Album: Come On, Come On (1992)

Charted: 71

License This Song 

• She makes his coffee, she makes his bed
  She does the laundry, she keeps him fed
  When she was twenty-one she wore her mother's lace
  She said, "forever," with a smile upon her face
  
  She does the carpool, she P.T.A.'s
  Doctors and dentists, she drives all day
  When she was twenty-nine she delivered number three
  And ev'ry Christmas card showed a perfect family
  
  Ev'rything runs right on time
  Years of practice and design
  Spit and polish till it shines, he thinks he'll keep her
  Ev'rything is so benign
  The safest place you'll ever find
  God forbid you change your mind, he thinks he'll keep her
  
  She packs his suitcase, she sits and waits
  With no expression upon her face
  When she was thirty-six she met him at their door
  She said, "I'm sorry, I don't love you any more"
  
  Ev'rything runs right on time
  Years of practice and design
  Spit and polish till it shines, he thinks he'll keep her
  Ev'rything is so benign
  The safest place you'll ever find
  God forbid you change your mind, he thinks he'll keep her
  
  For fifteen years she had a job and not one raise in pay
  Now she's in the typing pool at minimum wage
  
  Ev'rything runs right on time
  Years of practice and design
  Spit and polish till it shines, he thinks he'll keep her
  Ev'rything is so benign
  The safest place you'll ever find
  At least until you change your mind (he thinks he'll keep her) all right Writer/s: DON SCHLITZ, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

• Nm from MichiganI see this song as a young woman who had sacrificed so much to be part of the “cookie cutter” family. Just to realize that if both parties aren’t willing to put in in the same effort it doesn’t work. There must be a mutual understanding of each roles….
• Dutiful Since 19 from UsaI interpret this song as she gave all she could to her husband, always took care of him, the house, the kids. Over the years, she comes to the realization that she is not lived and taken care of the way she takes care to him. So she packs his suitcase (I see that she asks him to leave)…And then she becomes a single mother …working on her own. “He thinks he’ll keep her” is HIS own narcissistic view that she’s lucky to have him. She’s been trying to earn HIS love if she’s good enough and takes care of everything and everyone. But she finally awakens that “she doesn’t love him anymore”. She’s rather earn “minimum wage”in he typing pool than be an unappreciated servant to him. Very real and poignant to women like me who have lived an unappreciated life with unreciprocated love for years…and in my case…decades.
• Rob from West SussexLooking at previous comments, theres a lot of assuming a message that isn't actually there.
  
  What I feel makes the song great is that those judgements on values are absent from the song.
  There is not an insinuation of mistreatment in the realtionship. Even neglect, there is an undertone, but its not stated.
  It does not say, "Hey, leave your husband, it'll be great!"
  
  If its an indictment, it's of societal pressure- get married young, have a family- and the financial realities facing women of this generation (implication is that the woman in question was born in 1960 or before).
• Mia from Wa"He thinks he'll keep her", like 'oh, yeah, she's not so bad'. That's a horrible way to view your spouse. He never appreciated her, so she left. He may have not physically abused her, but neglect is a form of abuse. People, go tell your spouse you appreciate them. They're not someone you 'just kinda keep around'.
  She may have gotten stuck in a dead end job, but at least she was free of him.
• Mark from UtahNever once in the lyrics does it say she was mistreated or abused. It just shows the depth of shelfishness that some people exhibit. Destroy a family so she can feel empowered. Maybe we as a planet should outlaw all males unless they identify as women. Whatever that word means.
• Ceecee from MichiganThis song seems like a slap in the face to women who want to leave their marriage or long-time committed relationship. It's almost as if it's saying, If you leave your partner all you'll have to look forward to is a minimum wage job. What kind of matri-maniacal message is that? Is it 1950?
• Staley from Dallas, TxOne more in a long country music tradition of exploiting double meanings in the titles of songs: "he thinks he'll keep her" because she's such a dutiful wife, but on the other hand, he THINKS he'll keep her, but he's wrong.
• Camille from Toronto, OhI like some of Mary Chapin Carpenter's songs, this just isn't one of them. It's depressing and pointless. The woman's life goes nowhere. She chucks it all for a typing job at minimum wage? Does not sound very fulfilling.
  
• Andrew from Blossvale, NyMary Chapin Carpenter did indeed write this song, Lucinda Williams wrote "Passionate Kisses", another hit from the album C'mon C'mon
• Luke from Montpelier, VtI think Lucinda Williams actually wrote this song.
• Steve from Salt Lake City, UtHi Kelly in Levitown.
  Dreat song for sure!
  Im just glad my mom stuck around totally "Unfullfilled"
• Kelly from Levittown, PaThis is a great song, and it tells a great story. A woman who spends her whole life caring for her husband and children and then realizes one day she just wants to do something for herself.

More Songfacts:

The CaveMumford & Sons

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons is based on the philosophy of Plato and his work called "Allegory of the Cave."

London CallingThe Clash

"London Calling" by The Clash was written amid widespread fears that the Thames River was going to flood the city.

Detroit Rock CityKiss

Kiss sing about "movin' fast on 95" in "Detroit Rock City," but I-95 doesn't go through Detroit (I-75 does) so they published the lyric as "Movin' fast, doin' 95."

RelaxFrankie Goes to Hollywood

The Frankie Goes To Hollywood hit "Relax" is, as the band says, about "shagging." It was banned by the BBC, which sent it to #1 in the UK as listeners flocked to record stores to buy it.

We Built This CityStarship

Elton John's songwriting partner Bernie Taupin wrote the original lyrics for Starship's "We Built This City." It was the first Hot 100 Top 10 hit Taupin wrote without John.

Dark HorseKaty Perry

Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" was co-written by Sarah Hudson, who was a member of the pop group Ultraviolet Sound. Though Sarah isn't related to Katy (whose real name is Katy Hudson), she is the first cousin of another famous person with the same name, the actress Kate Hudson.

Editor's Picks

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.