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.
Promise Me Love
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll never lose me in a sea of a faceless crowd
Scream it from mountains, oh, love me out loud
In quiet whispers you'll remind me what you found
And I swear not to give up on you
I swear that I'll always be your truth
I swear to bring you light in the darkest nights
Come, we will always be loved, oh oh oh
It's scary, it's freeing, it's twirling in meaning
It's hiding from all that you can and can't see
Romance and love, romance and love
Two roads approaching, which way do we turn?
Doesn't much matter 'cause we've lived and let go and we've learned
Without the map, it's just you and me
Leading each other in a world that'll always believe
So I swear not to give up on you
I swear that I'll always be your truth
I swear to bring you light in the darkest nights
Come, we will always be loved, oh oh oh
It's scary, it's freeing, it's twirling in meaning
It's hiding from all that you can and can't see
Romance and love, romance, oh
Promise me, promise me love
It's scary, it's freeing, it's twirling in meaning
It's hiding from all that you can and can't see
Romance and love, romance, oh
Promise me, promise me love
Oh, promise me love
Promise me love, love, love
The lyrics of "Promise Me Love" by Reba McEntire speak to the importance and power of unconditional love and the commitment to never lose each other in the chaos of life. It starts by asking for a promise from the loved one to never lose sight of the singer in a crowd, to declare their love publicly, and to whisper reminders of their love in quiet moments. The singer reciprocates the promise, swearing not to give up on the loved one, always being their truth, and bringing them light in their darkest nights.
Line by Line Meaning
So promise me something, right here and now
Make a commitment to me in this exact moment
You'll never lose me in a sea of a faceless crowd
Promise that I will always stand out and matter to you amidst a multitude of people
Scream it from mountains, oh, love me out loud
Express your love for me passionately and publicly
In quiet whispers you'll remind me what you found
Through subtle gestures, you'll continually affirm the value you see in me
And I swear not to give up on you
I promise to never abandon or lose faith in you
I swear that I'll always be your truth
I promise to always be honest and genuine with you
I swear to bring you light in the darkest nights
I promise to provide support and positivity even during the toughest times
Come, we will always be loved, oh oh oh
Together, we will constantly experience love and affection
It's scary, it's freeing, it's twirling in meaning
Love can be both intimidating and liberating, with ever-changing significance
It's hiding from all that you can and can't see
Love often remains elusive, even amidst what is known and unknown
Romance and love, romance and love
The essence of love and romance permeates through it all
Two roads approaching, which way do we turn?
Facing a decision, unsure which path to choose
Doesn't much matter 'cause we've lived and let go and we've learned
The outcome is not crucial, as we have experienced and grown from both successes and failures
Without the map, it's just you and me
Navigating our journey without a guide, it's just the two of us
Leading each other in a world that'll always believe
We support and guide one another in a world that has unwavering faith in our love
Promise me, promise me love
Make a commitment to love and cherish me
Oh, promise me love
Affirm your promise to love me
Promise me love, love, love
Promise me an abundance of love, repeatedly
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind