Saturday, April 6, 2024: Reba McEntire - Fancy

 

Always remember, don't let yourself down, and:

To Thine Own Self Be True

Wednesday, September 15, 2010: Reba McEntire - Whoever's In New England

I've blogged before about my fondness for Country Music.

Country music has it's share of feisty women who refuse to take crap from men.  But there is a really a fascinating flip side to all that independent woman braggadocio.  And one of the best examples is this classic track from Country Music legend Reba McEntire.

It's easy to criticize the subject of this song, a stay at home wife letting her cheating husband know that she'll always be there for him.  Yes, she's married to a douchebag. And, yes, she should probably stop behaving like a doormat.

Her behaviour is reinforced by Reba's soft-spoken manner for most of the lyrics, her voice almost conversational in tone and delivery.

But when that slight drum fill introduces the chorus, and Reba's voice soars effortlessly to a place that all the Gaga's, the Miley's, the Perry's in the world can only dream of going, that's when you get it. That's when it all makes sense.

And you get it because there is an honesty there that can only exist in Country Music. As I've said before, I like Country Music because it has no subtext. Country songwriters have no use for metaphor or simile. I mean, would anyone in pop music write the lyrics,

"I've packed your bags and left them in the hallway

But before you leave again there's just one thing you outta know"

No, of course not. Which means that when Reba sings that her husband will always have a place to come back to, she simply means that her husband will always have a place to come back to.  We may not agree with it, but to sway people's opinions is not the point of the song.  Nor where its power lies.

That little inflection in her voice isn't merely a vocal embellishment, it's the singers heart coming through.  Unencumbered and unfettered.

And all the Gaga's, the Miley's, the Perry's in the world should take a listen to how that works.

Then they should all go back to serving drinks at their local Orange Julius.