Born Carolyn Bradford in Houston, Texas, she dropped out of Houston's Langham Creek High School to pursue her musical ambitions. In 1999, she moved to Austin, Texas. Wonderland's instrumental abilities include guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, trumpet, and piano. Although primarily a blues artist, Wonderland likes to incorporate elements of country, swing, zydeco, surf, gospel, soul, and cumbia into her musical mix. She usually performs with Cole El-Saleh on keyboards and Robert Michael Hooper on drums.
In February 2008, Wonderland released the CD Miss Understood. She has been involved in a number of recordings, including several that were self-produced on independent labels. She was the lead singer fronting the band Imperial Monkeys. She released Bloodless Revolution in 2008, and is the primary singer on the Jerry Lightfoot's Band of Wonder Texistentialismwith Lightfoot and Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes). Wonderland was a founding member of the Loose Affiliation of Saints and Sinners (with Papa Mali, Eldridge Goins, Guy Forsyth, and others), with several of her songs being featured on their Sessions from the Hotel San Jose Rm. 50. She was also the lead guitarist in the all-girl southern-rock band Sis DeVille, and is a founding member of the Austin Volunteer Orchestra.
Wonderland appeared on Austin City Limits in 2008, and has had her music used on NBC's Homicide and Fox's Time of Your Life. She was a headlining artist at the annual Rochester International Jazz Festival summer 2009 at the Eastman Theatre and New York. In 2003, Wonderland opened the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, after performing there for the previous ten years, singing the National Anthem with The Imperial Monkeys.
Wonderland also performs with the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers, raising money for local Austin charities, food banks, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and on behalf of the legalisation of marijuana.
Bad Girl Blues
Carolyn Wonderland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't deny
I wish I was a bridesmaid
Instead of always the bride
I've had good times
And I've known pain
But it's hard to remember
The things I can change
Like feeling broke down, low down in high heel shoes
I've got them good time bad girl blues
I've been the bad girl
In this little town
I used to walk the tightwire
Ended up with the clown
I've known the bad boys
And it bothers me some
Not that it wasn't real love
But it wasn't even much fun
Like feeling broke down, low down in high heel shoes
I've got them good time bad girl blues
Well, I've drank and I've stole
Danced on a pole
Traded gifts given in life into dirt for money
I've been the bad girl
So I've been told
Honey, I've been a lot of things
Now I'm just growing old
Holding on tightly
To a long ago past
Trying to tread lightly
Fading out fast
"Bad Girl Blues" by Carolyn Wonderland is a song that sheds light on the singer's experiences as a "bad girl" and the consequences she faces. The lyrics describe the singer's regrets and wish to change the course of her actions. It begins with the singer admitting that she is a "bad girl" and finds it hard to deny. She further expresses her desire to switch roles and be a bridesmaid instead of always being the bride. Although the singer admits to having had good times, she has also known pain, which is difficult to forget.
The singer discusses her past experiences with the "bad boys" of the little town she grew up in, which she now regrets. Although she acknowledges the love that she shared with them, she also admits that it wasn't even much fun. The singer then goes on to describe how her bad girl streak involved feeling "broke down, low down in high heel shoes." The song ends with the singer reflecting on her life and trying to keep her past from defining her. She accepts that she has been a lot of things in the past and is now just growing old, holding onto her past as she fades into obscurity.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a bad girl
I have not always followed societal norms or rules
And I can't deny
I acknowledge my behavior
I wish I was a bridesmaid
I wish I was not always in the spotlight, but rather a supporting character
Instead of always the bride
Instead of always being the center of attention
I've had good times
I have enjoyed life
And I've known pain
I have also experienced hardships
But it's hard to remember
But sometimes it is difficult to recall
The things I can change
The aspects of my behavior or situation that I can control
Like feeling broke down, low down in high heel shoes
Feeling defeated and exhausted despite putting on a confident facade
I've got them good time bad girl blues
I am experiencing the consequences of my past actions
I've been the bad girl
I have been someone who has not always made wise choices
In this little town
Within the confines of this community
I used to walk the tightwire
I used to take unnecessary risks
Ended up with the clown
Resulted in being with someone who was not a good match
I've known the bad boys
I have had relationships with individuals who were not positive influences
And it bothers me some
And it causes me some distress
Not that it wasn't real love
Despite the negative outcomes, the emotions felt were genuine
But it wasn't even much fun
But it ultimately was not worth it
Well, I've drank and I've stole
I have engaged in less-than-legal activities
Danced on a pole
Worked as a stripper
Traded gifts given in life into dirt for money
Squandered valuable opportunities or possessions for material gain
So I've been told
This is what others have said about me
Honey, I've been a lot of things
I have taken on various roles or identities
Now I'm just growing old
Now, I am realizing the importance of aging and learning from past experiences
Holding on tightly
Desperately clinging to
To a long ago past
To memories from a distant time
Trying to tread lightly
Trying to be cautious and avoid making previous mistakes
Fading out fast
Disappearing quickly
Contributed by Declan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.