Disco de Reba McEntire: “Oklahoma Girl”

I became a huge fan of Reba in 1980, when I heard her third album, Feel the fire. Six of it's tracks are included on this excellent double CD of Reba's early music.

Seven of the tracks here were never released before this compilation. The others are taken from her Mercury albums, including all her big hits of the period. All those albums were released on CD but most appear to be out of print now. The overall feel of the music is traditional country with a (slight) pop flavor, but nowhere near as much of a pop flavor as most of Reba's nineties music.

There are some great covers in this set, including a stunning version of Little Anthony's Tears on my pillow. I've heard many great versions of this song, but Reba's is as good as any of them. Other outstanding covers include Right time of the night (Jennifer Warnes), Suddenly there's a valley (Gogi Grant, Jo Stafford and Petula all had fifties hits with the song, either in Britain, America or both) and Only you and you alone (Platters).

The hits include You lift me up to heaven, I can see forever in your eyes (her first two top ten hits, both from Feel the fire) and Can't even get the blues no more, the first of many number ones for Reba.

My all-time favorite Reba song, included here, is Small two bedroom starter. This is a very moving song about the different occupants of a house, and how unfortunate circumstances forced each of them to sell up and move out.

While the overall strength of Reba's Mercury music may not match her MCA music, it's not far behind and is essential for any true Reba fan. It is also a great addition to any country collection, even if you only like Reba a little.

its Reba and Reba is always good.This is one that i had not heard of so i got it and some of the songs had not heard her do before there are other cd's Reba has out that i would say are better she has alot of really great ones but this is all reba too so works great for a Reba collection

I discovered this fine compilation only a short time ago by accident, searching for a particular song. "The blues don't care who's got 'em" can't be found on any of the other compilations these days. I have owned a number of Reba's recordings, and I had always hoped to find more that I liked. However, somehow, those newer recordings just no longer seemed to fit my bill. Reba had changed her style a bit, and her voice had aged, thus lacking that clear sound of the past.

So, when I discovered this OKLAHOMA GIRL set, with its fine remastering to boot, I knew instantly that this was what I had always been looking for. What a lucky strike this has been, particularly since it's no longer being produced. So don't hesitate to get one as long as it's still available. I just love Reba's clear warm voice of these early recordings. The remastering really makes her voice shine even more, compared to the recordings of some of the same songs that I already had. And the selection is a very fine one.

This is Reba at her very, very best. This shows why I was such a fan of her music before she went to contemporary/pop hash. This is the Oklahoma girl with the golden voice who won my heart many years ago when I first heard "I'm Not That Lonely Yet" which still packs a wallop after all these years!! Ah, if only she could sing like this again...........

Aa 2-cd pack of early Reba Mcentire--now is that heaven or what? Nobody sings like her, except the late4 Patsy Cline, who she covers with a couple of numbers on this album and whom she greatly admires. none of her late stuff is up to the standard of this album. My fingers tremble just typing these words about songs like "To-day all Over Again," "You're the First Time I've Thought about Leaving," and, most of all, "I'm not that Lonely Yet,"--her best of the best. Many have covered "Only You," by the Platters, but only Reba can do that and not make it seem desecrated. of the many albums of her that I own, this is Reba's best.