Reba McEntire’s ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ Video is Bittersweet

Reba McEntire bares her heart in the music video for “Seven Minutes in Heaven,” the only brand-new song included in the track list of her recently-released acoustic project Not That Fancy.

“Seven Minutes in Heaven” is McEntire’s imagination of what she would do if she could make a quick trip to the afterlife.

“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,” the first verse begins, as McEntire makes her way through the pearly gates and immediately seeks out one special person.

“I wouldn’t spend all my seconds askin’ God questions / ‘Cause he knows I’ll be back soon,” McEntire continues, “If I had seven minutes in Heaven, I’d spend them all with you.”

The music video for McEntire’s new song pairs her story line with a visual component. She acts out the lyrics as she sings, sitting down in a “quiet corner booth” and ordering a beer as she waits for the one person she’s waiting to see.

Finally, a figure shows up to sit across the booth from McEntire, and though her face is never shown in the video, her frame and hairstyle makes it clear that it’s her mother Jacqueline that she’s thinking about as she sings.

Jacqueline McEntire died in March 2020 at the age of 93, after a battle with cancer. Mother and daughter shared a close bond throughout the years, and before Jacqueline’s death, McEntire memorialized her love for her mother with a song called “You Never Gave Up On Me.” The song was included on the tack list for McEntire’s 2019 Stronger Than the Truth album, and Jacqueline was able to hear it and appreciate her daughter’s tribute during her life.

Though it’s not her first time honoring her mother in song, McEntire admits that filming the music video for “Seven Minutes in Heaven” was a bittersweet experience.

“This one was an emotional one to film, but I’m sure glad we did,” the singer wrote on Twitter. “Who would you like to spend seven minutes in heaven with?”

“Seven Minutes in Heaven” comes off the Not That Fancy album, which McEntire released on Friday (Oct. 6.) The collection features stripped down new recordings of iconic songs like “Fancy,” “Consider Me Gone” and “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” It serves as a companion album to McEntire’s Oct. 10 book, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating and Dusting Off Your Boots.

See Reba McEntire Through the Years:

How Well Do You Really Know Reba?