Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois) is a G… Read Full Bio ↴Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois) is a Grammy award-winning American country music singer-songwriter.

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.

Rebel Child
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rebel Child
Rebel Child, won't you heed my warning
One of these days the rain'll come pourin'
Some of those sunshine blue sky morning's
Might just turn to gray

I understand why you do the thing you do
There was a time when I was just like you

I know right now you think you know it all
There's no way that you can break
No way you can fall

[Chorus:]
Rebel Child, won't you heed my warnin'
One of these days the rain'll come pourin'
Some of thouse sunshine blue sky mornin's
Might just turn to grey

I've been there and I know what you're thinking
You're flying highbut one day you'll blink and
THat cloud your're on will just startsinkin'
Don't wait till it's too late
Whoa oh rebel child

I know you can't learn from my mistakes
You've got your own road you've gotta take
And it might look like it's paved in gold
Just remember that you'll have to reap
All the seeds you sew

[Chorus]

Keep your feet on the ground
And one eye one heaven do
Do a lot of forgivin'
But not much forgettin'
And remember life is one big lesson

[Chorus]

Whoa oh Rebel Child
Whoa oh Rebel Child

Overall Meaning

The song "Rebel Child" by Gretchen Wilson is a cautionary tale for young people who are living life on the edge and ignoring advice from those who have gone before them. The singer is addressing a young person who is always pushing the limits and living life at breakneck speed. She is warning him that one day the rain will come pouring down and the blue skies will turn to gray. Despite the fact that the rebel child believes he knows everything, the singer encourages him to listen to her warning.

The chorus reiterates the cautionary message, encouraging the rebel child to take her warning seriously. She has been where he is and knows what he is thinking. She warns him that someday the cloud he is on will sink and it will be too late to turn back. The singer acknowledges that the rebel child must learn from his own mistakes, but she reminds him that the road ahead will not be easy. He will have to reap what he sows and one day pay the consequences for his actions.

Overall, the song is a plea for young people to slow down and consider the consequences of their actions. The singer is not preachy or judgmental, but instead offers a word of caution from someone who has been there before.

Line by Line Meaning

Rebel Child, won't you heed my warning
Addressing the rebellious child, the singer is warning them of an impending danger.

One of these days the rain'll come pourin'
Rain is a metaphor for difficult times coming and the potential consequences of their actions.

Some of those sunshine blue sky morning's
The good times and happiness that the child may be experiencing.

Might just turn to gray
The good times can turn bad quickly if the child continues down their current path.

I understand why you do the thing you do
The artist can empathize with the child's behavior and the reasons behind it.

There was a time when I was just like you
The singer has been in the same situation, but has since grown and learned from their mistakes.

I know right now you think you know it all
The child may be overconfident in their abilities and knowledge, to their own detriment.

There's no way that you can break
The child may feel invincible or unbreakable, but that is not reality.

No way you can fall
The child may think they are immune to negative consequences, when in reality, they are not.

I've been there and I know what you're thinking
The artist has firsthand experience with the child's behavior and mentality.

You're flying high but one day you'll blink and
The child may be soaring right now, but things can change in an instant.

That cloud you're on will just start sinking
Alluding to the phrase 'floating on cloud nine', the artist warns that the child's high will eventually dissipate.

Don't wait till it's too late
The child needs to start changing their ways before it's too late and the damage has been done.

Whoa oh rebel child
Addressing the child once again, the singer is emphasizing the importance of their message.

I know you can't learn from my mistakes
The child needs to learn from their own mistakes and experiences, not just the singer's.

You've got your own road you've gotta take
Each person will have their own unique experiences and path in life.

And it might look like it's paved in gold
The child's path may appear easy, but that illusion can quickly fade.

Just remember that you'll have to reap
The child will have to face the consequences of their actions, regardless of how easy or difficult their path may seem.

All the seeds you sew
Actions have consequences and the child's actions now will determine what they will 'reap' in the future.

Keep your feet on the ground
The child needs to stay grounded and realistic about their situation.

And one eye one heaven do
The child needs to remain hopeful and keep their focus on positive things.

Do a lot of forgivin'
Holding onto grudges and anger only hurts the child in the long run. Forgiveness can bring peace.

But not much forgettin'
The child should remember the lessons they've learned from their mistakes.

And remember life is one big lesson
Life is a learning experience and the child should take each experience as an opportunity to grow and learn.

Whoa oh Rebel Child
The song's title and emphasis, signifying the importance of these lessons.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRETCHEN WILSON, WADE KIRBY, ASHLEY GORLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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