Reba McEntire’s Powerful ‘Seven Minutes In Heaven’ Video Explores The Idea Of Reconnecting With Her Late Mother In Heaven

Reba McEntire recently dropped a music video for her deeply personal song, “Seven Minutes In Heaven,” that finds the country icon exploring the idea of what would happen if she was given just a few minutes to reconnect with her late mother in heaven. 

Jacqueline McEntire was 93 when she lost her battle with cancer in 2020. This was a devastating time for the “Fancy” singer seeing as how tight-knit their mother-daughter relationship was. Her passing was announced via McEntire’s Instagram on March 14, 2020.

A Tribute To Her Late Mother

“She had a wonderful, full, healthy life and was absolutely ready to go,” McEntire wrote. “The cancer might think it won the battle but we’re giving God all the credit on selecting the time for her to go home to Him.”

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The new music video allows her to pay homage to the woman who meant so much to her. She starts off by sitting in a “quiet corner booth,” reflecting on a few other important figures who have passed on, such as Johnny Cash, Elvis and President Kennedy, as she ponders what she might say if she ever crossed paths with them in the place up above.

“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 by them 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,” McEntire sings in the opening verse. 

Touching Moment

As soon as the somber chorus hits, a new character appears in the video. While viewers can’t see her face, it’s clear that she portrays McEntire’s mom. The singer places her hands on the woman’s shoulders before joining her in the seat across from her. 

McEntire continues delivering the ballad while also acting out the notion of a conversation with her mom in between the raw lyrics. The pair hold hands, catch up over a round of drinks and come together in a loving embrace before parting ways once again.  

Pouring nothing but heart and sincere emotions into the chorus, McEntire sings, “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.”

The final scene reveals a timeless black-and-white photo of Jacqueline McEntire leaning up against the empty beer bottle. 

“The music video for ‘Seven Minutes In Heaven’ is just really sweet and simple,” she told TODAY. “We tried to imagine what it might be like to go to heaven and sit down with someone you’ve lost. The heartbreaker is that you only get to spend seven minutes with them. For me, that person is my Mama.”

Watch The Video

Hopes The Song Will Help Others

The Country Music Hall of Famer also shared that her hope for this song is to touch listeners who have also lost someone close to them, and maybe bring a bit of solace to their grief. 

She continued, “I hope that the fans can imagine who that person is for them and find some comfort in knowing that someday, they’ll get to spend forever with that person they love.”

“Seven Minutes In Heaven” appears as the only new single on McEntire’s just-released acoustic album, Not That Fancy, which was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb.The 14-track collection features stripped-down versions of some of her most iconic songs including “Fancy,” “Consider Me Gone” and “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”

“Dave is so much fun to work with,” McEntire said. “I think we make a great team. I always say that I’m just the messenger for a song, and hopefully, if it touches my heart, it will touch the listeners’ hearts, too. Dave loves music and knows how to take a song and give it some breathing room so that you can focus on the lyric and the message. I hope my fans will love hearing these familiar songs in a different way. They’re a little more raw and emotional.”

Not That Fancy

Not That Fancy serves as a companion album to McEntire’s highly anticipated new lifestyle book “Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating and Dusting Off Your Boots.” While previously teasing the project, McEntire revealed that it will feature over 50 food and drink recipes from her family traditions and new restaurant in her home state of Oklahoma, as well as a whole lot of true southern charm. 

The book hit the shelves on October 10 and to celebrate its release, Reba McEntire will appear at a special event in Nashville hosted by her longtime friend and former Reba co-star, Melissa Peterman.

The event, dubbed “Not That Fancy: An Evening with Reba & Friends.” will take place on Sunday, November 5 at 7:30 pm at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium. 

All those lucky enough to attend the one-night-only event have been promised “an evening of stories with Reba at the Mother Church” and will get to take home a complimentary copy of her new book.

Fans can also catch Reba McEntire serving her very first season as a coach on NBC’s The Voice. Season 24 of the singing competition show airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.