I remember it all very well lookin' back
It was the summer I turned eighteen
We lived in a one room, rundown shack
On the outskirts of New Orleans
We didn't have money for food or rent
To say the least we were hard pressed
Then mama spent every last penny we had
To buy me a dancin' dress
Well, Mama washed and combed
And curled my hair
And she painted my eyes and lips
Then I stepped into a satin dancin' dress
That had a split on the side clean up to my hip
It was red velvet trim and it fit me good
Standin' back from the lookin' glass
There stood a woman where a half grown kid had stood
She said "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
She said "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
Mama dabbed a little bit of perfume on my neck
Then she kissed my cheek
And then I saw the tears wellin' up in her troubled eyes
As she started to speak
She looked at our pitiful shack
And then she looked at me
And took a ragged breath
She said "Your pa's runned off and I'm real sick
And the baby's gonna starve to death"
She handed me a heart shaped locket that said
"To thine own self be true"
And I shivered as I watched a roach crawl
Across the toe of my high heel shoe
It sounded like somebody else that was talkin'
Askin' "Mama what do I do?"
She said "Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy
They'll be nice to you"
She said "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
"Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
Lord forgive me for what I do
But if you want out well it's up to you
Now don't let me down now your mama's gonna move you uptown"
Well, that was the last time I saw my mama
That night I left that rickety shack
The welfare people came and took the baby
Mama died and I ain't been back
But the wheels of fate had started to turn
And for me there was no way out
And it wasn't very long 'til I knew exactly
What my mama been talkin' about
I knew what I had to do
And I made myself this solemn vow
That I's gonna be a lady someday
Though I don't know when or how
But I couldn't see spending the rest of my life
With my head hung down in shame
You know I might have been born just plain white trash
But Fancy was my name
She said "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
She said "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
It wasn't long after a benevolent man took me in off the streets
One week later I was pourin' his tea in a five room hotel suite
I charmed a king, a congressman and an occasional aristocrat
And then I got me a Georgia mansion
And an elegant New York townhouse flat
And I ain't done bad
Now in this world there's a lot of self-righteous hypocrits
That would call me bad
And criticize mama for turning me out no matter how little we had
But though I ain't had to worry 'bout nothin' for nigh on fifteen years
Well I can still hear the desperation in my poor mama's voice
Ringin' in my ears
"Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
Oh, "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down"
Lord, forgive me for what I do
But if you want out well it's up to you
Now don't let me down hun your mama's gonna move you uptown"
Oh and I guess she did
Reba McEntire - Fancy (Official Music Video)
Fancy Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
Reba McEntire's song "Fancy" is a powerful narrative ballad that tells the story of a young woman's dramatic journey from abject poverty to wealth and success. Set on the outskirts of New Orleans, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a struggling family, living in a "one room, rundown shack" with nothing for food or rent. The central conflict arises when the protagonist, Fancy, turns eighteen and her dying mother makes a desperate, controversial decision to spend their last pennies on a "satin dancin' dress" with a split up the side, urging Fancy that it is her "one chance."
The song details the poignant scene where Fancy's mother prepares her, emphasizing the physical transformation from a "half grown kid" to a woman in the dress. The mother's instructions, tinged with desperation and tears, reveal the grim reality: the father has left, the mother is sick, and the baby is starving. The mother's guidance to "be nice to the gentlemen" implies the difficult path she is pushing Fancy towards, a path of using her appearance to escape their dire circumstances. Despite the implied nature of the task, the mother blesses her, saying "Lord forgive me for what I do," underscoring the gravity and perceived necessity of her action.
Fancy leaves that night and never returns, learning later that her mother died and the baby was taken by welfare. The song describes her initial fear but also her determination. She makes a solemn vow to become a lady, refusing to live her life "with my head hung down in shame." She embraces the name "Fancy," recognizing that despite being born into hardship, she refused to be defined as "plain white trash."
The narrative continues with Fancy's rise. She is taken in by a "benevolent man," leading to her pouring tea in a hotel suite just a week later. The lyrics recount her charming various influential figures – a king, a congressman, an aristocrat – and ultimately acquiring significant wealth, including a Georgia mansion and a New York townhouse. The song concludes with Fancy reflecting on her past, acknowledging that some might judge her and her mother, calling them "self-righteous hypocrits." However, she asserts she hasn't "done bad" and still hears her mother's desperate words ringing in her ears, a reminder of the catalyst for her transformation. The final line, "Oh and I guess she did," refers back to her mother's promise to "move you uptown," confirming that the desperate plan ultimately succeeded in lifting Fancy out of poverty.
The official music video for "Fancy," released on June 17, 2009, visually brings this powerful story to life. It depicts the squalid conditions of Fancy's childhood shack and contrasts them sharply with the opulent settings of her later life, including the hotel suite, the mansion, and the townhouse. The video portrays the difficult conversation between Fancy and her mother, the dramatic transformation with the red dress, and scenes reflecting her interactions with wealthy men, illustrating her rise to prominence. The visual storytelling in the video strongly emphasizes the narrative arc of the song, highlighting the stark difference between Fancy's origins and her ultimate success.
