Gretchen was born in Pocahontas, Illinois to a 16-year-old mother. Her father left before she was two years old, and she and her mother lived in trailer parks and relative poverty. Gretchen's mother worked as a waitress, and Gretchen herself dropped out of the 8th grade at age 15 to work as a cook and bartender in rural Illinois.
After a failed marriage to former Baywolfe bandmate Larry Rolens, Gretchen moved to Nashville and began dating Mike Penner. They have a daughter, Grace Frances Penner, who was born November 9, 2000.
Gretchen, who had sung for Kmart as a child, sang in two bar bands by the age of 20. In 1996 she moved to Nashville to sing back-up and record sample songs. In 2000, she met John Rich, a former member of Lonestar, who invited her to become his song-writing partner. Wilson signed with Epic Records in 2003 and recorded Here for the Party within the year.
Her first single, "Redneck Woman", was released in early 2004 and reached the top of the Hot Country Songs charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of "Redneck Woman" prompted an earlier-than-planned release for Here for the Party -- May 11, 2004 -- and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard country chart. It also reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Internet album sales charts. She performed as a support artist for Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry.
She released the title track Here For The Party as the second single. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard country chart. Two other songs were released as singles, and both reached the top 10. Released in markets outside the U.S., the album hit #2 on the Australian country charts (behind Kasey Chambers) and the top 50 of the Australian charts. As of July 5, 2004, "Redneck Woman" was #1 on a world composite country chart (based on the U.S., UK, and Australia charts). The album went on sell more than 4 million copies in the U.S. and 5 million worldwide and was certified four times platinum.
On September 27, 2005, Gretchen released her second album, All Jacked Up, which peaked at #1 on both the Top 200 and Country album charts, but, after initial decent sales, the album quickly fell off the charts. It was certified Platinum and sold 1 million copies. The title track, All Jacked Up, peaked at a disappointing #8 on the Country singles chart and was the only song from the album to reach the top 10. The second single, I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today, peaked at #22. The third and the fourth singles were Politically Uncorrect and California Girls, which peaked respectively at #23 and #25 on the Country chart. Kid Rock appeared on "The Other Side of Me," an exclusive track that Target released with the album.
On February 28, 2006, Gretchen appeared on Kid Rock and The Twisted Brown Trucker Band's "Live" Trucker, as she performed "Picture" recorded at Detroit's Cobo Hall, 3/26/04. On November 2006, she released a new single called Come To Bed, a song produced by her friend John Rich, who also sings the background vocals. The song's suggestive video received a TV-14 S rating when aired on CMT.
Gretchen's "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Best Country Song. In 2006, Wilson contributed a well-received cover of Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Coming Down on the tribute CD The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson. In 2007, Wilson displayed her rock and roll vocals on the cable TV special VH1 Rock Honors, singing Heart's hit Barracuda, along with Alice in Chains and Heart member Nancy Wilson on guitars.,
On May 15, 2007, Gretchen released her third album, One of the Boys. The album debuted at #5 on the Top 200 and at #1 on the Country album chart. After 11 weeks, it exited the Billboard Top 200, having sold just 178,220 copies at that point. "Come To Bed" and "One Of The Boys", the first two singles released, both failed to enter the top 30 and missed the Hot 100 completely. The third single, "You Don't Have to Go Home", was even less successful, peaking at #53.
Good Ol Boy
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With lots of green in the bank
Got to find a feller with a red wine cellar
And a big, black Escalade
One of them dudes that don't cuss or chew
Never do nothin' wrong
Personally, that don't do it for me, yeah
You can keep 'em all
[Chorus:]
I'd rather have a good ole boy
One who ain't afraid to make some noise
Do what you want to do, but if I had the choice
I'd rather have a good ole boy
Yeah, I'd rather have a good ole boy
Well, I've met guys in suits and ties
That'll buy you anything you want
Drink champagne and drop big names
In a high-dollar restaurant
I'd rather run with a son of a gun
That'll get a little dirt on his hands
I'd trade a high class livin' for some good catfishin'
With a real blue collar man
[Chorus]
I'd rather have a good ole boy
Who ain't afraid to make some noise
Do what you want to do, but if I had the choice
I'd rather have a good ole boy
You know, I'd rather have a good ole boy
One who ain't afraid to make some noise
Do what you want to do, but if I had the choice
I'd rather have a good ole boy
Yeah, I'd rather have a good ole boy
In “Good Ole Boy,” Gretchen Wilson is expressing her preference for a man who is not a “Wall Street man” or a “dude who don’t cuss or chew,” but rather a laid-back, blue-collar “son of a gun” who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. She sees these men as more real and genuine than those who live a high-class lifestyle and flaunt their wealth. To her, cash and material possessions are far less important than authenticity and down-to-earth qualities. She would rather fish with a “real blue collar man” than be wined and dined at an expensive restaurant by a man in a suit and tie.
The song reflects the values and attitudes of small-town America, where hard work and a sense of community are cherished. It also represents a rejection of the superficiality and materialism of urban life, particularly in the entertainment industry. The song argues for the importance of integrity and the value of common sense over pretension and showmanship.
Line by Line Meaning
Some girls are lookin' for a Wall Street man
Some women may seek out wealthy businessmen from Wall Street.
With lots of green in the bank
They may prioritize finding men with significant financial resources.
Got to find a feller with a red wine cellar
They may aim to find men who have expensive and luxurious possessions like a wine cellar.
And a big, black Escalade
They may desire men who have flashy vehicles like a black Escalade.
One of them dudes that don't cuss or chew
They might prefer men who do not engage in activities like swearing or chewing tobacco.
Never do nothin' wrong
They may also look for men who have a reputation of being perfect or always doing the right thing.
Personally, that don't do it for me, yeah
However, the singer personally does not find these characteristics attractive or desirable.
You can keep 'em all
She is indicating that these types of men do not appeal to her preferences.
I'd rather have a good ole boy
Instead, the singer prefers a traditional and genuine 'good ole boy'.
One who ain't afraid to make some noise
She likes men who are not shy or reserved and will make their presence and opinion known.
Do what you want to do, but if I had the choice
Although everyone is entitled to their preferences, if given a choice, she would choose a different type of man.
Well, I've met guys in suits and ties
The singer has encountered men who wear formal business attire.
That'll buy you anything you want
These men may have significant wealth and can buy anything they desire.
Drink champagne and drop big names
They may frequently consume expensive beverages like champagne and name-drop people they know or have met.
In a high-dollar restaurant
They may frequently dine in upscale and expensive restaurants.
I'd rather run with a son of a gun
In contrast, the singer prefers a man who is a bit of a rascal or rogue.
That'll get a little dirt on his hands
She likes men who are not afraid to get their hands dirty and do some manual work.
I'd trade a high class livin' for some good catfishin'
The singer would rather give up a luxurious lifestyle in exchange for a more simple and enjoyable activity like catfish fishing.
With a real blue collar man
She prefers men who work blue collar jobs and are not wealthy or high-class.
You know, I'd rather have a good ole boy
The singer is reiterating her preference for a traditional and genuine 'good ole boy'.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Roba Music, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: VICKY MC GEHEE, JOHN D. RICH, GRETCHEN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind