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.
Home Wrecker
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your high heel boots and your credit card
Long legs and a mini skirt
Yeah you know what works and you work it hard
You smile like such a lady innocent and sweet
You drive the men folk crazy, but any girl can see
You're just a
I know what you're doin'
You think you're ruin what I got,but you're not
Yeah you little go getter
I'll teach you a lesson
If you get to messin' with my man
You don't stand a chance
No,you're just a home wrecker
I'm sure you waited for a long.long time
To find a man like mine
But honey you're too late
So before you go and make your move
Maybe me and you should get a few things straight
There's two ways we can do this
I'll let you decide
You take it somewhere else
Or we can take it outside you little
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Gretchen Wilson's song "Home Wrecker" discuss the struggle between two women fighting for the love of one man. The first verse describes the woman who is trying to steal the man away from his lover. She is described as being physically attractive with her new hairdo, high heel boots, and credit card. Her sexuality is emphasized through the description of her long legs and mini-skirt, as she is fully aware of her physical appeal and how to use it to her advantage. She is portrayed as being manipulative and calculating, with a false facade of innocence and sweetness that is transparent to any other woman who may be watching.
The chorus serves as a warning to the woman who is trying to steal the man away. The singer is fully aware of the other woman's intentions and warns her that she is not going to succeed in breaking up the relationship. The lyrics are assertive and confident, showcasing the strength and loyalty of the singer's love for her partner. The second verse shows the singer's willingness to confront the other woman and settle the dispute either peacefully or with violence. The song emphasizes the value of monogamy and the lengths that one will go to protect one's relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you're a real hot cookie with your new hairdo
You're a very attractive person, especially with your newly done hair.
Your high heel boots and your credit card
You seem to have money and can afford to dress up nicely.
Long legs and a mini skirt
With your long legs and short skirt, you must be seeking attention from others.
Yeah you know what works and you work it hard
You know how to charm men and appear attractive to them.
You smile like such a lady innocent and sweet
You have a very innocent and sweet smile, which can fool many men into thinking you're innocent.
You drive the men folk crazy, but any girl can see
Many men are attracted to you, but other women can see through your intentions.
You're just a
You are someone who appears to be sweet and innocent, but may actually be a home wrecker.
I know what you're doin'
I understand your intentions and what you're trying to do.
You think you're ruin what I got, but you're not
You may believe that you can break my relationship, but you won't succeed.
Yeah you little go getter
You're someone who is determined and aggressive.
I'll teach you a lesson
You're about to learn a lesson since you're interfering in my relationship.
If you get to messin' with my man
If you continue to seduce or try to steal my man, you're in trouble.
You don't stand a chance
You're unlikely to succeed in taking away my man or ruining my relationship with him.
No, you're just a home wrecker
You are someone who tries to interfere or break up others' relationships, but you won't succeed this time.
I'm sure you waited for a long.long time
You may have been waiting for a long time to find a man like mine.
To find a man like mine
You may have been looking for a man who is in a committed relationship or is taken.
But honey you're too late
However, you're too late, and he is already taken by me.
So before you go and make your move
Before you try to make a move on my man...
Maybe me and you should get a few things straight
We should come to an understanding or clarification on some things...
There's two ways we can do this
We have two choices regarding how we should proceed from here.
I'll let you decide
I'm going to give you the power to decide how we should proceed.
You take it somewhere else
You can pursue someone else or try to find someone who is not already in a relationship.
Or we can take it outside you little
Or, if you really want to take things further, we could settle our differences in a physical altercation.
I know what you're doin'
I understand your intentions and what you're trying to do.
You think you're ruin what I got, but you're not
You may believe that you can break my relationship, but you won't succeed.
Yeah you little go getter
You're someone who is determined and aggressive.
I'll teach you a lesson
You're about to learn a lesson since you're interfering in my relationship.
If you get to messin' with my man
If you continue to seduce or try to steal my man, you're in trouble.
You don't stand a chance
You're unlikely to succeed in taking away my man or ruining my relationship with him.
No, you're just a home wrecker
You are someone who tries to interfere or break up others' relationships, but you won't succeed this time.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: GEORGE TEREN, GRETCHEN WILSON, RIVERS RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@allieraebaby
I absolutely love this. So many good memories.
@francesannetrotter9219
I love this song I play it when I feel like I'm gonna be cheated on or if I was
@sethkirkendall4757
Shit how often does that happen?
@MrEvldreamr
@Seth Kirkendall ikr
@kelseyblalock2700
Nooo I would never think to play this song in that situation 🤦♀️😂
@mysticanine2002
i remember listening to this when i was 10 (and i didnt understand the lyrics then) it was my favorite song i even sang the karaoke version at my sisters graduation party.
@billydunn8587
Love this song
@vivianmorse2569
this song is not about the man i believe its about the strength of the woman and how shes willing to fight for what she loves. and its warning people not to mess with those she loves, because shes not afraid to fight for what or who she loves.
@Option_Shark
the thing you have to understand is woman that are married are their own home wreckers, if they find a hot guy and they are not happy in their marriage, they will just throw it all to the wind. Can't always blame the guy when the married woman is going after him, hell he might not even know she is married. Chicks be real scandalous.
@ilovefinn93
Such a good song!