If the 80s belonged to anyone in country music, it belonged to Reba McEntire. It was in the 80s when McEntire came into her own, having hit after hit at country radio. McEntire didn’t write her own songs, but she sure knew how to pick them. We found four Reba McEntire songs from the 80s that still sound great on the radio today.
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“Can’t Even Get The Blues”
Reba McEntire had a lot to celebrate with “Can’t Even Get The Blues“. The song, written by Tom Damphier and Rick Carnes, is McEntire’s first No. 1 hit. The song, from McEntire’s fifth studio album, comes after the Oklahoma native had already released more than a dozen singles.
“Can’t Even Get The Blues” says in part, “I can’t even get the blues no more / I try to worry like I did before / And nothing happens when I walk the floor / So what am I supposed to do?“
“Can’t Even Get The Blues” is also an early indication of the kind of career McEntire would have. According to Classic Country Music Stories, McEntire asked her producer, Jerry Kennedy, if she could record the song after he played it for her for another artist. Kennedy balked, saying, “Reba, you were meant to sing ballads. That’s your forte.” Fortunately, McEntire held her ground, and the song remains a fan favorite today.
“Somebody Should Leave”
Hit songwriter Harlan Howard penned “Somebody Should Leave” with Chick Rains for McEntire’s 1984 My Kind of Country album. The poignant song, delivered only as McEntire can, is about a couple who are unhappy in their relationship, with neither of them willing to walk away.
“Somebody should leave / But which one should it be,” McEntire sings. “You need the kids and they need me / Somebody should leave / But we hate to give in / We keep hoping somehow we might need each other again.”
“Little Rock”
“Little Rock” might be about a break-up, but it’s hard not to be in a good mood when Reba McEntire sings it. Written by Bob DiPiero and Gerry House, the song was released in 1986.
“Oh little rock / Think I’m gonna have to slip you off / Take a chance tonight and untie the knot / There’s more to life than what I’ve got,” the song says in part. “Oh little rock / You know this heart of mine just can’t be bought / I’m gonna find someone who really cares a lot / When I slip off this little rock.”
“The Last One To Know”
Country music sure loves a heartbreak ballad, which Reba McEntire does so well on “The Last One to Know”. Written by hit songwriters Matraca Berg and Jane Bach, McEntire released the song in 1987.
“The Last One To Know” says, “Oh, why is the last one to know / The first one to cry and the last to let go / Oh, why is the one left behind / The one left alone with no one to hold / The last one to know.”
It’s a timeless message that country music fans love, regardless of the era.
Photo by Beth Gwinn/Getty Images
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