Reba released only 9 videos in the 2000's. This was mostly due to the fact that she released only 3 albums and 2 greatest hits compilations. Her sitcom also probably added to it. Still, videos of this era went back to her mini movie formula with stories when there was no specific story in the song.
Order: 32
Title: "Sweet Music Man"
Album: Greatest Hits Vol. III: I'm a Survivor (2001)
Song Premise: A woman sings to her ex, a famed musician who people have grown tired of.
Video Premise: Reba wanders through an abandoned mansion.
Comments: "Sweet Music Man" is kind of a country standard and an odd choice to release as a single with a video. So if it's been done, why not put a goddamn story to the video!? Reba wandering through a house is only slightly better than her singing on a stage.
Order: 33Title: "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain"
Album: Room to Breathe (2003)
Song Premise: A stubborn woman vows to make the most of life and relish in it.
Video Premise: Reba sings and dances with others while a woman bronco rider impresses male viewers and talented ropers show us their stuff.
Comments: I don't really like this song. For someone who loves country, this one's just a little too country for me. However, the video is equally country with its rodeo riders and ropers so I'd say they evenly matched.
Order: 34
Title: "Somebody"
Album: Room to Breathe (2003)
Song Premise: A man realizes a waitress at his diner is the one for him.
Video Premise: A man flirts with a waitress at a diner but is unaware of her attraction to him. Later, he flirts with the idea of asking out a blonde in his elevator. And finally, the waitress runs into him at working, covering them with food when he realizes that he's got a thing for her. Reba witnesses all of this as she sings.
Comments: This video is cute. It's like a rom-com in under four minutes. Which is perfect because the song is also a rom-com in under four minutes. I loved this video when it came out. After all, I was knee deep in my "Hopeful Romantic" stage, how could I not? Even now, in my Age of Cynicism, I found myself smiling during the damn thing.
Order: 35Title: "He Gets That From Me"
Album: Room to Breathe (2003)
Song Premise: A woman is thankful for the characteristics of her deceased husband in their son.
Video Premise: Reba and her son drive to the cemetery to bring flowers to his father's grave. On the way, they see a father and son happily cross the street.
Comments: Oh wow, more sad subject matter. I'm not a huge fan of "family love" songs, but again, this video made me tear up. The thing I love most about this video is that the kid is at least eleven years old. It would be way to much if the kid was six and tripping over his untied shoes (which, oh no, Daddy isn't there to teach him how to tie!) as he puts the flowers on his grave.
Order: 36
Title: "You're Gonna Be (Always Loved By Me)"
Album: Reba #1's (2005)
Song Premise: A mother vows to always love her daughter despite the mistakes she may make.
Video Premise: A young pregnant girl in labor wanders into a hospital. We flash back to the girl meeting a guy on a college campus, flirting with him at a party, and then taking a pregnancy test. When she breaks the news to him, he wants nothing to do with her and leaves. The girls writes a letter to Mama Reba who comes to the hospital after the baby is born.
Comments: Reba the Mom, Part III. So maybe they're cashing in on the Reba show, where Reba plays the mother to a pregnant teen. This video, however, is a little more depressing, since the baby daddy doesn't choose to marry the woman he knocked up and participate in wacky newlywed antics under the same roof as grandma. I must be PMSing, because this one made me tear up too. Son of a bitch.
Order: 37Title: "Love Needs a Holiday"
Album: Reba #1's (2005)
Song Premise: A man and woman take a break from their family and stay at a hotel for a weekend.
Video Premise: The couple from the "Somebody" video go to a hotel and have a romantic weekend alone while their three kids are taken care of by their grandmother.
Comments: Ugh. Yes, I know this video is supposed to be cute and to any other woman, it probably is. But right now, there is nothing more terrifying to me than the family life portrayed in this video. Family life like this is most certainly what would follow for the happy "Somebody" couple, right? Because all people who meet and get together in a rom-com fashion would want to live out the suburban American dream, right? ARG!!!
Order: 38
Title: "Because of You" (with Kelly Clarkson)
Album: Reba: Duets (2007)
Song Premise: Not really a duet with two stories, but rather a normal song split into two vocal parts. Two women discuss how a person has effected their ability to love and trust.
Video Premise: At a 20's/30's/40's era night club, Reba and Kelly are a singing act. Kelly has a possessive, abusive boyfriend who flirts with other women while she is singing. Later, Reba helps Kelly cover up a black eye. In the end, Kelly stays with her jerkoff boyfriend, much to Reba's dismay.
Comments: Okay, this one looks cool, but it doesn't make much sense. If I were directing it, Reba and Kelly would be a mother/daughter act. And Reba would be the abused one, and Kelly would be unable to have successful relationships because of all the childhood trauma she's witnessed. Wouldn't that make much sense? Why would a forty-something woman let a twenty-something's relationship affect her that much?...unless they really are mother/daughter and it that case, HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT?
Order: 39Title: "Every Other Weekend" (with Kenny Chesney)
Album: Reba: Duets (2007)
Song Premise: A divorced couple with joint custody only see each other every other weekend when they trade children and refuse to tell one another they’re still in love.
Video Premise: Reba sits on a park bench and sings. She watches a young mother give her kids to her ex husband. They accidentally touch and have flashes of the future with them trading their kids as they're preteens and teenagers. Their hands hold a little too long and they part ways.
Comments: First off, where is Kenny Chesney? If they couldn't get him, then I don't think Reba should be in the video either. It just looks weird. Other than that, I love the concepts. I also think its cool how they have the actors who play Reba's daughter and her husband on the Reba show play the couple. That's just cool, even if they do look a little young, especially when their kids are supposed to be teenagers. Sure, this video is a little depressing (no tears though!!!), but you're left wondering if this vision of their possible future will change the couple's future actions.
Order: 40
Title: "Strange"
Album: Keep On Loving You (2009)
Song Premise: A woman thinks it's strange how quickly she gets over her break up.
Video Premise: Reba alternates between lying in a bed of Kleenex, eating chocolates on the phone and singing in front of a band and/or psychedelic kaleidoscope backgrounds.
Comments: So, this is kind of a nothing video. Don't get me wrong, it's not boring like her stage videos. This one has enough interesting cuts and visuals to keep you watching for three minutes, but other than that it's not really memorable.
Order: 41Title: "Consider Me Gone"
Album: Keep On Loving You (2009)
Song Premise: A woman gives her man an ultimatum on his feelings for her.
Video Premise: A young woman gets dressed up for a night on a town to find her man sitting on the couch watching TV. We have flashbacks to a happier time when the couple was moving into their apartment. The woman drives off angrily to her friend/mentor Reba's apartment (who's a fashion designer for some reason). Slowly, the boyfriend realizes his stuff is disappearing from the apartment. Reba talks her friend down as the boyfriend shows up in a suit to take out the girl.
Comments: So, it's kind of funny (but not surprising) how Reba no longer plays the main character in her own videos. She's either a unconnected narrator, matchmaker, or mother. Is this her choice? Or is it the video director that's pitching Reba as some kind of fairy godmother who holds all the answers...and yet sings about not knowing them. Although she is the main character in "Strange," I wonder if the music video industry is trying to tell us that once you reach a certain age, problems like despondent husbands only occur to young, pretty people. Hmmmm...something's not right here.
Well, there you go. The 41 music videos of Reba McEntire. I hope my opinions didn't wear on you too much. I can't help the way I feel. I rather enjoyed this. Next up will either be Britney or Taylor Swift. Any requests?
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