When Naomi Judd found herself pregnant, she quickly got married but not to the father of her first child, daughter Christina Ciminella. Christina, born May 30, 1964, became known as Wynonna Judd when the mother-daughter duo stormed the country charts in the 1980s.
After Naomi Judd divorced, she moved from Hollywood, back to Morrill, Ky., with Wynonna and another daughter Ashley. There, she worked as a nurse in a local infirmary. Outside working and school hours, she and the children would sing anything from bluegrass to showbiz standards for their own amusement. However, when Wynonna nurtured aspirations to be a professional entertainer, her mother lent her encouragement, to the extent of moving the family to Nashville in 1979. Naomi's contralto subtly underlined Wynonna's tuneful drawl.
In addition to many performances on Ralph Emery's morning television show, Naomi elicited an audition for RCA Records while tending a hospitalized relation of label producer Brent Maher. With a past that read like a Judith Krantz novel, the Judds -- so the executives considered -- would have more than an even chance in the country market. An exploratory mini-album, which contained proved the executives correct. The single "Had a Dream (From the Heart)" peaked at No. 17 in 1984. Later that year, the Judds scored their first of 14 No. 1 hits with "Mama He's Crazy."
Self-composed songs included Naomi's 1989 composition "Change of Heart," dedicated to her future second husband (and former Elvis Presley backing vocalist) Larry Strickland. Meanwhile, Maher co-wrote hits such as 1985's Grammy-winning "Why Not Me," "Turn It Loose," "Girls Night Out," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Ol' Days)" and "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain."
Most Judds records exhibited an acoustic bias and a penchant for star guests that included the Jordanaires on "Don't Be Cruel," Emmylou Harris on "The Sweetest Gift," Mark Knopfler on his "Water of Love" and Bonnie Raitt playing slide guitar on the album Love Can Build a Bridge. In 1988, the pair became the first female country act to found their own booking agency (Pro-Tours), but a chronic hepatitis infection forced Naomi to retire from the concert stage two years later.
The Judds toured America in a series of farewell concerts before Wynonna began her solo career. Wynonna got off to a strong start, as her first two singles both went to #1. Her 1994 single "Girls With Guitars" featured Naomi (as well as Lyle Lovett) on backup vocals.
In 1998, The Judds appeared in a commercial for the retail chain Kmart, singing Wynonna's single "Woman To Woman".
In 1999, Wynonna reunited with her mother for a New Year's Eve concert in Phoenix. The following year, the duo recorded four new tracks for a bonus disc issued with Wynonna's album New Day Dawning, and undertook a multi-city tour. The results were issued as the album Reunion Live. A 2004 single, "Flies On The Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)" was recorded with Naomi; however, the single was credited as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd" instead of "The Judds".
I Wish She Wouldn't Treat You That Way
The Judds Lyrics
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Is a dog gone crime
I just get blue about it all the time
Drives me crazy
How she walks that line
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
She does every little thing a lover should do
Any fool could see that her love is true
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
She ain't the only one
Who loves you dear
She ain't the only one
Who needs you near
How am I ever goin' to have my day
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
See you walkin' with her
Hand in hand
By the look on your face
You're a happy man
She's ruinin all of my best laid plans
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
She ain't the only one
Who loves you dear
She ain't the only one
Who needs you near
How am I ever goin' to have my day
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
Wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
The Judds' song "I Wish She Wouldn't Treat You That Way" speaks of an unrequited love for someone who is seeing someone else. The singer expresses her deep feelings towards the man, highlighting her contempt for the way his current love interest treats him. She considers the girlfriend's treatment of him as unfair, bordering on neglect or abuse, hence the lines "The way she treats you is a doggone crime, I just get blue about it all the time". She emphasizes her objections to the girlfriend's behavior repeatedly throughout the song, saying "I wish she wouldn't treat you that way" in the chorus and the verses.
Despite her disapproval of the girlfriend's treatment of the man, the singer appears to acknowledge the bond between the two. She sees their relationship as not all bad, recognizing that the girlfriend does "every little thing a lover should do" and acknowledging that "any fool could see that her love is true." However, the singer feels that she could be better for him, hinting that she also has feelings for the man.
The song ultimately showcases the sense of helplessness one can feel in situations involving unrequited love. Although the singer wishes for the man's happiness, she is unable to just "let it be," and still desires for him to come to her.
Line by Line Meaning
The way she treats you
Is a dog gone crime
I believe the way she treats you is completely unfair and unacceptable
I just get blue about it all the time
Drives me crazy
How she walks that line
I often feel sad and frustrated about her treatment towards you, and it makes me feel insane how she constantly walks the fine line of mistreating you
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I truly desire for her to change the way she treats you, my dear, because I care for you deeply
I ain't sayin' that she's bad to you
She does every little thing a lover should do
Any fool could see that her love is true
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I'm not saying that she's completely terrible to you as she does many things that a lover should, and to a fool, it may appear that her love is genuine, but I still wish that she would not treat you in such an unfair manner
She ain't the only one
Who loves you dear
She ain't the only one
Who needs you near
It's important for you to know that there are others who love you and need you just as much as she does
How am I ever goin' to have my day
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
I often wonder if I will ever have a chance with you if she continues to treat you in such an unfair manner
See you walkin' with her
Hand in hand
By the look on your face
You're a happy man
She's ruinin all of my best laid plans
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
Seeing you walking hand in hand with her and the happiness on your face breaks my heart because her actions are ruining all of my hopes and dreams for us, and I desperately wish she would not treat you so poorly
Wish she wouldn't treat you that way baby
I wish she wouldn't treat you that way
Once again, I express my deep desire for her to change the way she treats you because no one, especially not you, deserves to be treated that way
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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