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.
I Want A Hippopotamas For Christmas
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only a hippopotamus will do
I don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh, what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too
Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
My teacher says a hippo is a vegeterian
There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I'll feed him there and wash him there
And give him his massage
I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too
In this song, Gretchen Wilson is expressing her desire to receive a hippopotamus as a Christmas gift. She specifically states that she does not want a doll or a Tinker Toy, but only a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy. She believes that Santa Claus will not mind bringing a live animal into their home rather than using the chimney to enter.
She imagines the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning and finding a hippo waiting for her, and also playfully addresses the concern of her mom who thinks that the hippo might eat her up. However, her teacher reassures her that hippos are vegetarians. Gretchen has made space for the hippopotamus in their garage where she plans to take care of it by feeding, washing, and even giving it massages.
The song shows Gretchen's childlike imagination and enthusiasm for a unique gift, even if it may not be the most practical or reasonable. It captures the whimsical spirit of Christmas and the joy of receiving a gift that brings unexpected happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I desire to own a hippopotamus as a gift for the holiday season
Only a hippopotamus will do
I will not be content with any other gift than a hippopotamus
I don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I have no interest in traditional toys such as dolls or small, insignificant playthings
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy
I wish to have a hippopotamus as a companion to enjoy and interact with
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
I do not believe that Santa Claus will object to granting my wish for a hippopotamus
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Santa Claus will not need to use the chimney to deliver the hippopotamus
Just bring him through the front door, that's the easy thing to do
Santa Claus can simply enter through our front door to deliver the hippopotamus
I can see me now on Christmas morning
I can envision myself on the morning of Christmas
Creeping down the stairs
Quietly descending the staircase
Oh, what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
I will experience great delight and surprise when I first see the hippopotamus
To see a hippo hero standing there
The hippopotamus will be a hero in my eyes for bringing me such happiness
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I have no interest in owning crocodiles or rhinoceroses as pets
I only like hippopotamuses
I have a specific admiration and attraction to hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too
I feel that hippopotamuses have an affinity towards me
Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
My mother has expressed concern that the hippopotamus may be dangerous and harmful to me
My teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian
On the other hand, my teacher has informed me that hippopotamuses are herbivores and therefore not harmful to humans
There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
Our garage has ample space to accommodate the hippopotamus
I'll feed him there and wash him there
I will provide for the hippopotamus by feeding and washing him in the garage
And give him his massage
I will also provide massages for the hippopotamus to ensure his comfort
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
Once again, I have no interest in owning crocodiles or rhinoceroses as pets
I only like hippopotamuseses
I really only have an attraction for hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too
I have a feeling that hippopotamuses are drawn to me
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.