1966 Top Ten: The Box It Came In (#5)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (85418)
United States
April 26, 2026 11:04am CST
The Derby Festival is under way! The balloon race was canceled because of fog yesterday morning, but they got the Friday “rush hour” race in. The Pegasus Parade is today, my appointment is Tuesday, and then it’s time to leave the madness. I’lll take you with me, and we’ll wrap up celebrating songs that are now 60 years old. Here’s another song, also from my 100 favorites list (Linda? NO!).
#5: The Box It Came In - Wanda Jackson
Hey, wasn’t she on the 1956 list too? Yes, she was, thanks for noticing! 
But in ‘56 she was a rockabilly queen. Here, she’s straight up country.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right? That’s the gist of this song, in the best country music fashion: woman left with nothing but the box from her wedding gown as her husband took off with another woman. Fear not, she’s got it all planned out: “somewhere I’ll find him, then I’ll have peace of mind, and the box he comes home in will be all satin-lined.”
The punch line to this song is not the last line, but the fact that a man wrote this. (Want another shocker? The Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” was also written by a man!)
Why do we love such vicious songs as this? I guess we like like seeing the dish of revenge served…and sometimes that means poured over the head of the one deserving it.
The Box It Came In
Written by Vic McAlpin
Recorded by Wanda Jackson
From Reckless Love Affair, 1966
I’m walking on cardboard:
But in ‘56 she was a rockabilly queen. Here, she’s straight up country.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right? That’s the gist of this song, in the best country music fashion: woman left with nothing but the box from her wedding gown as her husband took off with another woman. Fear not, she’s got it all planned out: “somewhere I’ll find him, then I’ll have peace of mind, and the box he comes home in will be all satin-lined.”
The punch line to this song is not the last line, but the fact that a man wrote this. (Want another shocker? The Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” was also written by a man!)
Why do we love such vicious songs as this? I guess we like like seeing the dish of revenge served…and sometimes that means poured over the head of the one deserving it.
The Box It Came In
Written by Vic McAlpin
Recorded by Wanda Jackson
From Reckless Love Affair, 1966
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6 people like this
6 responses
@FourWalls (85418)
• United States
3h
She’s a very devout woman.
The guy who wrote “Goodbye Earl” also wrote Elvis’ hit “Burning Love.”
1 person likes this
