Gretchen Wilson ONE OF THE BOYS [Sony/BMG] May. 2007
Review by Cheryl Breo
"One Of The Boys" is Gretchen Wilson's third album, but don't expect to find the same redneck woman from her first two albums. The songs on this current CD still show us that Walmart shopping, trailer park living woman, but we are now privileged to see a softer, more vulnerable Gretchen Wilson, particularly in her soulful ballads.
"Pain Killer (Dean Hall; Gretchen Wilson)" is a smoky ballad with mournful lyrics about a lost love and the need to fill that empty void, and in "Heaven Help Me (George Teren; Gretchen Wilson; Rivers Rutherford)", she asks for God's help and redemption, "because I don't even know how to help myself". "Come To Bed (John Rich; Vicky McGehee)" is a smooth duet with John Rich, about a couple trying to find a different path to solving relationship problems, instead of the usual shouting, finger pointing and fighting.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Gretchen Wilson CD without some great honky tonk, rock and rollin', back to her redneck roots songs, like "You Don't Have To Go Home (Gretchen Wilson; John Rich; Vicky McGehee)" and "A Place In The Whiskey (Del Gray; Shannon Lawson; Taylor, Bobby L.)". And finally, a song where a woman tells her man just what's going to happen "If You Want A Mother (George Teren; Gretchen Wilson; Rivers Rutherford)"- he'll be grounded for the weekend, have to be home by nine, and sleep in his own room down the hall-what great lyrics, sung as only Gretchen can.
Two stand out songs for me are "The Girl I Am (Dean Hall; Gretchen Wilson)" and "One Of The Boys (George Teren; Gretchen Wilson; Rivers Rutherford)" I loved "The Girl I Am", a song with lyrics that show us a softer, emotionally sensitive Gretchen Wilson, a woman with fears, pain, insecurities kept hidden most of the time, but sometimes "when life comes falling down on me, I do the best I can-and I never make apologies cause I don't give a damn-I guess I'll always be the girl I am." I can almost hear the voices of women all over the world, singing these lyrics, loud and proud, no longer hiding.
"One Of The Boys" is yet another look at Gretchen's vulnerable side, a strong woman "who can do most anything a man can do" - can kick your butt, can beat you at pool, but still has a little girl inside, still needs to be somebody's baby, is so much more than "One Of The Boys". I have a feeling that a lot of us are going to "relate" to this song.
From the first song to the last, this album is an absolute delight. Gretchen shows us a completely different side of herself, but always remains true to her heart-funny, honest, rockin', honky tonking, loving country woman who is indeed certainly more than "One Of The Boys". Great job, Gretchen-.an album that is a "must have" for all country fans. It's a 5 star out of 5!
