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.
Our America
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In order to form a more perfect Union
I have a dream, a dream that one day
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
That all men are created equal
And they are endowed by their Creator
With certain inalienable rights
That among these are life,
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts, we watched, were so gallantly streaming
And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God
And the rockets' red glare,
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there indivisible
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
With liberty and justice for all
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
The lyrics of "Our America" by Gretchen Wilson are a powerful reminder of the fundamental tenets on which the United States was founded. The song begins with a reference to the US constitution, specifically the opening line of the Preamble, which calls for the creation of a more perfect union between the people and their government. The song then incorporates language from other iconic American speeches and documents, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech and the Declaration of Independence.
Throughout the song, Wilson reminds us that America was founded on the belief that all men are created equal and that they have certain inalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. She also references the US national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner", which commemorates the resilience of the American flag during a time of great peril.
Line by Line Meaning
We, the people of the United States,
As citizens of the United States, we come together and strive to work towards a common goal.
In order to form a more perfect Union
To increase unity, we aim to create a society that is constantly improving.
I have a dream, a dream that one day
I envision a future where all people are treated equally and with dignity and respect.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
These fundamental beliefs are obvious and require no proof or explanation.
That all men are created equal
Everyone, regardless of their background, deserves to have the same opportunities in life.
And they are endowed by their Creator
These inherent rights are given to humans by a higher power and cannot be taken away.
With certain inalienable rights
These unchangeable rights are inherent to individuals and cannot be taken away or transferred.
That among these are life,
One of these rights is the ability to live without fear of harm or persecution.
Liberty and the pursuit of happiness
All individuals have the right to freedom and the ability to pursue their own goals and desires.
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light
Can you see the beauty of our country and the potential that it holds for a bright future?
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
What made us so proud at the end of a hard day’s labor?
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
I vow my loyalty to our nation and all that it stands for.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
Our flag has endured through many difficult times and symbolizes our strength and resilience as a nation.
O'er the ramparts, we watched, were so gallantly streaming
Through the battles and trials we’ve faced, our flag has stood strong and proud.
And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God
We are a country that is united and worships one God together.
And the rockets' red glare,
The bright flashes of light from the weaponry symbolize the battles and hardships we've experienced.
The bombs bursting in air
Even during times of war and conflict, our country remains strong and perseveres.
Gave proof through the night
Our resiliency was proven time and time again through the trials and hardships we endured.
That our flag was still there indivisible
Despite all the challenges our nation has faced, we remain united and strong under a single flag.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
Is our country still resilient and strong, even after all we’ve been through?
With liberty and justice for all
We will continue to strive for freedom and fairness for every individual, regardless of their background or beliefs.
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Is this still the land of the free, where people are brave and stand up for what they believe in?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: KENNY ALPHIN, TROY N COLEMAN, JOHN C. N GRADY, DALE CECIL N MORRIS, MARC N OSWALD, JOHN D. RICH, GRETCHEN FRANCES N WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind