Redneck Woman


"Redneck Woman" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Gretchen Wilson. Wilson wrote this song with John Rich. It was released in March 2004 as the lead-off single to her multi-platinum debut album Here for the Party. The song is Wilson's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and it 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, also earned a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2005. In June 2014, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 97 on the "100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time".

Chart performance

The song spent five weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs charts. 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. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the song reached number 22, becoming Wilson's highest-charting single on that chart. 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. In Ireland, it made its only appearance in the top 50 at number 45 on August 26, 2004. On the UK Singles Chart, the single 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.

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 1973-87 General Motors pickup truck and a four-wheeler through the mud with two men are interspersed throughout the video. The music video includes the following guest stars: Big & Rich, Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams, Jr. and Kid Rock, all of whom are name-dropped in the song. The music video was ranked #11 on CMT's 100 Greatest Videos in 2008.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

"Redbird Fever"

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

In popular culture

In the third episode of the TV series Smash, Katharine McPhee performed the song in a karaoke bar.
A contestant on the reality show Killer Karaoke sang the song while being dunked into a tank of snakes.
The song appears on the games Karaoke Revolution Country and “Country Dance”.

Parodies

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