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.
When You Have A Child
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You learn it's a serious business
To have a little fun
You give grace and get forgiveness
Not seven times seven
But seven times seventy one
And when you have a child
Take on a life of it's own
When you bring 'em home
You will cry and you will laugh
When they hurt it cuts you in half
It's your flesh and bone
And year after year
Pictures fill page after page
They never really grow up
Still your baby at any age
The first time you hold 'em
It's like you see God's smile
What a smile
When you have a child
And then boy meets girl
And perfume and gasoline
Reign on your perfect world
Curfews are often broken
Thank yous aren't spoken
He's got the keys to that old Dodge
And she's wearing a corsage
And her mama's pearls
And year after year
Pictures fill page after page
They never really grow up
Still your baby at any age
And the first time you hold 'em
It's like you feel God's smile
What a smile
When you have a child
You pray that phone call never comes
And if God forbid
How would you live
How could you go on
And on and on and on
And year after year
Close the chapter and turn the page
Blue ribbons and losing seasons
Flipping tassles on the stage
Oh but you don't need a photograph
You've got at least a million
Pictures of that smile
When you close your eyes
When you love a child
Oh when you love a child
This song by Reba McEntire titled When You Have A Child speaks about the joys and responsibilities that come with becoming a parent. The lyrics talk about how having a child transforms one's life completely. The first verse says that having a child is a serious business, but at the same time, parents should also learn to have some fun and be forgiving towards their children. The line 'Not seven times seven, but seven times seventy one' refers to the importance of forgiveness and second chances in a parent-child relationship.
The second verse talks about how a home becomes much more than just four walls when children come into the picture. Parents watch their children grow up year after year, and every moment, their hearts are filled with joy, pride, worry, and sometimes pain. The bridge talks about how children grow up and eventually start their own life, and parents are left with memories, both good and bad. But the love between a parent and child never fades away, even when they are no longer children.
The song talks about the worries that parents have for their children, the fear of losing them, but also the immense love and joy they give to parents throughout their lives. It's an emotional and heartfelt tribute to the bond between a parent and a child.
Line by Line Meaning
When you have a child
Having a child is a significant responsibility
You learn it's a serious business
Raising a child is a challenging and serious undertaking
To have a little fun
While raising children is difficult, it's important to have fun along the way
You give grace and get forgiveness
As a parent, it's important to be forgiving and to model forgiveness to your children
Not seven times seven
While forgiveness is key, it's important to go beyond just a few times and truly forgive repeatedly
But seven times seventy one
You should be willing to forgive indefinitely, and always show grace to those you love, including your children
And when you have a child
Having a child is a life-changing experience
Those four walls you call a house
Your home becomes more than just a physical place when you bring your child there
Take on a life of it's own
Your home becomes a living, breathing part of your family's life
When you bring 'em home
Bringing your child home is a momentous occasion
You will cry and you will laugh
Raising children is filled with both joy and heartache
When they hurt it cuts you in half
Your child's pain is your pain; they are a part of you
It's your flesh and bone
Your child is a part of you, a tangible representation of your love
And year after year
Watching your child grow up is a constant and ongoing experience
Pictures fill page after page
Memories of your child fill your heart and your photo albums
They never really grow up
No matter how old they get, your child is always your baby
Still your baby at any age
Your love for your child remains unchanged as they grow and mature
The first time you hold 'em
Holding your child for the first time is an indescribable experience
It's like you see God's smile
It's a moment of pure joy and exhilaration
What a smile
It's a moment you'll never forget
And then boy meets girl
As your child grows, they will develop their own relationships and romantic interests
And perfume and gasoline
The scents of teenagers and young adults fill your home as they explore the world
Reign on your perfect world
Their independence can be challenging, but it's a necessary part of growing up and discovering themselves
Curfews are often broken
As they test their boundaries, your child will make mistakes and challenge your rules
Thank yous aren't spoken
They may forget to express their gratitude, but they still love and appreciate you
He's got the keys to that old Dodge
They will gain independence and begin to make their own decisions
And she's wearing a corsage
They will experience milestones and traditions unique to their generation
And her mama's pearls
They may incorporate cherished family traditions and heirlooms into their lives
You pray that phone call never comes
As a parent, you will always worry about your child's safety and well-being, no matter how old they get
And if God forbid
You dread the thought of something terrible happening to your child
How would you live
You can't even imagine how you would cope or go on after such a tragedy
How could you go on
The thought of losing your child is unbearable
And on and on and on
It's a fear that will always be with you, no matter how old your child gets
Close the chapter and turn the page
Life goes on, but the memories and love remain
Blue ribbons and losing seasons
Your child's achievements and setbacks are all a part of their growth and development
Flipping tassels on the stage
You will celebrate your child's milestones and accomplishments, no matter how big or small
Oh but you don't need a photograph
Your memories with your child are worth more than any physical object
You've got at least a million
You have an endless supply of cherished moments and memories with your child
When you close your eyes
Your memories of your child will always be with you, no matter where you are or what you're doing
When you love a child
Loving a child is a lifelong journey filled with love, joy, and heartache
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TOM DOUGLAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tiffanymiller654
I'm the proud mother of five, I've recently lost my two youngest children and their father in a house fire. This songs brings so many tears. They will always be my babies. I miss then each and every day. Make sure you always tell your children how much you love them. Tomorrow is not promised.
Anne Bodee
I know it's been awhile but I know your loss must still break your heart and I just want to say how sorry I am for your loss.
lumi2stay
Thank you for posting. Both of my daughters just became new mothers, and this was so perfect for them to understand how I feel about them, and for how they feel having their own now.
Monique Slawinski
This is truly beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. My baby girl is my world and I feel like God gave her to me and my husband to teach us. She is 1-1/2 years old.
konnorsmommy6409
I love this song. I have a 2 year old, 1 year old, and about to have my third boy and they have changed my life. And I will do anything and everything for them. The babies change but I still love them.
Nicholai Barak
Reba sums things up through her music in the most unique & spectacular ways it blows me away! Could she have been more spot-on in this song? I have to refer to this song when dealing with my baby cousins & their parents, not easy! Love you Reba!
Katastrophe
Hearing this song on a day like today when so many parents have lost their babies and won't get to see them go to their high school prom or drive a car, it really puts things into perspective. God bless the families in Connecticut who lost a child today, my prayers are with them <3
Linda Burns
Wow so beautiful Reba!!! Lovely and awesome to hear again, thank you. 🌹🌷💐❣♥️⚘💋🙏🦋
Isabelle Charles
Every time I listen to this song, I try not to cry but I break - such an amazing and heartfelt song.
Debra
my daughter is 21 and away at college, but i wept when i came across this song...just make sure you cherish each day you have with them growing up, i never thought the "Empty Nest" syndrone would hit me so bad, thought retirement years would be great, but with a part of you missing,no matter how near or far away they are, you still somehow feel lost.