Well I won't have to chop no wood
I can be bad or I can be good
I can be any way that I feel
One of these days

Might be a woman that's dressed in black
Be a hobo by the railroad track
I'll be gone like the wayward wind one of these days

One of these days it will soon

be all over cut and dry
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
'Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind

I might someday walk across this land
Carrying the Lord's book in my hand
Goin' cross the country singin' loud as I can
One of these days

But I won't have trouble on my back
Cuttin' like the devil with a choppin' axe,
Got to shake it off my back, one of these days

One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dry
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
'Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
There's gonna be peace of mind for me, one of these days

Overall Meaning

In Harris Emmylou's song One Of These Days, the lyrics suggest that the singer is searching for a sense of freedom and liberation from her current life. The lyrics depict a person who is tired of living the same mundane routine and is looking to break free from it. The first verse shows the singer's excitement at the thought of having the freedom to be whoever she wants to be. The singer states that she can be both good and bad and can express herself in any way that she feels. However, the verse also suggests that the singer is waiting for the right moment to break free and live her life on her terms.

The second verse shows the singer's desire to wander and explore. She talks about dressing up in black like a woman or dressing up like a hobo by the train track. The singer talks about the desire to be gone like the wayward wind, indicating her restless nature. The chorus suggests that the singer wants to break free from the restrictions that are holding her back. She wants to leave everything behind and find peace of mind elsewhere.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I won't have to chop no wood
I will live a life of leisure without having to work for my livelihood.

I can be bad or I can be good
I have the freedom to behave however I choose, whether it's good or bad.

I can be any way that I feel
I am not bound to any particular behavior or emotion; I can express myself however I feel at any given moment.

One of these days
At some future point in time.

Might be a woman that's dressed in black
I could be anyone or anything, such as a mysterious woman dressed in black.

Be a hobo by the railroad track
I might live the life of a traveler or a drifter, like a hobo who wanders the railroad tracks.

I'll be gone like the wayward wind one of these days
Just as the wind drifts and changes direction without warning, I will someday disappear or move on to something else without notice.

One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dry
At some point in time, everything will come to an end and be resolved.

And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
I won't feel the need to suppress my emotions or desires anymore.

One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
In retrospect, I will realize that I made the right decision by leaving when I did.

'Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
I trust that there is a place or state of being where I will feel at peace and content.

I might someday walk across this land
I might explore this world by traveling on foot.

Carrying the Lord's book in my hand
I might travel with a religious text as a guiding force or a source of comfort.

Goin' cross the country singin' loud as I can
I might express myself through song as I journey across the country.

But I won't have trouble on my back
I won't be burdened by any problems or issues as I travel.

Cuttin' like the devil with a choppin' axe
I won't feel weighed down or slowed by anything, like the devil cutting through wood with an axe.

Got to shake it off my back, one of these days
I need to let go of any burdens I am carrying and move on to something better.

There's gonna be peace of mind for me, one of these days
I am confident that I will find the peace of mind I am looking for at some point in the future.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EARL MONTGOMERY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind