While I don't know whether this was her inspiration or not, at the time there was a commercial for a woman's vitamin that was supposed to keep a woman doing an unbelievable amount of work and the husband uses part of that condescending remark about keeping her around.
I never bought the product because he seemed like such a jerk.
He Thinks He'll Keep Her
Mary Chapin Carpenter Lyrics
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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
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
The song “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” by Mary Chapin Carpenter tells the story of a woman who conforms to traditional gender roles, taking care of her husband and family. The first verse introduces the woman as a young bride who promises to be with her husband forever. As the song goes on, the roles she accepts in her relationship become more demanding and less fulfilling. She takes care of their home, drives the kids around, and supports her husband, but receives little in return. When she finally decides to leave him, it’s a shock to him because he believed she would stay forever.
The lyrics describe the woman as dedicated and dutiful, but also unhappy and unfulfilled. She’s depicted as someone who gave up her own dreams and ambitions to support her husband, and the repetition of “he thinks he’ll keep her” throughout the song adds to the sense of her being trapped in her marriage. The mention of her being in the typing pool at minimum wage after fifteen years of work suggests that her husband’s lack of appreciation for her sacrifices left her financially vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
She makes his coffee, she makes his bed
She takes care of his basic needs
She does the laundry, she keeps him fed
She takes care of the household chores
When she was twenty-one she wore her mother's lace
When she was young, she had high hopes for the future
She said, "forever," with a smile upon her face
She was optimistic about her marriage
She does the carpool, she P.T.A.'s
She takes care of the children's activities
Doctors and dentists, she drives all day
She takes care of the family's medical needs
When she was twenty-nine she delivered number three
She continued to fulfill her role as a mother
And ev'ry Christmas card showed a perfect family
The family projected an image of happiness
Ev'rything runs right on time
The family operates smoothly
Years of practice and design
This level of operation is the result of many years of effort
Spit and polish till it shines, he thinks he'll keep her
He believes things will continue this way forever
Ev'rything is so benign
The situation is calm and uneventful
The safest place you'll ever find
The family is a safe harbor from the stresses of life
God forbid you change your mind, he thinks he'll keep her
He believes that she is happy and stable in the marriage
She packs his suitcase, she sits and waits
She dutifully sees him off
With no expression upon her face
Her feelings are hidden
When she was thirty-six she met him at their door
She has come to a breaking point after many years
She said, "I'm sorry, I don't love you any more"
She is finally honest about her feelings
For fifteen years she had a job and not one raise in pay
She has worked hard without reward
Now she's in the typing pool at minimum wage
She has suffered a decline in her status
At least until you change your mind (he thinks he'll keep her) all right
He believes that she will never leave him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DON SCHLITZ, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind