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.
Tell Me What
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Isn't that how love's supposed to be
Now it seems the good times are all over
It's so funny I guess the joke's on me
Every day I sit alone and wonder
Why I fell in love so easily
And then woke up to find that all he left behind
[Chorus]
So tell me what's so good about goodbye
What's so good about watching good love die
He's the kind you can't forget
So I won't even try
Tell me what's so good
I gave him all I could
Tell me what's so good about goodbye
I don't think I'll ever love another
I didn't know that goodbye could hurt so bad
I know I'll always find he's somewhere in my mind
Still believe the worst of him's the best I'll ever have
[Chorus]
In Reba McEntire's song, "Tell Me What," the singer reflects on a failed relationship and questions why goodbyes, especially when it ends good love or break hearts, can be considered "good." The lyrics reveal a sense of disillusionment regarding love and the sheer weight of emotional pain experienced by someone after a breakup.
The opening lines reveal the singer's belief in love being eternal, a sentiment that remains ingrained in pop culture. However, her happy delusion is shattered as she realizes that her relationship's good times are gone and the man she thought she loves doesn't want to stay with her. The singer is heartbroken and can't believe that the man she loved and gave all she could to has left her with just memories of broken promises and dreams. The chorus repeatedly asks why goodbyes are considered "good" and what makes parting ways and leaving loved ones so good when all it results in is pain and shattered hearts. In the end, the singer questions whether she will ever find love again, and the memories of her ex-lover will continue to haunt her, causing her agony.
"Tell Me What" is a song of broken promises, shattered dreams, and disillusionment about love's perception. Reba McEntire manages to capture the depth of emotions felt after a failed relationship and how the pain lingers even after the breakup. This song is relatable to anyone who has been left brokenhearted and wondering why goodbyes must hurt so much.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought love was meant to last forever
I believed love would never end
Isn't that how love's supposed to be
Isn't love supposed to be eternal?
Now it seems the good times are all over
Now it seems like the happy moments are gone
It's so funny I guess the joke's on me
I find it ironic, I am the one suffering
Every day I sit alone and wonder
I spend my days thinking to myself
Why I fell in love so easily
How could I have fallen in love so quickly?
And then woke up to find that all he left behind
But then I realized he only left behind
Are tattered dreams and broken pieces in my memory
My memories are now only fragments and broken dreams
So tell me what's so good about goodbye
What is so great about saying goodbye?
What's so good about watching good love die
What is good about seeing a beautiful love come to an end?
He's the kind you can't forget
He is that unforgettable type
So I won't even try
I won't even attempt to forget him
Tell me what's so good
Please explain to me what is good?
I gave him all I could
I gave him everything I possibly could
Tell me what's so good about goodbye
Please explain to me what is good?
I don't think I'll ever love another
I have a feeling I will never love anyone else
I didn't know that goodbye could hurt so bad
I didn't realize goodbye could be so painful
I know I'll always find he's somewhere in my mind
I know he will always be on my mind
Still believe the worst of him's the best I'll ever have
But I still think he was the best out of the worst options
Tell me what's so good about goodbye
Please explain to me what is good?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALLEN M. HENSON, KEITH PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Loren Cross
I play the hairdresser. Reba was amazing to work with! All the great things they say about her are true. I'd love to work with her again.
Redd Head
Really that's awesome
Tessa Tyler
call me
Nutter-Nuke
wow you did a great job man!
Dee's Things
Loren Cross, you're hilarious in this. I've remembered this video for ages upon ages...not that I'm dating us...lol
Jennifer Jordan
Loren Cross that's cool... how did u that gig... Reba is awesome
Erik Hache
Great Singer amazing talent🎸
d3z5uy4m
I freaking LOVE Reba's music.
handstrong5
I bet this was so much fun to make. Everyone looks like they're having a great time. And the lyric is really clever. Rebe really is a master of her craft.
Mary Brennan
I love Reba's facial expressions when she sings her songs no wonder you are so terrific ❤️👑 queen