Redneck Woman

"Redneck Woman"
Single by Gretchen Wilson
from the album Here for the Party
B-side
  • "Rebel Child"
  • "It Ain't Easy"
ReleasedMarch 15, 2004 (2004-03-15)
StudioSony/Tree (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry[1]
Length3:42
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Gretchen Wilson singles chronology
"Redneck Woman"
(2004) 		"Here for the Party"
(2004)

"Redneck Woman" is the debut single of American country music artist Gretchen Wilson, released on March 15, 2004, from her debut studio album, Here for the Party (2004). Wilson co-wrote the song with John Rich. It is Wilson's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The song also reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the song found modest success in Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, reaching number 50 on the Australian Singles Chart, number 45 on the Irish Singles Chart, and number 42 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song, which is considered Wilson's signature song,[2] also earned a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2005.[3] In June 2014, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 97 on the "100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time".[4] In May 2024, Rolling Stone updated their rankings to include 200 songs, placing "Redneck Woman" at #197.[5]

In 2019, Wilson performed the song as the opener to the 53rd CMA Awards alongside a host of other women in country music, including Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Jennifer Nettles, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and the Highwomen.

Chart performance

The song spent five weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs charts.[6] In doing so, it became the first number-one hit on that chart for a female solo act since "Blessed" by Martina McBride in March–April 2002, and the first for Epic Records Nashville since "It Must Be Love" in December 1998.[7] On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the song reached number 22, becoming Gretchen Wilson's highest-charting single on that chart.[8]

Outside the United States, "Redneck Woman" proved to be a moderate success in three countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number 50 on the chart dated July 25, 2004, but fell out of the top 50 the next week.[9] On the Irish Singles Chart, the track made its only appearance in the top 50 at number 45 on August 26, 2004.[10] In the United Kingdom, the single garnered support from BBC Radio 2 and debuted at number 42—its peak—on August 29, 2004, then dropped to number 68 the following week before exiting the top 100 the week after.[1][11]

Music video

In the video, directed by David Hogan, Wilson is depicted performing in a western-style club with a live band, cage girls dancing in the background, and patrons in the crowd that are drinking beer. Scenes of Wilson driving a 1973–1987 General Motors pickup truck and a four-wheeler through the mud with two men are interspersed throughout the video. The video includes appearances from Kid Rock, Big & Rich, Tanya Tucker, and Hank Williams Jr., the latter two of whom are name-dropped in the song. In 2008, CMT voted the song number 11 on its list of the "100 Greatest Videos".

Track listings

UK CD single[12]

  1. "Redneck Woman"
  2. "Rebel Child"
  3. "It Ain't Easy"
  4. "Redneck Woman" (video)

Australian CD single[13]

  1. "Redneck Woman" (album version)
  2. "Rebel Child"
  3. "It Ain't Easy"

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Here for the Party album booklet.[14]

Studios

  • Recorded and overdubbed at Sony/Tree Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Additional overdubs recorded at Blackbird Studio and 16th Avenue Sound (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Tracked at The Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee)
  • Mixed at Blackbird Studio (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Mastered at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)

Personnel

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States March 15, 2004 Country radio Epic [19]
Australia July 12, 2004 CD [20]
United Kingdom August 23, 2004 [1]

"Redbird Fever"

In late 2004, Wilson recorded a re-written version, titled "Redbird Fever" to commemorate the St. Louis Cardinals' entering the World Series (as well as her devotion to the team). "Redbird Fever" spent one week at number 60 on the US Billboard Country Singles Chart dated for the week ending November 13, 2004.[21]

In the third episode of the TV series Smash, Katharine McPhee performed the song in a karaoke bar.[22]

Parodies

American parody artist Cledus T. Judd released a parody of "Redneck Woman" titled "Paycheck Woman" on his 2004 album Bipolar and Proud.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. August 14, 2004. p. 23. Despite being a thoroughly average country romp, Radio Two has been showing support.
  2. ^ "Rowdy country singer Gretchen Wilson lets fans see a softer side". SJ-R.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2007.
  3. ^ Rogers, Nick (August 9, 2007). "'Redneck Woman' Wilson is here for the party". SJ-R.com. Retrieved August 20, 2007.
  4. ^ "100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 2014.
  5. ^ "The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. May 24, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Gretchen Wilson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  7. ^ "Wilson ends female drought atop country chart". Billboard. May 29, 2004. p. 72. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Gretchen Wilson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  9. ^ a b "Gretchen Wilson – Redneck Woman". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography Gretchen Wilson". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  12. ^ Redneck Woman (UK CD single liner notes). Gretchen Wilson. Epic Records. 2004. 675173 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Redneck Woman (Australian CD single liner notes). Gretchen Wilson. Epic Records. 2004. 675035 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Here for the Party (US CD album booklet). Gretchen Wilson. Epic Records. 2004. EK 90903.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "R&R Canada: Country Top 30". Radio & Records. No. 1557. May 28, 2004. p. 44.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  17. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2004". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  18. ^ "Best of 2004: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2004. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  19. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1546. March 12, 2004. p. 24. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  20. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 12th July 2004" (PDF). ARIA. July 12, 2004. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2004. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 471. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  22. ^ "Smash Clip (Redneck Woman)". IMDb. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.