Reba McEntire, a name synonymous with country music royalty, boasts a career filled with chart-topping hits. Among her vast catalog, “Fancy” stands out not just as a fan favorite, but as a defining anthem. Interestingly, this iconic Reba song wasn’t originally hers. Let’s delve into the captivating story of “Fancy” and how it became inextricably linked with Reba McEntire, even though she wasn’t the first artist to bring it to life.
From Bobbie Gentry to Reba: The Journey of “Fancy”
Before becoming a staple in Reba McEntire’s discography, “Fancy” was born from the creative mind of Bobbie Gentry. Gentry, a talented singer-songwriter, first penned and recorded “Fancy” in 1969. Her rendition achieved modest success, landing in the Billboard Top 40. However, more significantly, it captured the attention of a young Reba McEntire, who was then carving her own path in the country music scene.
Years later, as Reba was curating tracks for her 1991 album Rumor Has It, “Fancy” resurfaced in her mind. She decided to record her own version, a move that would prove transformative. Reba McEntire’s “Fancy” not only matched but exceeded the success of Gentry’s original. It soared into the Top 10 of Billboard’s country charts, achieving this feat more than two decades after the initial release. This cemented “Fancy” as a significant hit and introduced it to a new generation of listeners, forever associating the song with Reba’s powerful vocals and stage presence.
Decoding the Meaning of “Fancy”
Reba McEntire has openly discussed her deep connection with “Fancy,” revealing that it was always a top contender if she were to cover a song. The narrative woven into “Fancy,” crafted by Bobbie Gentry, resonated profoundly with her. The song unfolds as a poignant rags-to-riches tale, centered on a woman navigating hardship and striving for a better life against all odds.
In a 2019 interview with Country Living, Reba elaborated on the song’s appeal: “It’s a rags-to-riches story. I love rags-to-riches stories. Cinderella, Annie Get Your Gun, all poverty and then make it big in the world,” she explained. “Fancy — she had a lot going against her and she persevered and moved on … I always wanted to record it.” This theme of resilience and upward mobility clearly struck a chord with Reba, making “Fancy” a song she felt compelled to interpret and share with her audience. When her producer, Tony Brown, inquired about potential remakes, Reba’s immediate response was “Fancy,” a sentiment Brown wholeheartedly shared, paving the way for the iconic cover we know today.
The Music Video: Bringing Fancy’s Story to Life
Reba McEntire on “The Voice” season 24, showcasing her role as a coach.
To further amplify the impact of her rendition of “Fancy Song Reba”, McEntire envisioned a compelling music video, transforming the song into a mini-movie. She stepped into the role of Fancy herself, bringing the character’s journey to visual life. The video depicts a successful, grown-up Fancy revisiting her childhood home, triggering a flood of memories that recount her life’s trajectory. Directed by Jack Cole, the music video adds another layer of depth to the “fancy song reba” experience, allowing fans to connect with the narrative on a visual and emotional level.
The lyrics themselves, brought to life in the video, paint a vivid picture of Fancy’s upbringing and the difficult choices she faced. “She handed me a heart-shaped locket that said, ‘To thine own self be true,'” Reba sings, embodying Fancy’s voice. “And I shivered as I watched a roach crawl across the toe of my high-heeled shoe. It sounded like somebody else that was talkin’, askin’, ‘Mama, what do I do?’ She said, ‘Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy. And they’ll be nice to you.'” These powerful lines, combined with Reba’s interpretation and the music video’s storytelling, solidified “Fancy” as more than just a song – it became an enduring narrative deeply embedded in popular culture, forever linked to Reba McEntire’s artistry.
