When a Mother’s Life Is a World Away from the Headlines
For many of us who came of age during the country music revolution of the 1970s, there was no voice more authentic, more fearless, and more relatable than that of Loretta Lynn. She sang the truths of a woman’s life with an unvarnished honesty that few others dared to touch. While songs like “Coal Miner’s Daughter” told her story, it was a song like “One’s On The Way” that spoke to the silent majority of women who felt seen and heard for the very first time.
Released in late 1971, this powerful track soared to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in early 1972, a testament to its universal appeal and perfect timing. Surprisingly, the song was not penned by Loretta herself, but by the legendary and multi-talented Shel Silverstein, who also wrote Johnny Cash’s iconic “A Boy Named Sue.” Silverstein’s ability to tap into the mind of a rural housewife, a world away from his own, is nothing short of brilliant. The song’s story is a humorous yet poignant monologue from a weary mother in Topeka, Kansas, whose days are filled with the chaotic realities of raising a large family. She’s in a constant cycle of caring for a “toddlin'” child, a “crawlin'” one, and with “one’s on the way,” while the news on her television screen shows the glamorous lives of Hollywood stars like Liz Taylor and Raquel Welch, and the “Women’s Lib” movement sweeping the nation.
The true meaning of “One’s On The Way” is its beautiful and emotional articulation of a life caught between two worlds. It’s a song about the immense, unending work of motherhood and the profound disconnect between the “glittering and gay” lives of celebrities and the messy, joyous, and exhausting reality of everyday life. For older readers, this song is a potent time machine. It takes us back to a time when our own lives, or the lives of our mothers and grandmothers, were a relentless series of diapers, sleepless nights, and the quiet sacrifices made for family. It evokes a mix of fond memories and the deep recognition of a woman’s strength and resilience. It’s a tribute to the women who, without headlines or fanfare, built the foundation of our world, one child, one day, and one unending task at a time. It’s a song that proves the most honest and powerful stories are often found not in the news, but right in our own homes.