Perfect Lady Housewife
The Hollies Lyrics


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Perfect lady housewife
Her totally detached
sepulchre is painted white
it's gentique suite unscratched

A veritable show case
It shines like a new pin
Everything is in its place
And there`s a place for everything

[Chorus]
A, B, C, D. That`s the way it`s gotta be
1, 2, 3, 4. Count them up and know the score

Foot upon the parquet
Makes her awfully vexed
Onset of vile anarchy
Oh Lord, whatever next

Messiness is no excuse
It`s showing no respect
Random factor introduced
Just goes and spoils the whole effect

[Chorus]

Efficient official
His patience overtaxed
Don`t these people know that rules
Can never be relaxed

He could be humanized
You would never imagine
Everyone is categorized
And there`s a place for everything





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The Hollies's song Perfect Lady Housewife is a commentary on societal expectations of women and their role as homemakers. The lyrics describe a woman who is the embodiment of perfection in her domestic duties. Her home is spotless, every item is in the right place, and she operates like a machine with an obsessive adherence to routine. The song states that she is "totally detached," suggesting that her pursuit of cleanliness has turned her into a robot, devoid of any emotion or personality.


The chorus further emphasizes this idea of rigid adherence to rules and routine, with its counting and alphabetically arranged lyrics. The verse about the efficient official reinforces the theme of societal rules and expectations, but adds a layer of criticism, suggesting that these rules dehumanize people and limit their individuality. Overall, the song appears to be a criticism of the traditional gender roles and expectations foisted upon women, forcing them into narrowly defined roles as homemakers and limiting their potential to fully express themselves as individuals.


Line by Line Meaning

Perfect lady housewife
The woman is striving to be the perfect housewife.


Her totally detached
She is emotionally detached from her home and possessions.


sepulchre is painted white
Her home is a pristine and immaculate white, like a tomb.


it's gentique suite unscratched
Her expensive and high-quality furniture is free of any scratches or damage.


A veritable show case
Her home is a display of her achievements as a housewife.


It shines like a new pin
Her home is sparkling clean and well-maintained.


Everything is in its place
She is meticulous about organization and cleanliness.


And there's a place for everything
She has a specific spot for every item in her home.


[Chorus] A, B, C, D. That's the way it's gotta be. 1, 2, 3, 4. Count them up and know the score
She lives her life by strict rules and order, and expects others to do the same.


Foot upon the parquet
Someone has stepped on her polished wooden floor.


Makes her awfully vexed
She is highly irritated by anything that disrupts her perfect home.


Onset of vile anarchy
The smallest disruption in her order can cause panic and chaos in her mind.


Oh Lord, whatever next
She is overwhelmed by the idea of things not going exactly to plan.


Messiness is no excuse
She does not tolerate any mess or imperfection.


It's showing no respect
She sees it as a lack of respect for her home and herself.


Random factor introduced
Anything that deviates from her strict plan is seen as random and unsettling.


Just goes and spoils the whole effect
Any disruption, no matter how small, ruins the perfection of her home.


[Chorus]
She repeats her strict rules and order, emphasizing their importance to her.


Efficient official
Someone who also values strict rules and order, perhaps a government official.


His patience overtaxed
He is reaching his limit dealing with people who are not following the rules.


Don't these people know that rules
He is frustrated that others don't value rules as much as he does.


Can never be relaxed
He sees any deviation from the rules as unacceptable.


He could be humanized
He has the potential to be more compassionate and understanding.


You would never imagine
However, it's hard to believe that he will actually change his ways.


Everyone is categorized
Like the woman, he has strict categories and expectations for people.


And there's a place for everything
Everything must fit into his strict categories and rules.


[Chorus]
Both the woman and the man repeat their strict rules, emphasizing their importance.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN CLARKE, TERRY SYLVESTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Philip Kassabian


on Carrie Anne

A nice and catchy song by The Hollies.

Philip Kassabian


on Bus Stop

Yet another great Hollies song.

Philip Kassabian


on Stop Stop Stop

One of the best bands from the 60's no doubt.