One's On The Way
Sissy Spacek Lyrics


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They say to have her hair done
Liz flies all the way to France
And jacquees seen in a discotheque
Doing a brand new dance
And the White House social season
Should be glittering and gay

But here in Topeka
The rain is a falling
The faucet is dripping
The kids are a bawling
One of them is toddling
And one of them is crawling
And ones on the way

I'm glad that Raquel Welch
Just signed a million dollar pact
And Debbie's out in Vegas
Working up a brand new Act

While the TV showing newlywed
A real fun game to play
But here in Topeka
The screen doors are banging
The coffee is boiling over
And the wash needs a hanging
One wants a cookie




And one wants to changing
And ones on the way

Overall Meaning

The song "One's On The Way" by Sissy Spacek is a commentary on the experiences of women living in two different worlds: the glitz and glamour of celebrity life and suburban motherhood. The song's first verse describes the luxurious and exciting lives of female celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. These women are so wealthy that they can afford to travel to France to get their hair done or dance the night away in fancy discotheques. Meanwhile, in the second verse, Spacek describes the mundane and exhausting experiences of a typical mother in Topeka, Kansas. The rain is falling, the faucet is dripping, and the kids won't stop crying. One child is even on the way, adding to the chaos.


Through her lyrics, Spacek highlights the contrast between the lives of wealthy, famous women and the struggles of everyday mothers. While the first verse suggests that celebrity life is full of fun and adventure, the second verse emphasizes the hard work and sacrifice that comes with motherhood. By juxtaposing these two worlds, Spacek raises important questions about gender roles and expectations.


Overall, "One's On The Way" is a poignant and insightful commentary on the experiences of women in the 1970s. By highlighting the contrast between celebrity life and suburban motherhood, Spacek sheds light on the challenges and joys of both worlds.


Line by Line Meaning

They say to have her hair done
People suggest that Liz should travel to France to get her hair done


Liz flies all the way to France
Liz travels a long distance to get her hair done in France


And jacquees seen in a discotheque
Jacquees is spotted at a discotheque


Doing a brand new dance
Jacquees is dancing to a new dance move


And the White House social season
The social events in the White House are happening


Should be glittering and gay
The events should be festive and enjoyable


But here in Topeka
However, in Topeka


The rain is a falling
It is raining


The faucet is dripping
The faucet is leaking


The kids are a bawling
The children are crying loudly


One of them is toddling
One child is learning to walk


And one of them is crawling
Another child is crawling


And ones on the way
Another child is on the way


I'm glad that Raquel Welch
I'm happy that Raquel Welch


Just signed a million dollar pact
She signed a contract worth a million dollars


And Debbie's out in Vegas
Debbie is in Las Vegas


Working up a brand new Act
She's creating a new performance


While the TV showing newlywed
On TV, a show about newlyweds is airing


A real fun game to play
The show is entertaining to watch


But here in Topeka
However, in Topeka


The screen doors are banging
The screen doors are making a loud noise


The coffee is boiling over
The coffee is spilling out of the pot


And the wash needs a hanging
The laundry needs to be hung up


One wants a cookie
One child wants a cookie


And one wants to changing
Another child needs a diaper change


And ones on the way
Another child is on the way




Writer(s): Shel Silverstein

Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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