
(at the end)........don't go down....... Maggie Creek Road)
Reba McEntire's song "Maggie Creek Road" tells a story about a mother's warning to her daughter not to pursue a relationship with a boy who seems to have a questionable reputation. In the first verse, we see the mother standing on the front porch, watching her daughter getting into a black Trans AM with stars in her eyes. The mother tries to warn her daughter, but she doesn't listen, and the mother knows that it may lead her to bad circumstances. The chorus warns the daughter to stay away from Maggie Creek Road with a boy like that, as he could manipulate her with false promises, and there would be no turning back. There is an oak tree down by the lake where nobody else goes; what would happen, only heaven knows.
In the second verse, it is revealed that the daughter didn't listen to her mother's instructions, and she went down Maggie Creek Road with the boy. The night was quiet, dark and cold, and nobody heard when she said no. The daughter somehow freed herself and walked 13 miles down the gravel road with tears in her eyes. The chorus repeats, warning the daughter of the dangerous consequences of being with the boy.
In the third verse, the mother senses that something is wrong as they should have been back by then. She goes down the road and sees her daughter in distress. Heartbroken, the mother runs to her daughter, who is crying, gets her out of the car, and then takes a gun in her hand. The chorus reminds the audience that they should never go down Maggie Creek Road, as it leads to disastrous consequences.
Overall, "Maggie Creek Road" is a song that highlights the importance of listening to a mother's advice and avoiding dangerous situations to avoid unforeseen events.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama stood on the front porch ringin' her hands
The mother is visibly anxious and worried.
Watched the tail lights fadin' on his black tranzam
The mother sees her daughter's partner driving away.
With her precious little baby taking off inside
The daughter is leaving with her partner.
Staring at him with stars in her eyes
She is in love and fully trusting him.
She tried to tell her but the girl might as well have been deaf
The daughter does not listen to her mother's warning.
Don't go down Maggie Creek Road
Stay away from a dangerous and risky road.
With a boy lookin' like that
Partners who seem untrustworthy and dangerous.
He'll tell ya thangs that you wanna hear
He will lie to you to get his way.
And they'll be no turnin' back
Once you make a bad choice, there is no undoing it.
There's an oak tree down by the lake
A specific location on this dangerous road.
In the shade where the wild flowers grow
A description of a peaceful-looking location, but still dangerous.
What'll happen only heaven knows
The outcome of going down this road cannot be predicted.
So don't go down Maggie Creek Road
The warning to stay away from this road and dangerous partners.
(at the end)........don't go down....... Maggie Creek Road
The refrain of the song, as a warning to listeners.
Was a still black night as dark is cold
A description of a scary and dangerous night.
Nobody heard her when she said no
The partner is raping the daughter.
She kicked and screamed and got free somehow
The daughter physically fought back to escape.
Tore her dress on the door when he pushed her out
The daughter's escape was forcible, damaging her clothes.
She walked 13 miles on the gravel road
The daughter had to walk a long distance to get away.
With tears in her eyes 20 years ago
The traumatic event is still affecting the daughter after many years.
Somehow mama's always know
Mothers have an intuition and can sense danger.
Cause they shoulda been home an hour ago
The daughter should have been home earlier, but is not.
When she pulled up it was just going down
The mother arrives on the scene and sees the events unfolding.
She turned her headlights off didn't make a sound
The mother is trying to avoid being detected by the partner.
She heard her baby crying no but he wouldn't stop
The daughter is distressed and her partner is not comforting her.
Her heart went cold and her blood ran hot
The mother is furious and anxious.
With a pistol in her hand she opened his door
The mother takes her revenge and confronts the partner with a weapon.
You don't wanna see mama go to war
The mother is willing to fight to protect her daughter.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KAREN ROCHELLE, JAMES SLATER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind