My Woman, My Woman, My Wife

The song is a husband’s tribute to his wife, whose strength and steady love have supported them through hardship. At first, he describes the visible effects of years of work and disappointment. He then contrasts his own tendency to lose heart with her ability to keep going. The song grows more solemn when it reveals the death of their two babies, and ends with his wish that she be rewarded in Heaven for the suffering she has endured.

Several images make his admiration clear. Her hands and hair show the physical cost of hard work and long hours in the sun. Calling her “the foundation I lean on” suggests that she is the source of his stability. The phrase “everyday has been uphill” compares life to a difficult climb, while her smile helps him continue when he wants to stop. “A saint in a dress made of gingham” presents her as exceptionally good, but also as an ordinary person in simple clothes.

The husband’s descriptions are loving, though they may idealize his wife: he gives her the role of tireless supporter and moral example. His prayer that she receive his share of Heaven expresses gratitude and a sense that her earthly hardships have been unfair. The lyrics do not say how she herself understands their life; we hear her mainly through his affectionate perspective.