Me… Read Full Bio ↴Folk group, 1963-1966, 5 women with guitars, good voices and harmony.
Members were: Joyce James (died 2001), Leni Ashmore (later in original LA cast of HAIR), Barbara "Babs" Cooper, Judy Fine, Jean Amos, Elaine Gealer, Terry Harley.
Little Boxes
Womenfolk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes all the same
There's the green one and the big one
And the blue one and the yellow one
And they all look just the same
And the people in the houses
All went to the university
Where they work folding boxes
And they came out all the same
And there's doctors, and there's lawyers
And business executives
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same
And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
When they're all folding boxes
And they come out all the same
And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same
The Womenfolk's song Little Boxes is a commentary on the uniformity and conformity that characterizes suburban life. The song describes the hillside covered in small houses that are all the same size and color, "made of ticky-tacky," a derogatory term for cheap and shoddy building materials. Despite their physical differences, the houses all look the same and are inhabited by people who conform to and perpetuate the same suburban lifestyle. The people who live in the houses are all from the same educational and professional background, having gone to university to learn how to fold boxes. They are sharp-dressed professionals who play on the golf course, drink martinis, and enroll their children in summer camps and universities.
The song's lyrics effectively criticize the suburban lifestyle and its suffocating effects on individuality, choice, and creativity. The song suggests that the people living in these houses are boxed in, both physically and mentally, unable to break free from the mundane routine of their daily lives. The use of 'ticky-tacky' also symbolizes the lack of quality or value in these homes, and the people living in them.
Line by Line Meaning
Little boxes on the hillside
Compact houses on the hilly terrain
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky
Small identical dwellings made of cheap materials
Little boxes on the hillside
Compact houses on the hilly terrain
Little boxes all the same
Uniformity in construction and design of houses
There's the green one and the big one
Distinguishing features of individual houses like size and color
And the blue one and the yellow one
Distinguishing features of individual houses like color and size
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
All houses are constructed with cheap materials
And they all look just the same
Despite being different colors and sizes, the houses are the same
And the people in the houses
The people who live in these identical dwellings
All went to the university
All educated and trained at the same institution
Where they work folding boxes
Their job involves menial, repetitive work with little variety
And they came out all the same
Despite education, individuals have become standardized and robotic
And there's doctors, and there's lawyers
The professions in which the people in the houses are employed
And business executives
High-ranking business people all have the same monotonous lifestyle
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
The similar lifestyle of these professionals is akin to their identical houses
And they all look just the same
The uniformity persists in their careers and lifestyles
And they all play on the golf course
They all indulge in the same leisurely activities
And drink their martinis dry
Their preferred drink of choice after golfing sessions
And they all have pretty children
Their children are the same in terms of looks and upbringing
And the children go to school
Their kids attend the same type of school
And the children go to summer camp
Their kids follow the same recreational activities during summers
And then to the university
Their kids attend same college as theirs
When they're all folding boxes
Their children follow in the footsteps of their parents - job involves monotonous labor
And they come out all the same
Their children follow the same cycle of life
And the boys go into business
Sons follow the same academic path as fathers
And marry and raise a family
Sons continue the tradition of starting their own family
In boxes made of ticky-tacky
The houses they live in are still identical and sub-standard
And they all look just the same
Their lifestyle remains unchanged generation after generation
Contributed by Alexandra O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.