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Introduction
Get those tissues ready. Country legend Reba McEntire took time out on the latest episode of “The Voice” to pay tribute to someone who wouldn’t be celebrating with her this season: her late mother.
Fans of the singing competition show were treated to a performance from one of the high-profile coaches on Dec. 5 as McEntire belted out her emotional ballad “Seven Minutes in Heaven,” dedicated to Jacqueline “Jackie” McEntire.
McEntire’s mom died in 2020 at the age of 93 following a battle with cancer, and clearly Reba still has strong feelings for the woman who raised her. The song, written by Olivia Rudeen and Matt Wynn, was released this year as a single from her latest album (“Not That Fancy”), and in it she imagines taking a short visit to heaven. Once there, Reba passes up conversation with Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley serenades so that she can share a last drink with her mom.
It’s a heartwarming musical portrait of love, with lyrics like: “How’s the fishing up there/ Have you been getting our prayers/ We’ve been sending them every night.” By the end of the performance Reba’s voice is strained with emotion, but she keeps it together as a photo of her mother appears at the back of the stage.
“Oh, I miss you, mama,” she said at the end.
If it wasn’t obvious already, family is a big deal to the three-time Grammy winner and coach on “The Voice.” Her father Clark McEntire was a National Rodeo Hall of Famer, and after he died in 2014 Reba recorded “Just Like Them Horses,” written by Liz Hengber and Tommy Lee James, because it reminded her of him. Mom Jackie was actually in the 2015 video for the song.
McEntire gave a shout out to fans on Instagram a few weeks back when “Seven Minutes in Heaven” began to strike a chord with fans grieving for their own lost loved ones.
“I’ve been so touched seeing all the videos y’all have been making using ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ in dedication to your loved ones,” she wrote. “I dedicated this song to my Mama. She took a trip to heaven in 2020 and I’d give anything to visit her up there for seven minutes.“
Video
Lyrics
I wouldn’t ask Cash why he wore all black
Or have Elvis sing me a song
I wouldn’t ask why Kennedy died
‘Cause I know that I wouldn’t have long
I wouldn’t small talk with Peter ’bout those pearly gates
I’d ask him to let me on in
And I’d say there’s somebody waiting on the other side
That I’d really like to catch up with
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I know just what I’d do
Take a walk down those golden streets
And find a quiet corner booth
I wouldn’t spend all my seconds asking God questions
‘Cause He knows I’d be back soon
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I’d spend them all with you
How’s the fishing up there
Have you been getting our prayers
We’ve been sending them every night
The only issue here is oh, Lord, we miss you
But I swear we’re doing alright
Does the weather get colder?
Do you ever grow older?
Does it feel like the blink of an eye?
‘Cause I’m so glad to be here
And I sure hope they serve beer
‘Cause, for me, it’s been a long time
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I know just what I’d do
Take a walk down those golden streets
And find a quiet corner booth
I wouldn’t spend all my seconds asking God questions
‘Cause He knows I’ll be back soon
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I’d spend them all with you
When it’s last call, I’ll hug you
And I’ll tell you, “I love you”
But I won’t say goodbye
Right now, I got to leave
But the next round’s on me
And I know it won’t be the last time
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
Then I know just what we’ll do
Oh, we’ll take a walk down those golden streets
And find that same old corner booth
But I might take a few seconds to ask God some questions
I didn’t last time I was through
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I’d spend them all with you
If I had seven minutes in Heaven
I’d spend them all with you