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.
One Of The Boys
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hold my liquor with the best of you
Even take your money in a game of pool
Yeah, I'd kick your butt if I wanted to
And I don't mind when people cuss in front of me
The truth is I don't blush that much at anything
But I still got this little girl inside of me
That likes to be treated like a queen
[Chorus]
I know I don't act much like a lady
But I still need to be somebody's baby
Yeah, you might find me making too much noise
But I'm more than just one of the boys
Yeah, I'm more than just one of the boys
God knows I ain't ever been the clingy type
Looking for a man to make it all all right
But I don't mind admitting sometimes late at night
Well, I need someone to hold me tight
[Chorus]
In Gretchen Wilson's song "One of the Boys", she confidently states that she can do anything a man can do. She is comfortable in the company of men, and doesn't feel the need to conform to lady-like behavior. In fact, she boasts of being able to hold her liquor and beat men in a game of pool. However, she also acknowledges that there is still a little girl inside of her that wants to be treated like a queen. Gretchen Wilson is able to balance her strength and independence with a desire to be taken care of.
In the chorus, Gretchen Wilson emphasizes that even though she doesn't act like a traditional lady, she still wants to feel like somebody's baby. She acknowledges that she may come across as loud, but she is more than just one of the boys. The second verse reveals that she may not be clingy, but she still desires the comfort of someone holding her tight. "One of the Boys" celebrates the idea of women being able to hold their own in male-dominated spaces, while at the same time, not losing their femininity.
Line by Line Meaning
I can do most anything a man can do
I'm capable of doing things that are often considered masculine.
I can hold my liquor with the best of you
I can drink anyone under the table and I won't get sick.
Even take your money in a game of pool
I'm so good at playing pool that I can defeat anyone, even a man.
Yeah, I'd kick your butt if I wanted to
I'm a strong person and I can beat someone up if I need to.
And I don't mind when people cuss in front of me
I'm not easily offended by bad language.
The truth is I don't blush that much at anything
I'm not easily embarrassed by anything.
But I still got this little girl inside of me
Even though I'm tough and strong, I still have a softer, more vulnerable side.
That likes to be treated like a queen
I want to be treated with respect and kindness, just like any other woman.
I know I don't act much like a lady
I don't conform to traditional gender roles or stereotypes of femininity.
But I still need to be somebody's baby
Even though I'm tough, I still need love and affection like anyone else.
Yeah, you might find me making too much noise
I'm loud and confident and I don't always conform to socially accepted behaviors for women.
But I'm more than just one of the boys
I'm not just like any other guy, I'm a unique individual and should be treated as such.
God knows I ain't ever been the clingy type
I'm not needy or demanding when it comes to relationships.
Looking for a man to make it all all right
I don't need a man to sweep me off my feet and make everything perfect.
But I don't mind admitting sometimes late at night
Sometimes I get lonely and I wish I had someone to hold me.
Well, I need someone to hold me tight
I want to be loved and held close by someone, just like any other woman.
Yeah, I'm more than just one of the boys
I'm not just another macho, masculine woman. I have my own unique personality and qualities.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE TEREN, GRETCHEN WILSON, RIVERS RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind