Reba - "Somebody's Chelsea"
By: Bobby Peacock
Okay, I got it wrong. I thought for sure that "When Love Gets a Hold of You" would compensate for "If I Were a Boy" crashing and burning. But instead, "When Love Gets a Hold of You" stalled at #40. But her next song… wow. If this isn't a hit, I don't think Reba will ever have one again.
And that's not hyperbole. I really, really think that "Somebody's Chelsea" is one of the best Reba singles in quite some time. When I first heard it on the album, I thought it was a surefire hit. It's a beautiful, smoothly flowing ballad that splits the difference. Underneath a radio-friendly, slick exterior, the song reveals a powerful, moving story.
The song is tightly written and deceptively simple, not using too many words but using them well. Its setup is credible, not contrived: making idle chat with an elderly man on an airplane, the narrator learns of the man's deceased wife, Chelsea, and how much he loved her. Moved by the emotion in the old man, the narrator then declares that she wants to be "somebody's Chelsea." Reba, the old pro that she is, wrings every ounce of emotion out of the lyrics. You get the feeling that she's just about to burst into tears when she hugs him in the bridge of the song. This would be a hit in nearly any singer's hands, but Reba knocks it out of the park.
After a couple duds in a row, radio might be a little skeptical that a 56-year-old can have another hit. But a near-perfect song that manages to please both the muse and the marketplace? I'm not lying. Radio would be crazy to pass this one up. I have faith that Reba and Big Machine will push this song to become the hit it deserves to be. Even if it takes awhile. I really, really want this to be a hit, and so, if you'll allow me, I'll ask you to request the heck out of it. This one is not going to slip through the cracks.
Buy: Amazon mp3
Additional Reba Content:
"All The Woman I Am" CD review
"Turn On The Radio" single review
"Consider Me Gone" single review
"50 Greatest Hits" box set review
READER'S COMMENTS
Steve says:
Posted: Saturday, August 27, 2011
What a great song, it should be a surefire hit. It is like her 90's stuff..'For My Broken Heart' and 'The Greatest Man I Never Knew'. Her age shouldn't matter, especially with this type of song. Hopefully, this will bury 'If I Were A Boy' in everyone's memory. I think this will climb slowly.
Rachael says:
Posted: Sunday, August 14, 2011
Whoo hoo!!!!! So glad someone sees this song and Reba for the amazingness that they are!!! What you said about the bridge is so so true, Reba just makes you FEEL every song she sings!! And this song, WOW!! It's my favorite off her album, the beautiful love story, the hope of being "Somebody's Chelsea", it just hits you right in the heart. I love this song SO. MUCH. You better believe I'll be requesting my butt off!!! =)
Bobby P. says:
Posted: Saturday, August 13, 2011
Holy run-on sentence, Batman! Sam. Punctuation exists.
Sam says:
Posted: Friday, August 12, 2011
An actual song from reba I like wow that hasn't happened in a while but honestly I knew her last song would do horrible not because it was a bad song I didn't like it but it wasn't bad but because if I were a boy was such a bad single choice it made radio skeptical of anything reba would choose to release. I think this song will brig radio back to her she needed something like this after if I were a boy and man she did it
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