"Fancy" by Reba

[stuntcat]

Poll question: "Fancy" by Reba

I think everyone knows it, the song says a lot, good and bad things, about women yeah, but I think it's a good song.
But every time I hear it it makes me start crying, when she says stuff like-
"I might have been born just plain white trash,
But Fancy was my name!" then I LOSE it.

I mean her Mama spent every last penny they had to buy her a dancing dress..
she fixed her up and sent her out a'whorin, then Mama DIED.
Then Fancy ended up with a "Georgia mansion & an elegant New York townhouse flat"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K6Y-YGZUec

[judaspriestess]

1. I was really hoping my SO sister would have a girl

and name her Fancy cause that is the ultimate white trash name, like the song says and my SO's sister is really hard up to be white trash. I think that song is hilarious, personally.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I've never heard Reba sing Fancy, but I loved it when Bobbie

Gentry sang it.

[stuntcat]

3. I never even heard of this!

I'm gonna get it, thanks.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Check this out. Don't know the year, but I'm guessing it's from

the early 70's. I don't remember when Johnny Cash had a TV show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ZCrMESar8

[Hissyspit]

62. Johnny Cash Show was It was fantastic. 1969-71. Joni Mitchell debuted on it. Dylan appeared.

Neil Young. Doug Kershaw. They did some dumb skits, too, but over all it was much better than any reality show today.

[bmbmd]

69. Linda Rondstadt

sang at age fourteen on Johnny's show. Barefoot, no less.

[Hissyspit]

63. Cass Elliott & June Carter Cash on Johnny Cash Show:

[Hissyspit]

65. Bobbie Gentry: Ode To Billie Joe, Fancy, Okolona River Bottom Band...

Married to Jim Stafford for about a year.

[NightWatcher]

4. Alex, what is the best song sung by the bar's drag queen on a weekly basis?

[Courtesy Flush]

6. Livin' the Louisiana dream!

As a Louisana native, I can say the first half of the song rings true for those girls on the "outskirts of New Orleans". The second half is the fantasy. In reality, they end up crack whores.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. It beats "Kathy's CLAYOWWWWWWN"

Reba has a nice instrument, no doubt about it. But everything I've ever heard her sing sounded contrived...even academic...in its affectations. It's as if she decided she was going to sing this tune, this way, all the time, eternally.

To be fair, I haven't had any experience with her live performances except what she's done on TV; so it's possible my assessment is harsh.

But I'd like to hear her sing for the moment, with whatever is truly in her heart.

[Left Is Write]

9. Ahem. As a person named Cathy and a fan of the Everly Brothers, I have to tell you...

that it's called Cathy's Clown.

:P

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. Not the way Reba sings it....

:rofl:

[Left Is Write]

25. It's spelled with a C no matter how she yowls it.

[Left Is Write]

8. It was written by Bobbie Gentry. I think she's a great storyteller.

[SPKrazy]

10. It Is Sad, But I Love Reba...

and it's just a great song!

thanks for posting it stuntcat!

[LSK]

11. hate to do this to you

"At the Academy of Country Music awards on Tuesday night, the host, Reba McEntire, made an unfunny joke. "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker," she said."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/arts/music/25sann.html?ex=1306209600&en=646ff1909baf83d7&ei=5088

Like the Dixie Chicks, Im not ready to make nice. Now I am a former country music fan.

[mvd]

12. As much as Reba used to be good, I'm

boycotting the country music award shows if she hosts. And yes, I like "Fancy," even though it isn't a fave.

[SPKrazy]

20. I Love The Dixie Chicks

and Reba comes from my neck of the woods so I'll forgive her a bit on things. I may not like her politics, but I appreciate her talent and I have never been a great country fan...

:shrug:

:hi:

[Shell Beau]

29. You don't have to be former because of what Reba said!

I think country music sucks today, but it used to be good! But I wouldn't ever even think of listening to what their politics may be! I think we can guess what most are. But still, don't judge all of country music on Reba. Judge it because it SUCKS!!

[mvd]

33. There's quite a bit good out there now

Dixie Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban (moreso on the CDs before his most recent one,) Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Vince Gill.. and even some on MySpace I found that are up and coming: including Chelsea Lena.

[Shell Beau]

45. I saw Alan Jackson once in concert and he was AWFUL!!

He just sang portions of each of his songs! I thought :wtf:

[mvd]

51. To be fair, it could just be one concert

[Shell Beau]

53. Yeah, but that is what I have to base him on!

I saw him and he was shitty. I can't base it on he is probably not shitty in other concerts. :shrug:

[mvd]

55. I've seen him perform live and liked him

Granted it was on TV, but I know he sings his full songs at other concerts. I do understand about first impressions, though.

[Shell Beau]

57. Now Garth Brooks put on one hell of a concert!! See, I saw Garth

and then saw Alan. No comparison whatsoever!!!! But to each their own!! :)

[mvd]

58. We agree on Garth - I'm a big fan

And I also like Tim McGraw quite a bit.

Night! :hi:

[mvd]

14. Yeah, I have to admit..

her early and middle-era songs always told a good country story. And her voice has a unique twang.

[NC_Nurse]

13. Never liked Reba...

but the dig at the Dixie Chicks nailed her coffin for me. She sucks.

[Maddy McCall]

16. That, too.

Besides her looking like a amblioptic marsupial...yeah, that sealed it for me, too.

[Maddy McCall]

15. I despise Reba...

I just can't listen to her. I can't look at her, either. She looks like a cross-eyed possum.

If it were sung by anyone else, I might like the song, but I just can't get over the cringes when it's Reba.

[mvd]

17. It's hard when I like the music of a Repuke

Have the same dilemma with Miranda Lambert and others.

[Maddy McCall]

18. I didn't like her before I knew that she's a big ol' Republican...

Although she was kinda funny in Tremors.

But, yeah, her being an outspoken Bush fan kinda killed any hope that I might listen to anything she sings.

I can overlook someone being a Republican if I think that they are talented. I just never appreciated Reba's talent, so it wasn't difficult for me to really loathe her. :D

[Shakespeare]

21. To me, she's like a female Larry the Cable Guy

She's a little too over-the-top with the "hey, y'all, I'm a big ol' hick!" act. And I say that as somebody from the south who still has a perceptible (but not hick-ish) Texas drawl. Like you, I couldn't stand her, either, before I had any idea what her politics are.

And I'm STILL smiling at the look on her face when she had to present at the grammys right after the Dixie Chicks picked up one of their awards that night. Suck one, Reba.

[mvd]

22. Even though I like her music, I don't plan on buying any more..

of her CDs. At least Miranda Lambert keeps it private. Two can play that game, Freepers!

[LSK]

19. theres plenty out there by non-Repukes

I know it might sound incredibly stupid to some people but I cant listen to some of it anymore. I used to LOVE Country.

Go watch the Documentary Shut up and Sing, that will explain the way I feel now.

Not Ready to Back Down is such an awesome song. It totally explains it too.

[stuntcat]

23. she's a retardican???

well that's enough for me, she's mousey anyway.
But I love that song, it's the only one of hers I like.. AND it's not even her song so now I can pretty much write that pig off.
(I have to still love the song though)

[mvd]

41. Yes, I would say so

She made a lame joke about the Dixie Chicks and donated to Bush. x(

[Maddy McCall]

54. Not just a Republican, but an enemy of free speech.

That's the only reason I can imagine that she'd insult the Dixie Chicks for their exercise of free speech.

[idgiehkt]

27. I am the same way

I think she is repulsive. And I hate what she did to country music. That is when it started going downhill, when she came along. That song has it's virtues, I guess.

[mvd]

30. I fail to see what she did to make it go downhill

It was her that went somewhat downhill AFTER Nashville got a bit watered down due to too much sameness. To each his own..

[idgiehkt]

32. I think because it became more rootless

People like her were more middle class and the working class element with the blue grass base kind of vanished from the music they were making. I think we may have had this discussion before...I do have a thing with thinking Reba is the root of all evil, lol.

[mvd]

35. Yes, we disagreed before

I've followed it for a while and see no correlation though. Her greatest hits are no less country than those 70s and 80s types like Barbara Mandrell and K.T. Oslin.

[idgiehkt]

36. I can't believe you mentioned those two in the same breath.

I adore K.T. Oslin. I haven't heard much of anything about her since she had a quadruple bypass. There isn't even anything of hers on youtube. It sucks, because "Hold Me" is one of the greatest country ballads I've ever heard. I can't believe she isn't a bigger star...maybe her health is the issue. Mandrell I put in the same category as Reba, maybe it's the religious influence and the desire to be so middle class and not allow the working class feeling of the music to come through. It just sounds empty to me.

[mvd]

37. Well as I said, to each his own

Reba doesn't sound much more rootless to me. The instrumentation is not overproduced.

[Maddy McCall]

42. K.T. Oslin didn't get near the recognition she deserved.

What an AWESOME singer/songwriter she is.

My favorite song she did: Hey Bobby

Hey Bobby.
Would you like to go for a ride in the country with me?
I'm celebratin'.
Ya see the four-wheeled beauty you're leanin' on
It finally belongs to me.
I've never owned a car before,
And I've never picked a boy up at his own front door.
It'd be a red letter day
If you'll come out and play in the country with me.
Hey Bobby.
Will you ride a little ways down 299 to a lovely little spot I found?
It's on a hilltop.
We can park in the shade and dance on the ground to a radio
station where the hits don't ever stop.
Watch the sun go down.
See the moon rise up.
Drink a champagne toast in a plastic cup.
Rock the night away, lookin' at stars, talkin 'bout cars
Bobby, with me.
Hey Bobby.
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh? Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Watch the sun go down.
See the moon rise up.
Drink a champagne toast in a plastic cup.
In future times that be,
When ya need a good memory, Bobby, think about me.
Hey, Bobby.
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
Do ya wanna huh?Do ya wanna huh?Huh?
How 'bout it Bobby?Ya wanna go for a ride in the country?
I'll get ya back real early, trust me.

[mvd]

43. Oh yes, she has a great voice

Clear and resonant.. sometimes the 80s production was a bit adult-contempo, but she usually transcended it.

[Shell Beau]

48. KT had one of those smooth and clear voices! She was wonderful!

[idgiehkt]

59. I remember this!!

Another song of hers I loved. To me she was a modern day Patsy Cline; I don't know how she slipped through the cracks unless it was her health. Thanks for posting those lyrics, what a great song.

[stuntcat]

39. Mandrell

She's part of "the laming" of country music too.
Old songs rock. My dad ran a country radio station in the 70s-80's and I got to play all his records, which I didn't appreciate at that time but what's on the radio now is just lame comparedto old songs.. what little I've heard I mean, since there's no way in hell I'd spend time on one of those stations now.
Alt-country stuff is amazing, I wish I knew more of it, I'm so out of the loop.

[mvd]

40. I'm not an "only old things rock" person

Sorry. I will disagree with you on this every time. I see it a lot here, but I never felt that way. I take things case by case.

[stuntcat]

44. I hear you!

For sure, the "only old things rock" crap is SO. TIRED.
Some of the country artists who would probably Not make it onto the stations now are Great. I went to Neko Case and Richard Buchner concerts last year and I want to keep my eye out for new artists, I know there's tons of them, I just don't know who they are.

[mvd]

46. Oh, Neko's wonderful

Both solo and with the NPs. But I also like some of the stuff on country radio. It's not all jingoistic and soulless.

[stuntcat]

50. WAIT, Gillan Welch

omg SHE rocks so much!! I saw her too, October in Golden Gate Park!

[mvd]

52. I like her, too

I only have Time (The Revelator,) but that CD is one of the most uniquely good country CDs I have.

[Left Is Write]

47. This famous Billboard ad appeared when I was working for country radio...

I was the music director for a "hot country" station in the early-mid 90s, and it was nearly impossible for the old greats and old school artists to get any airplay at all. They were relegated to lame "classic country" stations that would play anything that happened to be old, or in some cases, the burgeoning Americana format. The country music machine was ugly. Names like Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, and others popular in that era got automatic airplay no matter what the song sounded like. Worthy artists promoted by indie record companies were almost universally ignored in favor of cookie cutter "hat acts" churned out by Music Row. It was pretty disillusioning after a while.

[mvd]

49. I'll give you one thing

That relegation was worse than the actual music that followed it. Those old artists have a legitimate gripe. I don't see Fleetwood Mac relegated to oldies stations.

[Maddy McCall]

56. Gawds do I hate Brooks and Dunn.

Never understood their success.

[idgiehkt]

60. thanks for posting that

that I why I really don't care for those artists. They pushed blue grass instruments right out of country and it all became about the clothes and the electric guitars. I love Emmylou Harris and Dwight Yoakam for staying true to their roots.

edit: I think that that is the basis of my arguement, the relegation was about class issues and making the music sound more like adult contemporary and less twangy and working class. It's such a sad period in country music history and that's what Reba has come to represent to me, fairly or unfairly.

[Gatchaman]

26. It was used in a potato chip commercial

doesn't that pretty much negate any meaning this song ever had?

[Shell Beau]

28. Its a great song!! I love it!

Of course when it came out I was barely a teenager, but still I think it is a great song!

[opiate69]

31. Terrible song...

A friend of mine runs Karaoke at a local bar, and the manager has a strict "no swearing" policy.. so, tons of good songs can't be sung there because they may contain a word like "shit" or "fuck"... but a song about a woman who turns her daughter into a prostitute?? "Hell yeah! You can sing that here! No problem!"
:eyes:

[Shell Beau]

34. But in the song, she ended up better off for doing so.

Her mother couldn't provide her with anything and sadly, that was the better option! I am not sure where education came about it this song, but I am guessing it was in a time where women couldn't really thrive financially!

[opiate69]

38. True.. but still! LOL

Maybe the fact that I've only ever heard it sung by terrible karaoke singers is influencing my opinion of it.. ;-)

[Hissyspit]

61. Bobby Gentry wrote it, did it first, did it MUCH better. Reba sucks.

The original has more verses and tells a more complete story. It is a story of survival in the Southern Gothic tradition.

[SeattleGirl]

66. She did? Dang, why haven't I ever heard Bobby's version of it?

Shoot, I'll have to look for that.

[Hissyspit]

67. See post #65 above.

There's probably a good Greatest Hits CD compilation. It might be on iTunes, also.

[noshenanigans]

64. This is the only Reba song I know!

My sister won VIP tickets to one of her concerts and even though I normally don't listen to country it was a really great show. She's cool!

[donheld]

68. I don't know any song Reba's done.