When she was 18, she moved to Nashville, where she was signed by BNA Records (a label of Sony BMG Music Entertainment). Her debut album, Ten Thousand Angels, was released on April 30, 1996, and was certified gold six months later. The album gave her international fame and produced her two biggest hits, “Ten Thousand Angels” and “Guys Do It All The Time”. McCready also appears with Lorrie Morgan, Sara Evans, and Martina McBride on CMT's Girl’s Night Out special. Mindy then released the next year "If I Don't Stay The Night." It spawned 3 singles, "What If I Do", Other Side Of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know." Overseas "O Romeo" was released. None were very successful. Still the album sold over 500,000 copies, and went Gold. In 1999 McCready released "I'm Not So Tough." The first single released was "All I Want Is Everything." When it failed to break the top 50, BNA Records and Mindy went separate ways, said to be over creative differences. After the split the album received little promotion and became a commercial failure.
In April of 2000, she was signed by Capitol Records. She released a self-titled album with Capitol in 2002 to disappointing sales, and was dropped by Capitol later that year.
McCready was once engaged to actor Dean Cain. In 2005 she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and spoke of her problems with domestic abuse, depression, and drug abuse. Mindy McCready admitted her ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight had beat her frequently and they had a tumultuous relationship, and that she had tried to commit suicide. She also revealed that she had seen her ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight recently and that she needs help. Her father was on the show and said that she is often in denial about her problems and that he wanted her to get help and supported her. She also spoke of how growing up her mother wasn't very loving and encouraging and as a result McCready suffers from poor self-esteem. She is now known mostly for her trouble with the law. Talking to Oprah Winfrey, McCready hoped that her story would encourage and help others, even if it's only one girl in the world. "You know what we're all hoping?" Oprah said to Mindy. "That you are that girl."
Mindy gave birth to son Zander Ryan McCready on March 25, 2006. On April 9, 2012, McCready gave birth to her second child, a son named Zayne. The child's father, record producer David Wilson, was found dead in his home on January 13, 2013, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following Wilson's death, McCready released a statement in which she referred to him as her "soulmate" and "life partner". A little over a month later, on February 17, Mindy committed suicide by the same means.
A Girl's Gotta Do
Mindy McCready Lyrics
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Was sit myself down and have a real good cry
The next thing I did was put my red dress on
And went downtown dancin' till the break of dawn
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
And now I gotta get to getting' over you
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
Fancy meetin' you at our stompin' ground
Sorry if you caught me paintin' the town
Guess I shoulda stayed home with your memory
Baby, don't take it personally
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
And now I gotta get to gettin' over you
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
Gimme a call some time real soon
And remind me to remember to forget about you, oh yeah
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
And now I gotta get to gettin' over you
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
A girl's gotta do it
Yeah, a girl's gotta do
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
In Mindy McCready's song "A Girl's Gotta Do," she speaks directly to an ex-partner who has recently ended the relationship. The song tells the story of a woman who is experiencing the aftermath of heartbreak. Initially, she is overcome with grief and allows herself to cry. However, she then lights up her spirits by putting on her favorite red dress and goes out to the town to dance.
The following verse implies that the singer runs into her ex-partner at the same venue. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, the singer apologizes for painting the town red and implies that the ex should not take the situation personally. The final instructions at the end of the song ask the ex to call her later, reminding her to forget about him.
Overall, the song portrays the experience of a woman going through a breakup, attempting to deal with it by going out, dancing, and meeting new people. It is a reminder that it is necessary to keep moving forward, even if it means with someone new.
Line by Line Meaning
The first thing I did when you said goodbye
When you ended our relationship, the first thing I did was cry.
Was sit myself down and have a real good cry
I sat down and cried, feeling upset about our break-up.
The next thing I did was put my red dress on
After crying, I put on something nice, like a red dress.
And went downtown dancin' till the break of dawn
I went out and danced all night, despite my sadness.
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
Sometimes we have to make tough choices and do things for ourselves.
And now I gotta get to getting' over you
It's time for me to move on from our past relationship and focus on myself.
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
I wish I could move on without involving someone else, but that's what I need to do.
Fancy meetin' you at our stompin' ground
It's ironic to see you at our usual spot after we've broken up.
Sorry if you caught me paintin' the town
I am sorry if it seems like I am out having fun just to make you upset.
Guess I shoulda stayed home with your memory
Maybe I should have stayed home and thought about our past, but I chose to go out and enjoy myself.
Baby, don't take it personally
Please don't take my actions as a personal attack against you.
Gimme a call some time real soon
Feel free to call me soon.
And remind me to remember to forget about you, oh yeah
When you call, remind me that I need to forget about you and move on.
A girl's gotta do it
I need to do what is best for me, even if it's hard.
Yeah, a girl's gotta do
Girls have to make tough choices sometimes.
Too bad I gotta do it with someone new
Moving on involves finding someone else, even if it's not ideal.
But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
I have to do what is best for me, even if it's not easy or convenient.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rick Bowles, Robert Byrne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind