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.
What Happened
Gretchen Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We bought in New Mexico
I was wearin' the chain that old Indian made
That we practically stole
Little shells in a jar
We found Hanalei Bay
Got those matchin tattos
To remember our stay
[Chorus:]
If it hadn't been so good I wouldn't feel so sad
If we hadn't been so happy baby,
It wouldn't hurt this bad,
If you had told me this last summer
I'd be on the floor laughin'
Instead of standing round breakin' down
Wonderin' what happened
What am I supposed to do
Without my very best friend
Boy you left me in shock and tied up in knots
Then it hits me again
[Chorus]
If you had told me this last summer
I'd be on the floor laughin'
Instead of standin' round' breakin' down
Wonderin' what happened
The lyrics to Gretchen Wilson's "What Happened" describe the aftermath of a happy relationship that has ended suddenly. The opening verse mentions some sentimental items that the couple picked up on their travels, including a sandalwood frame from New Mexico and a chain made by an old Indian, which they "practically stole." The chorus reflects the title of the song, with the singer expressing sadness and confusion over what went wrong when things had seemed so good. She wonders how she will go on without her former partner, who was her "very best friend."
The second verse repeats the chorus with slightly altered lyrics, expressing the same sense of betrayal and shock. The song closes with a final repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the singer's sense of disbelief and dismay. The overall tone of the song is mournful and contemplative, reflecting the universal experience of heartbreak and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
In a sandalwood frame
The memories of her relationship are preserved but trapped behind a barrier just like how the frame traps the picture.
We bought in New Mexico
The frame serves as a reminder of a happier time in their relationship when they made happy memories together like their trip to New Mexico.
I was wearin' the chain that old Indian made
She is reminded of the time when her boyfriend gave her a piece of jewelry made by an old Indian man that she still wears and cherishes even after the breakup.
That we practically stole
The fact that they stole the jewelry shows that their relationship wasn't always perfect and they had their share of ups and downs.
Little shells in a jar
The shells in the jar are physical reminders of their trip to a beach in Hawaii where they found the shells.
We found Hanalei Bay
Hanalei Bay was the place where they went to during their trip to Hawaii and where they found the shells they put in a jar.
Got those matchin' tattoos
She and her boyfriend got matching tattoos as a symbol of their commitment to each other and proof of their love.
And those ten dollar shoes
The ten-dollar shoes are another item that serves as a memory of the time they spent together, probably a gift that her ex-boyfriend gave her on the trip or something she bought as a souvenir.
To remember our stay
All these items serve as physical reminders of the relationship that she cherishes and wants to remember even after the breakup.
If it hadn't been so good I wouldn't feel so sad
The memories of the relationship are bittersweet since the good times she had with her ex-boyfriend make her feel sad and nostalgic now that the relationship is over.
If we hadn't been so happy baby, it wouldn't hurt this bad
The happiness she shared with her ex-boyfriend is the same thing that makes her feel so much pain and emotional turmoil now that the relationship ended.
If you had told me this last summer
She wonders if her ex-boyfriend had given her some forewarning about the breakup, then maybe she would have prepared herself better emotionally.
I'd be on the floor laughin'
Given that the breakup was unexpected, she would have laughed it off as a joke if he had told her in advance thinking it was a prank.
Instead of standin' round' breakin' down
The reality of the breakup is stark and different from what she imagined, leaving her feeling desolate and defeated.
Wonderin' what happened
She is left to wonder why her relationship ended so abruptly and without given any prior warning by her ex-boyfriend.
What am I supposed to do
She feels lost and unsure what to do next since her ex-boyfriend was not only a partner but also her best friend.
Without my very best friend
Losing a lover is painful enough, but losing someone that you also consider your best friend adds another layer of emotional pain on top of that.
Boy you left me in shock and tied up in knots
The shockwaves of the breakup have left her feeling emotionally tangled and confused not knowing what to do next.
Then it hits me again
The reality of the breakup hits her multiple times, causing her to relive the pain and confusion anew.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB DIPIERO, TIM NICHOLS, AL ANDERSON, BECKA BRAMLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind