Song Information
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Title: One’s on the Way
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Artist: Loretta Lynn
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Songwriter: Shel Silverstein
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Release Date: November 1971
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Album: One’s on the Way (1972)
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Genre: Country
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Label: Decca Records
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Producer: Owen Bradley
Although written by famed poet and humorist Shel Silverstein, One’s on the Way became one of Loretta Lynn’s most iconic hits. Released in 1971, the song went straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, offering a witty but brutally honest look at the chaotic and underappreciated life of a housewife in the early ’70s.
Song Content
One’s on the Way is a humorous yet poignant anthem that captures the everyday struggles of a woman trying to juggle motherhood, housework, and a sense of personal identity. Set in Topeka, Kansas, the song contrasts the glamorous lives of celebrities like Raquel Welch and Elizabeth Taylor with the narrator’s own reality: cooking, cleaning, raising kids — and being pregnant… again.
The lyrics flow like a monologue from an overwhelmed mother as she talks about her endless responsibilities while sarcastically noting how other women in big cities live lives of freedom and sophistication. The chorus, “And the one on the way,” becomes a comedic punchline that also highlights the emotional and physical toll of constant pregnancy and domestic life.
Loretta Lynn delivers the lyrics with perfect timing — part resigned, part rebellious. The song doesn’t ask for pity; instead, it demands recognition. Through its clever wordplay and upbeat tempo, it transforms the monotony of domestic labor into a bold political and social statement — all while making people laugh.
Explaining the Song’s Social Commentary
At first listen, One’s on the Way may sound like a comical take on motherhood, but beneath the humor lies a sharp critique of gender roles in mid-20th-century America. Shel Silverstein’s lyrics, voiced through Loretta Lynn’s unmistakable twang, expose the stark contrast between societal expectations of women and their lived realities.
While women in cities like New York and Los Angeles are portrayed as independent and fashionable, the narrator of the song feels trapped by a never-ending cycle of pregnancies and chores. Lines like “The kids are a-fightin’, and the laundry’s a-piled” aren’t just complaints — they’re cries for acknowledgment in a world that often ignored the mental and physical exhaustion of housewives.
What makes the song so powerful is its relatability. For millions of American women at the time — and still today — One’s on the Way felt like their life story. It gave voice to a silent majority and did so with humor, not bitterness. In doing so, Loretta Lynn broke ground for women in country music, singing about topics others were too afraid to touch.
This wasn’t just a novelty song — it was feminism wrapped in a country twang, delivered by one of the most courageous voices of her generation.