I'm not even sure how I happened across this old song. But as I was listening to it, I was laughing and also horrified at the lyrics. It was written in 1963, and originally sung by Jack Jones. It even won a Grammy in 1964! The song came about when Burt Bacharach and Hal David were asked to write a song with the title "Wives and Lovers" with the theme being marital infidelity. It was a promotional tie-in for the 1963 film Wives and Lovers. The song wasn't in the film but was intended to promote the film; and that made it an "exploitation song".
Anyhoo, if Burt Bacharach and Hal David were to write something like this today: female villagers would chase them with torches!
I vaguely remembered this song from when I worked at an oldies station and thought it was crazy. However, if you watched TV shows or movies from this era, you'll realize that it is actually how things were. I do not own any rights to this song and am making no money from using the lyrics. But seriously: these need to be discussed.
"Hey, little girl,
Comb your hair, fix your make-up
Soon, he will open the door.
Don't think because there's a ring on your finger
You needn't try any more."
Oh if only you could see my face 😠...So apparently, when it's time for hubby to come home from work, you'd better stop what you're doing to fix your face and hair so he doesn't see what he actually married. And who are you calling 'little girl'?
"For wives should always be lovers too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
I'm warning you."
So now it seems that being a wife isn't good enough. And run to his arms when he gets home? Run to him and knock him over as you run out the door!
"Day after day
There are girls at the office
And men will always be men.
Don't send him off with your hair still in curlers
You may not see him again."
Oh I'll see him again. In court, when I take him for everything he has! Now you have to get up extra early and do your hair to compete with the trolls at his office??? They have all the time in the world because they're not up at 5 a.m. And what's he doing for me? Men will always be men you say? Yep: until you kick him in the biscuits!
"Hey, little girl
Better wear something pretty
Something you'd wear to go to the city
And dim all the lights
Pour the wine, start the music
Time to get ready for love."
I'm okay with wearing something nice instead of a housecoat and slippers. But if you're not taking me to the city, I'm not breaking out my Michael Kors dress. And if I'm dimming the lights, you won't get a good look at what I'm wearing anyway. As for pouring the wine: you don't think I've already been drinking all day because of what I have to do to keep you? Start the music? How about if I start the car and go looking like you do in the office? Time to get ready for love. It's time to find someone to appreciate me as I am, or at least who will do the same for me.
Yes I know times were different back then; and this was the norm for women. Ever notice in those old movies and TV shows how they always looked perfect? The women wore dresses and high heels and pearls with perfect hairdos, whether they were doing housework or serving tea to their lady friends. God bless them! I'm just glad I'm in this era because that's a lot of work. Just hoping it was worth it! I think I'm going to write an answer song to this called "Husbands and Lovers". After all: turnabout is fair play!
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