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.
Not Bad for a Bartender
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I served cold beer, warm whiskey, and Rotgut Wine
Now I'm up here on the stage
Everybody knows my name
And I can't believe how long they wait
In my autograph line
[Chorus:]
Pretty good for a backwoods girl
Who had to make it on her own
I'm on the stool side of the bar these days
Buying everyone a round
Ain't it funny how the tables turn
Not bad for a bartender
Swingin' doors and cleanin' floors is all I'd ever known
Out of nowhere somehow I gound my yello brick road
So when you're broke and paying dues
Look at me I'm living proof
And if there's hope for me
Know there's hope for you.
[Chorus]
I'm on the stool side of the bars these days
Buying everyone a round
Ain't it funny how the tables turn
Not bad for a bartender
Ain't it funny how the tables turn
Not bad for a bartender
The lyrics of Gretchen Wilson's Not Bad for a Bartender talks about the story of a bartender who has made it big in life. She starts by reminiscing about her earlier days of standing behind the bar until closing time and serving drinks. The singer is now on stage and is a famous personality, and people wait in line to get her autograph. The chorus of the song is about her accomplishments even with limited education and being a backwoods girl who had to make it on her own. She is grateful for the fact that she can now afford to buy everyone a drink from the other side of the bar she used to work from. It is a feel-good song that inspires people that they can achieve great things in life regardless of their circumstances.
The song tells a story of Gretchen Wilson, a successful country singer, who, before her singing career, worked as a bartender in rural Illinois. She has an eighth-grade education and grew up in poverty, and had no plans on becoming a celebrity. The song stresses that if a bartender can make it in life, then anyone can.
Line by Line Meaning
I stood behind that bar till closing time
I worked at a bar until it closed every night.
I served cold beer, warm whiskey, and Rotgut Wine
I served various alcoholic drinks such as beer, whiskey, and cheap wine.
Now I'm up here on the stage
Now I'm a performer on stage.
Everybody knows my name
I'm well-known and recognized by everyone.
And I can't believe how long they wait
I'm surprised by the amount of time people are willing to wait to meet me.
In my autograph line
Waiting in line to get my autograph.
Not bad for a bartender or an eighth grade education
I'm doing pretty well for someone with a background in bartending and a limited education.
Pretty good for a backwoods girl
I'm doing really well considering I come from a rural area.
Who had to make it on her own
I had to work hard and succeed without much help from others.
I'm on the stool side of the bar these days
Now I'm sitting on the customer side of the bar instead of working behind it.
Buying everyone a round
I'm celebrating my success by buying drinks for others.
Ain't it funny how the tables turn
It's ironic how my situation has changed from bartender to successful performer.
Swingin' doors and cleanin' floors is all I'd ever known
All I had ever done was work at a bar, cleaning and serving drinks.
Out of nowhere somehow I gound my yellow brick road
I unexpectedly found my path to success.
So when you're broke and paying dues
When you're struggling financially and working hard to make ends meet.
Look at me I'm living proof
My success serves as evidence that it's possible to succeed even with a tough background.
And if there's hope for me
If I can achieve success, there's hope for anyone else too.
Know there's hope for you.
This success story should offer hope to others who are struggling.
Ain't it funny how the tables turn
Once again, the irony of my situation changing from bartender to successful performer.
Not bad for a bartender
I'm doing better than expected given my previous occupation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Roba Music, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VICKY MC GEHEE, JOHN D. RICH, GRETCHEN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind