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.
Say The Word
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll be yours
Say the word
So I'll be sure
That what I'm feeling goes for both of us
I hate to hear you tell me what you feel is really love
Say the word
Say the word
What's the hold up
Before I go and give my heart away
I need to know I'm falling for a man who ain't afraid to
[Chorus]
Say the word
It's just four little letters
And if you really mean it
you've got me forever
And I've got so much love for you
That all you gotta do
Is say the word
And I'll be there
Anytime, anywhere
[Chorus]
And I'll be yours
So I'll be sure
Say the word
And I'll be there
Anytime, anywhere
The song begins with Reba asking her beau to confirm his feelings for her by saying "the word," which she implies is "love". She is cautious because she doesn't want to fall for someone who doesn't feel the same way. She stakes out her heart and declares that she won't settle for less than someone willing to express his emotions. Reba McEntire doesn't want to waste time on a guy who isn't open enough to vocalize his feelings because she's ready to love until there's no love left.
Reba McEntire discusses a topic that many people can relate to: when one person is in love and the other isn’t. It's a frustrating state of mind to wonder whether the other person likes you or not. It's almost like a guessing game where one person holds the key (the word, in this case) to unlocking the relationship's happiness. The chorus emphasizes the song's title, "Say the Word," and she concludes the verses by stating that she'll always be there if he tells her he loves her, no matter the time or location.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh say the word
The singer is asking the listener to express their feelings to help them be certain about the relationship.
And I'll be yours
The singer is saying that if the listener expresses their feelings, they will be pledged to the relationship.
Say the word
The singer wants repeated assurance that the listener feels the same way.
So I'll be sure
The artist knows that hearing the listener's true feelings would clear any doubts they might have.
That what I'm feeling goes for both of us
The artist wants to check that their feelings are mutual before taking the relationship any further.
I hate to hear you tell me what you feel is really love
The singer is skeptical about the listener's feelings and wants a clear declaration of their love.
Open up
The singer wants the listener to be honest and transparent about their feelings.
What's the hold up
The artist is curious about what's preventing the listener from expressing their love.
Before I go and give my heart away
The artist does not want to invest too much emotionally until they are sure about the relationship.
I need to know I'm falling for a man who ain't afraid to
The artist is looking for a confident partner who's not afraid to express their feelings.
Say the word
The singer, again, is requesting reassurance of the listener's feelings.
It's just four little letters
The artist wants the listener to understand how significant those four letters (I love you) can be in a relationship.
And if you really mean it
The singer is expecting sincerity and honesty from the listener when expressing their feelings.
you've got me forever
The singer is saying that if the listener is truthful, they'll have their everlasting love and devotion.
And I've got so much love for you
The singer is showing how much they care for the listener.
That all you gotta do
The artist is trying to make it as easy as possible for the listener to express their love.
Is say the word
The artist wants to hear those three magic words that solidify the love connection.
And I'll be there
The singer is saying that if the listener is truthful, they'll be committed to the relationship too.
Anytime, anywhere
The singer is saying that they will support the listener no matter when or where they need them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GARVIN, SHAPIRO, WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind