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.
We'll Waltz In Love Tonight
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the band begins to play
Your eyes they seem to whisper
Let's dance the night away
We two stepped and we polkaed
But the magic happened when
We waltzed together and knew
[Chorus]
So while the music's playing
Let's hold each other tight
You're heart and mine
In three quarter mine
And we'll waltz in love tonight
The day is finally over
The kids are all in bed
The troubles of our busy life
Are dancing in our heads
We barely hear the radio
Till the waltz begins to play
And there's no concealing
The magic, the feeling
Just sweeps our hearts away
[Chorus]
Your heart and mine
In three quarter time
And we'll waltz in love tonight
The Reba McEntire song, We'll Waltz in Love Tonight, is a beautiful ode to the intoxicating feeling of dancing with the one you love. The opening lines describe the moment when the spark is ignited, and the band begins to play. The smiling, and the eyes that "seem to whisper" express the unspoken attraction between the two, and they take to the dance floor. The first two types of dances they try are the two-step and the polka, but it's the waltz that really captures their hearts. The lyrics suggest that it's the perfect dance for them because "the magic happened" while they were waltzing. It's been said that the waltz is symbolic of unity, and in this song, it represents a bond between two people who have finally found each other.
The second verse depicts the end of a long day, the kids are asleep, and the couple is left with only their thoughts. It's during this quiet time that they hear the music and are reminded of the magic they experienced on the dance floor. The words describe how the music has the power to transport them to a different place, where they can forget about their worries and dance in each other's arms. The chorus repeats the idea that they're dancing "in three-quarter time" and that they'll "waltz in love tonight." The phrase "three-quarter time" is a nod to the time signature often used in waltzes, further emphasizing the significance of the dance in this song.
Overall, We'll Waltz in Love Tonight is a timeless love song that captures the romantic essence of dancing with the one you love. The lyrics are simple yet poignant, expressing the idea that sometimes it's the small moments - the ones shared on the dance floor - that can make all the difference in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you softly smiling
I noticed you smiling gently.
And the band begins to play
The music begins to play as the band starts.
Your eyes they seem to whisper
Your eyes express the quiet suggestion.
Let's dance the night away
Let's dance all night long.
We two stepped and we polkaed
We danced two-step and polka.
But the magic happened when
However, the enchantment appeared when
We waltzed together and knew
We danced waltz together and realized
That we never be changing partners again
That we would not switch dance partners anymore.
[Chorus]
Refrain
So while the music's playing
Thus, during the performance
Let's hold each other tight
Let's embrace tightly
You're heart and mine
Our hearts
In three quarter time
In triple meter
And we'll waltz in love tonight
And tonight we'll dance waltz with love.
The day is finally over
The day is finally finished.
The kids are all in bed
The children are all sleeping.
The troubles of our busy life
The problems of our hectic life
Are dancing in our heads
Are occupying our thoughts.
We barely hear the radio
We hardly hear the radio.
Till the waltz begins to play
Until the waltz begins to play.
And there's no concealing
We cannot hide
The magic, the feeling
The magic, the emotion
Just sweeps our hearts away
That just takes our hearts away.
[Chorus]
Refrain
Your heart and mine
Our hearts
In three quarter time
In triple meter
And we'll waltz in love tonight
And tonight we'll dance waltz with love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: BOB MORRISON, JOHNNY MAC RAE, TOM DAVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind