Spears moved from Texas to Nashville in 1964. She earned a Capitol Records contract in 1968. Her first hit was 1969's "Mr. Walker, It's All Over."
Spears won country fans over with her tough, bluesy style; however, it was not until 1975's "Blanket on the Ground" that she broke through to major stardom. The song hit number one on the country charts in the United States. The song did well in the United Kingdom, as well; the song climbed into the top five in the pop hits there.
Spears' followed up "Blanket on the Ground" with the top ten "What I've Got In Mind." "What I've Got in Mind" did even better in the United Kingdom, turning out to be a second top 5 British hit for her across the sea.
Spears had successes with "Misty Blue," "'57 Chevrolet," "Love Ain't Gonna Wait For Us," "If You Want Me," and others. 1981's remake of Tammy Wynette's 1960s hit, "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," was Spear's last voyage into America's country top 20.
Her Greatest Hits album was a top 10 best seller, and furthered her fan base.
By the mid-1980s, her success in the United States had tapered off. However, she retained a following in the U.K., recording a number of albums for the British market that had limited or no release in America. This level of fame in Britain was summed up by the the magazine entitled Country Music People during the 1990s when an article described Spears as "The Queen Mother of Country music."
In 2005, Spears released the album "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry".
Stepchild
Billie Jo Spears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How come your daddy run away your mama never did know
All you remember is becoming a step son to your mama's new man
And you got acquainted with the back of his hand
Stepchild you say the man had a son
The son called him daddy but he told you to call him John
You say the legs on the breast of the chicken was gone
When the platter come around your way
Stepchild when you were born
Your right foot was turned left with your left
And mercy had a way of taking off and leaving you by yourself
Stepchild muddy water got in your well
Stepchild how come your laughing that way
After doing the deed that you've done you better learn how to pray
Stepchild you've got a weird sense of humor
And you came close to gettin' away
But they caught you plantin' garlic on your step daddy's grave
Stepchild when you were born
The song "Stepchild" by Billie Jo Spears tells the story of a child who had a difficult upbringing as a result of being a stepchild. The child's father left when they were young and their mother remarried a man who treated them poorly, resorting to physical abuse. The child vividly remembers the unfair treatment they received compared to their stepbrother. Even though the stepbrother was treated with love and respect, the stepchild had to do all the manual labor while the stepbrother played. The song also mentions how the stepchild was born with a physical abnormality, further adding to their struggle in life. The line "muddy water got in your well" signifies how the hardships in life have impacted the stepchild's spirit and outlook on life.
The song highlights the theme of parental neglect and how it can affect a child's life. It is through the eyes of the stepchild that we see the pain and trauma of feeling unwanted, neglected and abused. The lyrics also suggest that the stepchild has grown up to be a rebellious adult who is not afraid to take revenge on the people who wronged them. They are depicted as someone who has a "weird sense of humor" and someone who is capable of doing dark deeds without remorse which can be seen in the line "After doing the deed that you've done you better learn how to pray."
Line by Line Meaning
Stepchild you've had a hard way to go
You, as a stepchild, have had a difficult journey in life.
How come your daddy run away your mama never did know
You don't know the reason why your dad left your mom and you behind.
All you remember is becoming a step son to your mama's new man
The only memory you have is becoming a stepson to your mom's new partner.
And you got acquainted with the back of his hand
You suffered physical abuse from your stepfather.
Stepchild you say the man had a son
Your stepfather had a biological son.
The son called him daddy but he told you to call him John
Your stepbrother was allowed to call your stepfather 'dad,' but you were not.
You say the legs on the breast of the chicken was gone
You noticed that the chicken had already been served for dinner and the piece with the drumsticks was missing.
When the platter come around your way
When it was your turn to be served.
And you had to chop cotton while your step brother played
While your stepbrother played, you had to do hard labor like cotton chopping.
Stepchild when you were born
At the time of your birth.
Your right foot was turned left with your left
You were born with your right foot facing the opposite direction than it should have.
And mercy had a way of taking off and leaving you by yourself
Fate often left you alone, without any mercy or assistance.
Stepchild muddy water got in your well
Even your source of water was contaminated with mud.
Stepchild how come your laughing that way
You have an unusual and unsettling laugh about you.
After doing the deed that you've done you better learn how to pray
You committed an act that requires you to pray for forgiveness.
Stepchild you've got a weird sense of humor
Your sense of humor is strange and unusual.
And you came close to gettin' away
You almost escaped the consequences of your actions.
But they caught you plantin' garlic on your step daddy's grave
However, you were caught trying to disrespect your deceased stepfather by planting garlic on his grave in a mocking manner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRAZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dre
I got this on vinyl and omg i love it so much she is the best its like outlaw song when it comes to this song
Melinda Gowan
i love all of. mrs billie jo spears like blanket on the. ground. and it's a heart ache step child outlaw women i don't. wanna play house