Reba McEntire – “Consider Me Gone”
Songwriters: Steve Diamond and Marv Green.
After 23 studio albums–the last 16 of which have sold platinum or better–and 22 #1 singles, there can be no doubt as to Reba’s place in country music history. She is one of the greatest, one of the most consistent, and one of the most beloved artists our genre has ever known. She is a superstar in every sense, and she has earned that title due to both her commercial success and her artistic prowess, having already left behind a body of work that will be loved, sang and referenced for as long as people are loving, singing and referencing country music.
Over the past 10 to 15 years, however, Reba’s music has fallen far short of her own immense stature, and this artist who provided us with some of the finest vocal performances and most memorable moments of the past three decades has grown largely irrelevant in the genre’s big picture.
After all, she has been mostly absent from airwaves, stadiums and theaters over a 10-year span that, despite the release of four studio albums, has seen her chart only one #1 hit. Since 1995, she has notched only three #1s, and in the past five years she has broken into the top 10 only once.
The ugly truth is that within that period, Reba has, with increasing frequency, chosen songs that are beneath her. She is an epic personality with an epic history and an epic voice. But songs like “My Sister” and “He Gets That From Me,” despite their touching core messages, are far from epic, eschewing the heartbreak, sass, and biting truths present in her earlier music in favor of mundane domestic narratives that seem culled from the pages of Reader’s Digest and Ladies’ Home Journal.
At some point, Reba became more of a brand than an artist–fueled, perhaps, by her television presence and her growing importance as an icon of female success and strength. When that transformation occurred, her musical focus seemingly shifted with it, and instead of cutting great country songs, she attempted to reposition herself as a relatable everywoman. Especially unfortunate is that the songs she recorded in order to help develop that image asked very little of her very incredible talent.
With her new Big Machine/Valory deal, Reba appears to be attempting to pivot her career once again, this time refocusing on Nashville and the music industry she once seemed bigger than. The problem is that although the music we’ve heard from her new project smartly avoids the saccharine sweetness of much of her recent work, it still sounds like the kind of music any other artist could produce, the songs themselves so unmemorable that they seem like a genuine waste of one of country music’s most precious gifts.
The first single from the new Valory project, “Strange,” was a song that was really no better or worse than any other song floating around Nashville. Likewise, her next single, “Consider Me Gone,” is a perfectly fine tune, unobjectionable but seemingly a better fit for a new artist who perhaps doesn’t have access to Music City’s best material. Reba, of course, could have the pick of the litter.
“I guess we’re done/Let’s not drag this on/Consider me gone.” Reba is too good to be singing lyrics that accomplish so little. She’s too good–no, too great–to be settling for an average song, wrapped up in a tight little production package and tied together with a bow that shines with radio-friendly sheen.
Maybe label head Scott Borchetta learned his lesson with Trisha Yearwood’s artistically magnificent but commercially disastrous Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love. Maybe the smart thing to do now is deliver a Reba product that shoots right down the middle, an accessible and straightforward effort that plays to current tastes and doesn’t aim too high.
Maybe that’s the smart thing. But that doesn’t render the end result any less disappointing.
In the song, Reba asks for a “healthy dose of honesty,” and here it is: A figure as iconic as Reba deserves better than the most generic contemporary country music to offer.
Listen: Reba – “Consider Me Gone”
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July 30, 2009 at 2:12 pm Permalink
Are you basing your entire evaluation of her new album of 13 songs off of just the two that you’ve heard?
Overall I agree with your points, but to judge the album off of just two songs, to me, seems a bit presumptuous.
July 30, 2009 at 2:24 pm Permalink
Maybe the smart thing to do now is deliver a Reba product that shoots right down the middle, an accessible and straightforward effort that plays to current tastes and doesn’t aim too high.
I think that’s exactly their strategy. Reba’s at a somewhat precarious stage of her career, because she has been largely absent for quite some time, and because she is well past the age when radio usually stops playing female artists. I think that makes her less likely to take risks than she might have been 10 or 15 years ago. I think she still very much wants radio airplay and to be relevant in the mainstream, so it’s no surprise that she’s picked material that is likely to be radio-friendly. Her salad days at radio may be on the wane, however. It’s interesting that “Strange” has yet to crack the Top 10 despite the fact that it was the fastest-rising single of her career at the time of its release.
I’d very much like to hear a back-to-basics, rootsy album from Reba. Maybe she’ll give us one when radio stops playing her altogether.
I haven’t heard the album in its entirety yet but based on the clips I’ve heard, it’s a lot better than her Duets album. “Consider Me Gone” is not a bad song. I’m not completely sold on it yet, but that could change with repeated listenings.
July 30, 2009 at 2:26 pm Permalink
Are you basing your entire evaluation of her new album of 13 songs off of just the two that you’ve heard?
Overall I agree with your points, but to judge the album off of just two songs, to me, seems a bit presumptuous.
This isn’t an album review; he’s only reviewing the current single.
July 30, 2009 at 3:14 pm Permalink
The sound of this one is very middling and universal-sounding. But I can’t see any alternative to that given the lyric and the song’s core message. Personally, I like this one a lot – this is the sort of music Reba was churning out when I first began listening. It sounds like it could fit neatly on Read My Mind, Rumor Has It or any of her albums from that peak period.
July 30, 2009 at 3:31 pm Permalink
I think this was an unfair evaluation of Reba and her work. Listen 2 some of the new songs out there, many in my opinion are not that great, but because of who is singing them, they get air play. reba has stayed true to herself while also letting her music change to fit the new time period. I have listened to the entire album preview, and 2 be honest,i think that it is quite amazing. Reba has class, and she has the power, and legacy to do what ever she feels like doing. I luv the new album, and have already pre-ordered it! Can’t wait to hear the entire thing. Reba you rock!!!
July 30, 2009 at 3:41 pm Permalink
Haven’t heard it yet, but ugh, what is she thinking if the whole album is her attempt at conforming to mainstream pop fluff…
July 30, 2009 at 4:40 pm Permalink
Reba really cut her own throat at Top 40 country radio when she spent all those years focused on performing on Broadway or shooting her TV show out here in L.A.. I can’t blame her though as after conquering the heights of the mainstream country music scene during the 80’s and 90’s she must have been bored with it.
Long term radio stalwarts like George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Brooks & Dunn have remained focused on their country music careers and kept good(?) quality radio singles flowing for the last couple of decades. For Reba to step off that train for as long as she did killed off a huge amount of momentum which she might or might not get back. In this age of radio dominance by female artists like Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, Reba has her work cut out for her regardless of her past glory…
July 30, 2009 at 5:04 pm Permalink
“Consider Me Gone”?
I consider Reba gone since about 1989. That’s when she quit making real country music. The only thing country about Reba in the last 20 years is her accent.
July 30, 2009 at 5:33 pm Permalink
I love Reba. She’s a fun, sassy multi -talented lady. But look at that picture…it’s like she is trying to compete with the younger crowd. Honestly, I was looking forward to this album. Since she was back with Scott, I thought the real Reba would return with amazing country songs. When I heard “Strange” on the ACMs, I was so disappointed. It was like my hero trying to sing pop songs of today. That’s what this one is too. I hope and pray that this song was released to try to get the younger crowd, but once she catches them, then she brings out the REAL country music as a learning tool to great music.
July 30, 2009 at 8:52 pm Permalink
I don’t get this review… much like the recent Michelle Branch one it came off as too much about the artist’s history and such rather than why the song is great/why it sucks
I learned that Reba’s an icon, who’s had some trouble getting #1 hits for the past decade
July 30, 2009 at 8:53 pm Permalink
Sometimes those things are more important than the nuts and bolts of a song. And sometimes they are not. I think this review goes a long way towards explicating my views on the song without losing sight of the big picture, which, true to your point, isn’t really about how the chorus lays. And part of that is because if you strip away the context, the song is just fine. The problem, of course, is that we can never just strip away the context. Well, we can, but the analysis will seldom make sense.
July 30, 2009 at 9:26 pm Permalink
Reba McEntire is the Queen of Country Music. She is wonderful and great at whatever she does. She needed to sing, “Strange”. “Strange” was fresh and revitalizing. And as far as your comment about “Consider Me Gone”, and the album previews go, I think that you ought to be ashamed of yourself. The album sounds great. And there are some great country songs in there like, “Maggie Creek Road”, “Eight Hours in the Story of Love”, “But Why”, and “She’s Turning Fifty Today”. Reba McEntire will make a triumphant return to glory. “Consider Me Gone” is a fantastic country song!!!!!!!!
July 30, 2009 at 9:30 pm Permalink
“Strange” is terrible.
July 30, 2009 at 9:48 pm Permalink
What’s interesting to me, in these comments, is that the only real positive reviews are coming from obvious Reba Super-Fans who don’t say anything constructive, other than “She’s Great – Period – And Damn You For Saying Otherwise!!!”
The brilliant line in the review dealt with how Reba shifted from being a Country Superstar to being a Brand. She’s all about the big picture – the Musicals, the TV show, Movies – and the music comes as just a small part of the overall scheme.
I have nothing against Reba, and think she does see herself as a sort of Fairy Godmother to Carry/Taylor/Kellie et al but her work in the last decade, certainly, does leave something to be desired.
July 30, 2009 at 10:21 pm Permalink
Disclaimer: These Reba Superfans commenting do not represent all Reba fans. Most of us are sensible and thoughtful people.
July 30, 2009 at 10:27 pm Permalink
This sounds like something she could’ve recorded from the mid-late 90’s, and I do like most of what she did from that time. At least I like it a lot better than “Strange.” I do agree that at this stage in her career, she should be recording stronger material like her 80’s work.
July 30, 2009 at 10:43 pm Permalink
After listening to this song – I do enjoy it. I’m going to need a lot more listens to delve deeper, but upon first listen, I like this.
July 30, 2009 at 10:50 pm Permalink
I have nothing against Reba, and think she does see herself as a sort of Fairy Godmother to Carry/Taylor/Kellie et al but her work in the last decade, certainly, does leave something to be desired.
She hasn’t done much, as far as country music goes, in the last decade. She has only released two albums in the 2000s — Room to Breathe and Reba Duets . The duets album was truly terrible, with the exception of two or three songs. I thought Room to Breathe was pretty good, though it admittedly had some weak spots, like “My Sister.”
This sounds like something she could’ve recorded from the mid-late 90’s …
That was my thought, too when I first heard the song. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing because most of her 90s work was pretty good — not as good as her golden age (1984-1987) but pretty good, nonetheless.
July 30, 2009 at 11:03 pm Permalink
Reba will always be my favorite and this new single (as well as “Strange”) sound like they could fit in on the If You See Him and So Good Together albums. And that’s not a compliment. They are bland and “Strange” became downright annoying.
July 30, 2009 at 11:08 pm Permalink
And speaking of strange… I did have the strangest desire to listen to “My Sister” the other day. I was putting together a CD of “sister” songs for a friend who lost her sister to cancer a while back and thought about putting it on there. Ultimately, I could only come up with about five sister songs so I abandoned the project.
July 30, 2009 at 11:21 pm Permalink
Well I will say this, I am a Reba fan and I can’t wait to get her new cd. But at the same time I also agree with this review. Basically Reba is a great talent, but some of the song choices haven’t been very good in the last few years. The Reba fans seriously should calm down, I mean its just some constructive criticism and we should be able to handle that.
July 30, 2009 at 11:29 pm Permalink
i understand everone has there oppion but some people like yours is wrong! reba has been the QUEEN of country music and for 54 i saw she still gots something everone like rather its her pefromance,songs,acting,personailty or just sence of humor. when it comes down to it reba is more than just talent she’s humon and a pretty good one at that.Strange was a great song maybe it wasnt for you or maybe your girlfriend left you so you just but a bad review on reba. and consider me gone is for certain type of people. reba likes to get messages across to certain people now in young days reba didnt mind but now she has worked her way to it that everone knows who she is and we are seeing more scuess everday love you more reba and ill keep on loving you
July 31, 2009 at 12:58 am Permalink
… and most of have a grasp on spelling, grammar and punctuation.
July 31, 2009 at 1:49 am Permalink
Just to throw it out there, I quite like this song… I think I prefered “Strange”, but this is good too
Anywho… I’m looking forward to this album =)
July 31, 2009 at 4:37 am Permalink
Another medicre McEntire effort. I would love to see her return to her Oklahoma roots and produce the sort of quality music she produced before 1990. I presume she’s still capable of it, although perhaps not
July 31, 2009 at 9:37 am Permalink
I don’t know if any of you have turned on the radio lately, but this is today’s country music. Also, remember a majority of her album sales came after 1990, a period when she was also in the forefront of the concert scene.
I wont deny that some of her last efforts were not as good as the priors, but this album looks like its a re-introduction into the country seen for Reba. I feel like this is her homecoming and that it will be hard to see how the song choices pan-out until records sales come out the following week.
But, I do find it interesting that the album as a whole is being slammed off of two songs. Strange, was not good, I concede that, but Consider Me Gone is a much better song. Plus, some of the songs toward the end of the album are classic Reba songs, some remind me of the Its Your Call era and before.
July 31, 2009 at 12:26 pm Permalink
I agree that context is important and so considering Reba the brand is fair in assessing the quality of the single. But I also think you’re setting up an impossible standard: with the exception of George Strait, almost NO artist can return to the brand of country music popular in the 1980s and expect to survive at contemporary country radio.
Is it reasonable to say music took a back seat in Reba’s career over the past 10-15 years? Sure. What I take issue with is the assertion that she “has grown largely irrelevant in the genre’s big picture.” An argument could be made that McEntire’s TV, film and Broadway exposure – not to mention the retail launch of her assorted clothing and home product lines – have helped expand country music into non-traditional, mainstream avenues. Doing so is exactly the OPPOSITE of irrelevance.
Regarding the top 10 activity in the past five years: she has been in the top 10 with “Somebody” (No. 1), “Because of You” (peaked at No. 2), “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” (w/ Brooks & Dunn) and “Strange.” Furthermore, let’s be fair that absenteeism from the top 10 can just as easily be attributed to radio’s acceptance of female artists of an advanced age as it can to the quality of the material, which of course is completely subjective.
Relative to the songs in question, upon first listen I didn’t love “Strange.” I liked that it was different than what she’s given us of recent, but for me it certainly isn’t a song for which Reba will be remembered. Conversely, however, I instantly loved “Consider Me Gone.” I like the melody. I like the lyric. Is it run-of-the-mill Nashville and nothing extra special? To some it sure will be. Others will really enjoy it. Personally, it’s made me incredibly jazzed for the album.
July 31, 2009 at 12:34 pm Permalink
It is possible to be constructively critical of an artist, regardless how much of a fan you are. I have seen Reba McEntire in concert 8 times and have all of her CD’s. ‘Strange’ is definitely not one of her best songs. I have always preferred her ballads such as: Forever Love, Til You Love Me and You Lie. Those are great songs, that really show her voice and talent. As so many others said, I think she is trying to capture the younger audience, especially after being so successful with the Kelly Clarkson duet. I haven’t heard the new single, but am looking forward to it. I think at this stage of her career, all accomplishments are truly icing on the cake. It would be nice to hear some songs like the older ones. Time will tell….
July 31, 2009 at 12:50 pm Permalink
First off, I have to admit I loved this review. It went into depth on not only the single, but the artist as well, to give you a very well rounded review. I also wanted to state, that I AM a Reba fan.
Speaking of Reba as a brand, she’s turning herself into an icon. She’s done it all, and she’s excelled at it. She’s been gone from music for a while, and with so much on her plate, her albums/singles have suffered slightly. But I would state that Reba is one of the few artists that could sing the phonebook and make it sound better than some of the music on country radio. Her interpretations, licks, and beautiful voice all combined with her personality is what got her to the top.
The thing that I loved about Reba, is she wasn’t afraid to sing what she wanted, to pave the way, to sing about topics that others shyed away from. Yes she gotten older, and is still managing to get airtime on a radio that ignores artists of a certain age (exceptions being George and Reba), but she does seem to be trying to hard to stay on the radio. What she needs to do is go back to singing her music, the songs that radio wanted to play cuz it was amazing…not cuz it was Reba.
The new album intrigues me, and I am interested to hear it. I have listened to the previews and am floored by the some of the songs (“I Want A Cowboy” sounds like a great future single). Strange was a different song, and I don’t think it was as horrible as some of the people on this thread thought it was. Was it the best song…no. Was it horrible…no. It was just mediocre, which (like the review stated) is below Reba to be settling for an average song.
Consider me Gone is a much better single, but again it’s lacking in something. The song is there, and its stuck in my head for the moment, but what I think it is missing is that longevity. I don’t know if this song will be remember for the ages. it’s one of those songs that for the next 4 months I’ll listen to it, like it, sing it, and relate to it. Then a new song will be released, and consider me gone will disappear.
I think the song will do OK on radio, and will put Reba into the top 20 again, and hopefully with proper marketing her label can push it to the top 10.
July 31, 2009 at 7:37 pm Permalink
i must say that i’m a Reba Fan not a country fan,i like country.I have like at leat 5 song of each Reba album,and i love all of them, because if you hear her songs trough the years she’s never made the same kind of music,each album is different ,she doesn’t like to do the same over and over again,i love her voice and music, and i agree with the ones that say that country music from this days sounds like “Strange”,also Strange is a good song a normal and cool song,i’ve heard the preview of the hole album and i loved it,it’s so Reba ,like Read my mind or Rumor has it. “Consider Me Gone” it’s way better than strange and sounds like the Reba that her fans love.
July 31, 2009 at 7:50 pm Permalink
I am actually loving the previews for Reba’s new album! ‘I Keep On Loving You’ is a Classic Reba Ballad! I think ‘Pink Guitar’ will be another fun song… but of course I LOVE Reba.. and all of her songs as well!!!!
July 31, 2009 at 9:13 pm Permalink
This is so much better than “Strange.” The lyrics are a cut above most radio-friendly efforts, the production doesn’t overwhelm the vocal, and Reba shows her trademark flourishes and familiar vocal chops. And all this deserves a thumbs down? My, my.
August 2, 2009 at 12:08 am Permalink
Reba is in exactly the same situation she was back in 1996 with the “What If It’s You” album, the one filled with radio-friendly singles that came after the much-maligned “Starting Over.” The difference this time is that “Strange” barely made the Top 10. Wasn’t the (over-publicized) reunion with Borchetta intended to provide big hits?
Note that the release date of the album was obviously intended to coincide with a much higher peak position for the lead single; not the second single’s third week of release.
I’ve grown to LOVE “Starting Over,” by the way. I’m just sayin’.
Now that Reba, the brand, performs on TV and Broadway, and sells merchandise at Dillard’s — meaning: now that there are new streams of income, or perhaps more opportunities for “success” — why can’t she just record good country music again?
Years from now, in whatever form the music business exists, I’m positive we’ll be able to find (for example) Lee Ann Womack’s last two albums available, and we’ll be so thankful to know that great music lives on. What we’ll think of “Keep On Loving You,” … well … let me just say that I don’t pull out my copy of “It’s Your Call” or “What If It’s You” as often as I would if their commercial intentions weren’t so obvious.
August 2, 2009 at 12:57 am Permalink
Rick
July 30, 2009 at 4:40 pm Permalink Reba really cut her own throat at Top 40 country radio when she spent all those years focused on performing on Broadway or shooting her TV show out here in L.A.. I can’t blame her though as after conquering the heights of the mainstream country music scene during the 80’s and 90’s she must have been bored with it.
That is the real problem for me–Reba has sounded bored with country music for so long now that it is hard for me to get excited about her.
Oh and Michael, Reba is not the Queen of Country music. Kitty Wells is the Queen of Country Music.
As for Sister songs, check out an album called Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back to the Stars by Jennifer O’Connor. Its largely song written about the death of her sister.
August 2, 2009 at 9:00 am Permalink
I’m also a Reba fan, not a country fan. If it hadn’t been her involvement with Broadway, I never would have given Reba a second (or first) look/listen. But I did and found her music and totally fell in love with it and her this past year. I won’t say I’m an Uber-fan – someone that loves everything she does just because she’s done it – but out of all the music I have (around 230 songs), I DO love most of it…which is why my Reba playlist on my iPod shuffles between 119 songs. :) And yes, there are Reba songs that I absolutely NEVER play on my iPod, too.
Reba has been saying for years – she chooses songs that touch her and that she wants to sing. Her musical tastes have changed over the years. Apparently, that’s not unusual because what’s being played on the radio has changed over the years.
And Reba’s interests have changed over the years. Yes, music took a back burner for several years because of Broadway and her TV show. She wanted to do these projects. She had a blast doing these projects. For many people, these non-country music projects were introductions to Reba (like me) and brought her a crowd of new/other/different fans.
There are people that wish Reba would just be the country singer she was when they loved her most (whenever they think her peak was) and that if she hadn’t been “sidetracked” with those other things so she would have been consistently on the radio. I guess I’m a fan of Reba the PERSON – I love her many talents (not just singing). The songs that I didn’t love or even like on her albums on first listening, I went back and listened to again. And sometimes – most times – I grew to like and sometimes love them because Reba got through to me. I never listen to a Reba song – even ones I don’t enjoy – that I don’t feel Reba putting her heart and soul into it. There are still songs I just don’t enjoy and won’t listen to, but many more that I do.
As for her pictures, I think she looks AMAZING! Is she trying to compete with the younger crowd? Just about everyone in the business is younger than her, so I guess the answer is yes. But why is the pic bad? Should she be “dressing her age” or something? I don’t really know what that means. She looks absolutely gorgeous and I wish I looked that good now at 36.
After hearing the preview clips and seeing Reba’s performance on QVC Friday night (she sang 7 of the album’s 13 songs), I know I’m going to love the new album. Lots of songs that I can’t get out of my head and will want to hear over and over again. But hey – that’s just me.
August 2, 2009 at 6:37 pm Permalink
I agree that the sitcom brought her many new fans who would have never really known her music, had it not been for the TV show causing them to develop an interest in Reba McEntire’s career, in all aspects.
No other woman in ANY MUSICAL GENRE, with the exception of Madonna, is still hitting the top 10 and over 50, that says something. Over the years her major competitors have changed from:
1) Barbra Mandrell, Crystal Gayle, KT Oslin, Sylvia and Holly Dunn – none of had hits in ages
to
2) Lorrie Morgan, Wynonna, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Pam Tillis – none of had hits in ages
to
3) Shania Twain, JoDee Messina, Faith Hill, Terri Clark, Deanna Carter, Trisha Yearwood and Martina McBride – Martina is the only one who has had a major hit recently with ‘Ride’
to
4) Now – Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Kellie Pickler – none of these girls were even alive when Reba had her first hit.
Whatever the reason she has stayed longer on or near the top than her predecessors – the fact is she has – and that is LONGEVITY.
‘Strange’ may be an attempt to compete with younger artists and remain on the airwaves, but at 54 – wouldn’t you?
I haven’t heard the new album, but it’s been a while since anything new came out, so I am looking forward to it.
Maybe she doesn’t hit the Top 5 every time she releases a single like she used to, but her ‘Duets’ album was her first number 1 album on the Billboard 200. That indicates the her musical career is still in full swing, just less frequently, thus not creating the danger of overexposure which I truly believe is happening with Taylor Swift and did happen with Shania Twain.
August 3, 2009 at 11:25 pm Permalink
I am both a huge country fan and an even bigger Reba Fan. I am 56 and grew up watching Porter Wagoner with Norma Jean and Dolly. I never missed Barbara Mandrell or the Johnny Cash Show. So I truly know what true country is so to speak. But also a lot of country music has changed. Sooner or later you have to have some younger artists catching on to keep it alive. I happen to like Taylor, Carrie, Kellie, and Miranda. But I love George, Alan, B&D, The Judds, Patty Loveless, Tammy, Loretta, Patsy and Dolly. But by far to me Reba McEntire is something special. It’s not just her voice or her songs but the person. She just seems so real. I don’t fault anyone for doing multiple things. Dolly has been in movies, and some made for tv Christmas Specials. She owns Dollywood. Her movies 9 to 5 and her part in Steel Magnolias was pretty good. Chet Atkins was a real estate mogul so I don’t have a problem with it. Did her music suffer….. maybe but she didn’t release that much music while on tv or Broadway. By the way, I flew to NY to see her Annie Get Your Gun…twice. She was fabulous! I knew the show would close after she left. I don’t think anyone could have revived it after Reba!
I had the opportunity to be chosen to go to Reba’s CMT Invitation only that will air on August 21 at 9:00 on cmt. She showcased this new album and there are songs on it that I still can’t get out of my head which is a good thing. As far as Strange…I thought it was a strange single but it has grown on me and I do like it. But to me Consider Me Gone is just the right song. It was my favorite on the cmt special taping and I can’t wait for the new album. After listening to some more of the songs on QVC I know it will be one of my favorites. I do believe that Reba is concentrating on music now but she may have been bored. In her book she says she has to keep herself entertained. She and Narvel are a great team and seem to be driven. She also has said that Narvel told her it may be one of her best albums. Anyway…I hope that country radio will play this song. It has a number one ring to it to me.
And as far as looking good well most women today want to stay young looking. Reba looked great at the Opry in May after her CMT taping. The opry was sold out. Trust me, that was partly due to Reba.
For Reba’s next project I would like for her to Duets II but with classic country songs. Check out youtube and type in Reba and Connie Smith. They sing a medley of Marty Robbins. It is great. Good Luck REBA on Keep On Loving You. I hope it goes platinum!
August 4, 2009 at 2:25 pm Permalink
Ok so here is the truth of the matter. Reba is not to blame here. Her songs have all been great. And yes I am a Reba fan but also a fan of Trisha Yearwoods, Patty Loveless, LeeAnn Womack, and so many other female artists. The real problem is radio. What do you hear all day long at your favorite radio stations? Top 40 songs. And you are guaranteed it every hour. Why is it you don’t here Patty Loveless on the radio or the last few Trisha Yearwood song have been great, but didn’t do well on the radio. When radio stops playing top 40 all day long, other great artists might have a chance to get there songs played. And the charts need to be fixed as well, its should be based on number of spins not by audience numbers. Reba has done well and she will continue to do well, she has a strong fan base that support her in EVERYTHING shes done and will do in the future. Good luck Reba with your new project, I am sure it will do just fine.
August 4, 2009 at 2:46 pm Permalink
What do you hear all day long at your favorite radio stations?
Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, The Greencards, Kasey Chambers, Neko Case….I think my radio favorite stations are vastly different than yours.
August 4, 2009 at 11:30 pm Permalink
I love how some of you insult Reba fans by saying that we can’t take criticism. But if it was the other way around and your favorite singer and hero was being wrongly criticized, all hell would break loose.
August 10, 2009 at 12:30 am Permalink
It seems to me that country radio is not longer playing any female artists that are over 35 years old. True talents such as Reba and Trisha Yearwood could put out the best album of their careers (by the way, Trisha did just that with Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love) and they are completely ignored. Don’t blame the artists that are true to themselves and their talents. Blame the industry for insisting their playlists are filled with blonde, 20 somethings, most of which couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. I, for one miss the days when country music stood for true talent.
August 10, 2009 at 11:44 am Permalink
hey reba, i can’t wait until your new cd comes out in stores on the 18th of august.i love your music and movies. ican liten to your music and watch your movies all day.you have a voice like an angel.i think your really beautiful. well i gotta go .
August 10, 2009 at 7:40 pm Permalink
Michael what you are saying doesn’t make any f****** since. Mainly because Reba is my favorite singer and I still agree with the review. If your that upset and put off by one review then damn there must be a screw loose. And to Chase up there, go back to school! Your spelling and punctuation are appalling!
August 10, 2009 at 11:09 pm Permalink
I really don’t understand this. Honestly, I feel that “Room to Breathe” and “Keep On Loving You” HAVE, in fact, returned Reba to her roots. What more do you people want from an artist? She makes a good-to-great album and her “fans” only comment on the songs they dislike. Yes, I agree that Reba has made some less than stellar song choices in recent memory, but she has also chosen some great ones (i.e. “I’ll be,” “Once You’ve Learned to be Lonely,” “I’m Gonna Take That Mountain” and “Somebody”)! Her latest release, “Keep On Loving You,” suggests that she has once again found that “spark” that made her the best in the business. Ronnie Dunn wrote the album’s title track, “I Keep On Loving You,” and it may very well be one of Reba’s greatest ballads – which is saying a lot! I wonder if “fans” would criticize the song if, otherwise, recorded by Brooks & Dunn. I especially love “Pink Guitar,” “Maggie Creek Road,” “I’ll Have What She’s Having” and “I Want a Cowboy,” all of which SCREAM country. If you can’t see this, then you were never a true Reba fan to begin with.
Name one album – from ANY artist – that consists of nothing but GREAT songs; I doubt you can. Country music is changing, people, so we should cherish those artists from the past – especially Reba – who are still making good-to-great music. I, for one, would rather listen to a BAD song from Reba than ANY song by Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift. If you can tell me, without choking on your words, that Reba is no longer “true” country but Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift are, then you, my friend(s), have lost touch with more than just reality.
August 10, 2009 at 11:53 pm Permalink
What more do you people want from an artist?
More than anything else, songs that feel like they are being sung because an artist honestly loves them and connects with them on an emotional level, not songs that feel as thought they are being sung because a focus group thought they would sell.
August 11, 2009 at 12:21 am Permalink
Name one album – from ANY artist – that consists of nothing but GREAT songs; I doubt you can.
Any Patty Loveless album except Strong Heart .
August 11, 2009 at 12:21 am Permalink
I do believe that Reba has more than done her share of this. She is remembered for her emotional performances and heart-felt songs. If you don’t like her music, then don’t listen to it. It’s really that simple, you know? Did you ever stop to think that maybe she can do both? For me, a true Reba fan and lover of many types of music, she’s as connected with her fans as ever-before, and I am so thankful that she continues to release new music that makes me fall in love with her over-and-over again. Yes, some of her song choices may come into question, but her overall appeal is already written in stone. An artist the caliber of a Reba McEntire no longer has anything to prove to her fans or critics – and why should she, really? The record sales, airplay and acclaim will continue to cement her legacy as an artist and performer, and I, for one, will always support the artist that has given so much back to her fans.
August 11, 2009 at 12:43 am Permalink
Razor, I’m sorry, but that isn’t true. Patty Loveless has some good songs, but if Reba has missed the boat, Patty was never invited.
August 11, 2009 at 1:00 am Permalink
1986’s STORMS OF LIVE by Randy Travis was all great songs – they could have issued all ten as singles. Other than that, I can’t thionk of an album that was all great songs except perhaps Charley Pride’s first album COUNTRY CHARLEY PRIDE
August 11, 2009 at 1:47 am Permalink
Paul, yeah, I agree. I was talking about today’s artists, though. Anyway, I just visited the music section of Reba’s official site and it lists those singles released next to their respective albums. Well, she lists “Strange,” “Consider Me Gone,” “She’s Turning 50 Today” and “I Want a Cowboy” next to her upcoming album, “Keep On Loving You.” I HOPE this does not indicate that she’s planning on releasing “She’s Turning…” as a single! It’s a good song, yes, but it is definitely NOT single-material. Personally, I would like her to follow up “Consider Me Gone” with “Pink Guitar” and then “I Keep On Loving You.” If a 5th single is in store, then “I’ll Have What She’s Having” should be released. I don’t think that Reba has necessarily chosen the wrong songs to put on her albums, but, instead, has a tendency to choose the wrong songs to release as singles.
Case in point: “Back Before the War” should’ve been released in place of “We’re So Good Together” (an awful song), “Never Had a Reason to” should’ve been released in place of, or as a follow-up to “I’d Rather Ride Around With You,” “Faith in Love” should’ve been released from the Duets album, “Once You’ve Learned to be Lonely” should’ve been released in place of “My Sister” and “Room to Breathe” should’ve been released as a follow-up to it.
August 11, 2009 at 6:40 am Permalink
JD: Actually I do like a great deal of Reba’s music. I just haven’t bought much of anything since 2000.
August 11, 2009 at 7:50 am Permalink
FYI……. I JUST NOTICED THAT WE NOW HAVE A NEW “JD” POSTING ON HERE. GOOD LUCK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IS WHICH.
August 12, 2009 at 11:56 am Permalink
I like the song…the first two lines of the chorus are killer, but it doesn’t on the whole bowl me over. I agree that for the superstar she is her songs should be a step up from this.
However, everyone that thinks she hasn’t done anything relevant in 20 years is crazy. When people talk about her legacy the focus will be on her ’90s material that made her a superstar. “Does He Love You”, “Is There Life Out There”, “For My Broken Heart”, “Fancy”, etc. I could go on. Of her Top 15 recurrent song last week for example, only 3 were released released pre-1990. Those songs that came after ‘89 are her legacy regardless of how much we may prefer the stuff she did prior.
August 13, 2009 at 5:46 pm Permalink
I love this and it sounds like what you want to hear from Reba.
It’s classic Reba. It’s why Reba has managed to be around for so long. She stays current but she sounds like REBA!
August 17, 2009 at 1:39 am Permalink
I hate to say this, but Reba’s album sales over the past few years have not been that terrible. She had a hit single with Kelly Clarkson on a smartly redone Because of You and a successful tour. Her tours still do very well. Personally, I love Reba’s voice so much. I love her iconic songs, I love her weird fun songs, I love her over the top drama city songs and I love her fluffy pop stuff with so much over the top instrumentation that your ears get confused. My point is, her voice is the unique instrument and not the music. Her voice is recognizable and stands out among others. The way she holds her notes, the unbelievable vocal flexibility and most importantly her desire to give it all she’s got even on the occasional okay song. She strives to make you think it’s the greatest ever created. That is a true ICON.
August 17, 2009 at 1:47 am Permalink
One more thing, the woman is a legend now. She is one the best selling female artist in this country. (Not just in Country Music, RIAA list her as the 7th best selling female artist in all genres) She is a household name. At this point, she has sealed her legendary status. This lady can just sing for the fun of it, if she feels like it. It’s obvious she likes to work and loves her fans. I agree with some of the other people. This album sounds like the Reba McEntire a lot of us fans love. Part melodramatic and part silly and fun. Furthermore, I hope I look that good when I’m 53/54. I’d say I hope I still sing that good at her age, but I can’t sing now. LOL
August 24, 2009 at 9:44 pm Permalink
All you haters out there can eat your shirt. HitsDailyDouble.com is forecasting that Reba’s new album will debut @ #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 based on their sales projections.
September 12, 2009 at 8:47 am Permalink
I don’t understand what the complaint is with “Consider Me Gone.” It is current, wonderfully performed, and a good-feel song. Every single track from her album does not have to be epic or go down in history. I love Reba’s work (ESPECIALLY on this album) and am behind it one-hundred percent. Furthermore, unless you have the artistic ability to write and perform something better, you have no right to criticize anyone, and certainly not one of the greatest female country artists of all time.
October 29, 2009 at 11:07 am Permalink
heyyyy , i think if you are at school allll these songs should actually workkkkk ! It makes me mad bc all you can go to is jamglue and rap cityyy & her songs arent even on there . Al least talk to the ppl that put the songs on them 2 websitesss ! I meannnn goodnessssss .
November 3, 2009 at 5:30 pm Permalink
Consider me gone just became her 57th top ten hit. That should speak for itself.
November 5, 2009 at 8:31 pm Permalink
I first became a fan of Reba in 1985 and especially love her more traditional songs. But I still like pop Reba just not as much. The new album is really surprisingly good with Consider a nice radio song, and the rest a pleasant mix of many country styles.
I keep waiting for her to disappear from the charts but she still manages the occasional big hit.
By the way, where did Strange peak on the Billboard Country chart?
November 5, 2009 at 9:39 pm Permalink
I really love this song and am so glad that this song has become another hit for her.
November 10, 2009 at 12:03 am Permalink
This has got to be one of the dumbest websites I’ve visited in a while. Reba last 16 studio albums have sold a million or more, a hit sitcom for six years, a critically adored turn on broadway, and two number one albums on the billboard charts. Also a hit tour with Kelly Clarkson as well as having three top ten hits in the last year alone with Consider Me Gone already a top 5 hit on billboard. Reba’s latest album sold close to a hundred thousand in it’s first week and it’s still selling well. Martina Mcbride and Trisha yearwood last albums opened with 40,000 or less in their first week and they showed up on the country scene 13 or more years after Reba did and she’s still outselling them and most other females that aren’t named Carrie or Taylor. I don’t know why you have to randomly attack Reba but if you can’t show some respect then you really need to be doing something else.
November 11, 2009 at 10:33 am Permalink
“Consider Me Gone” this week has jumped up to #5 from #10. Eat THAT!
November 11, 2009 at 10:41 am Permalink
Eat what? I said it would be a hit.
November 11, 2009 at 6:00 pm Permalink
I wonder if it will make #1, wouldn’t that be nice. Now it is possible as it has moved up to #5 very quickly! It’s number 3 in Canada too!
December 1, 2009 at 8:50 pm Permalink
#3 this week and #2 in Canada. Hopefully, this single will propel the album into gold status.
December 22, 2009 at 1:36 pm Permalink
BREAKING NEWS….The 34th #1 single for Reba.
“Consider me gone”
Read it and weep to those who didn’t like this song. Obviously country radio did and so did its listeners. Congrats to Reba!
December 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm Permalink
#1 way to go! It’s #1 for the third week in Canada too! What a way to start off 2,010. She has now had a top 20 every decade since the 70’s. Her rendition of ‘Sweet Dream’s made it into the top 20 in 1979. Now that’s longevity!
December 26, 2009 at 4:24 pm Permalink
Reba and “Consider Me Gone” right to #1! Way to go, girl! Let’s see if you, country radio, and your fans can make a habit of this!
December 26, 2009 at 4:28 pm Permalink
By the way, where did Strange peak on the Billboard Country chart?
Answer: “Strange” peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Hope this helps.
January 3, 2010 at 10:07 pm Permalink
And a second week at #1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart… That’ll show the haters but it’ll never stop ‘em…
January 3, 2010 at 10:58 pm Permalink
Not Reba superfans too… aren’t the Taylor and Carrie ones enough?
January 3, 2010 at 10:59 pm Permalink
Besides, this is gonna be her third week at #1; not second.
January 4, 2010 at 12:36 am Permalink
“Not Reba superfans too… aren’t the Taylor and Carrie ones enough?”
No. They are more than enough. I do feel that Reba superfans have A LOT more going for them than Carrie or Taylor ones, though.
January 11, 2010 at 5:30 pm Permalink
Looks like this guy is not very smart. LOL Reba has done more in her fifties than some singers hope to do in their twenties!! So she’s slowed up. Big deal…It’s a good thing I don’t take a break like Reba does. I’d be exhausted even more!
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