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.
The Only Promise That Remains
Reba McEntire Lyrics
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Shaking
And you forget the place we came from
Came from
When your lost and looking for a way home
Your way home to me
I'll come out and find you
When the world around you starts a moving
And you should wonder if I still love you
Love you
If you feel a darkness coming
Rising inside
I'll make a light to guide you back home
And after all the sky is falling down
And after all the waters washed away
My love's the only promise that remains
When your doubts have got you thinking
Thinking
Nothings ever really sacred
Sacred
And you're afraid you might believe it
Believe in me
And I'll give you a reason
Cause the world around us keeps on moving
Moving
And there's no doubt that
I still love you
Love you
So when you feel a darkness coming
Rising inside
I'll make a light to guide you back home
And after all the sky is falling down
And after all the waters washed away
My love's the only promise that remains
And after all the sky is falling down
After all the sky is falling down
And after all the waters washed away
After all the waters washed away
My love's the only promise that remains
Remains
The lyrics of “The Only Promise That Remains” is a touching representation of love in different stages of life. The song speaks primarily about the presence and support of a loved one during trying times of shaking ground and darkness, and how love is the only promise that remains steadfast despite the uncertainties of life. The opening line, “When the ground beneath you starts a shaking,” refers to the instability of life, and how even though things fall apart and the world moves around us, we can always rely on the promise of love.
The lyrics continue to assert the presence of love, despite the doubts of the individual. “When your doubts have got you thinking, nothing’s ever really sacred,” resonates with the feeling of loss and uncertainty in the world, inspiring people to have faith in love as the one constant. The repetition of “after all, the sky is falling down, and after all, the waters washed away” serves to reinforce the message that the only thing that remains constant is the love we have for each other.
Line by Line Meaning
When the ground beneath you starts a shaking
When you're facing a major change or upheaval in your life
And you forget the place we came from
And you feel lost or disconnected from your roots
When your lost and looking for a way home
When you're feeling lost and searching for direction
Your way home to me
I'll be your refuge and your safe haven
I'll come out and find you
I'll provide guidance and support to help you find your way
When the world around you starts a moving
When everything around you is changing or shifting
And you should wonder if I still love you
And you feel uncertain or insecure about my feelings for you
If you feel a darkness coming
If you're struggling with negative emotions or thoughts
Rising inside
That are growing stronger and more intense
I'll make a light to guide you back home
I'll provide hope and inspiration to help you overcome your struggles and find your way back to happiness
When your doubts have got you thinking
When you're questioning your beliefs or decisions
Nothings ever really sacred
And you're feeling disillusioned or let down by the world
And you're afraid you might believe it
And you're worried that you'll lose your faith or hope
Believe in me
But I'm here to remind you that you can trust in me and in our love
And I'll give you a reason
And I'll provide you with reassurance and evidence to support that trust
So when you feel a darkness coming
So when you're struggling with negative emotions or thoughts
Rising inside
That are growing stronger and more intense
I'll make a light to guide you back home
I'll provide hope and inspiration to help you overcome your struggles and find your way back to happiness
And after all the sky is falling down
Even if everything else falls apart or crumbles
And after all the waters washed away
Even if all of our troubles and challenges are washed away
My love's the only promise that remains
My love for you is the only constant and unwavering promise in our lives
After all the sky is falling down
Even if everything else falls apart or crumbles
After all the waters washed away
Even if all of our troubles and challenges are washed away
My love's the only promise that remains
My love for you is the only constant and unwavering promise in our lives
Remains
It endures and persists through all of life's ups and downs
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JUSTIN R. TIMBERLAKE, MATT MORRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind