"The Box It Came In" is a song written by Vic McAlpin (1918–1980) and recorded by American country, rock and roll and Christian music artist Wanda Jackson.
[1] "The Box It Came In" was originally released as a single by Capitol Records in January 1966, and peaked at No.
The song was included on Reckless Love Affair,[2] Jackson's 1966 studio LP, and also appears on several subsequent compilation albums of her recordings.
"The Box It Came In" is spare and direct (one verse, and a repeated bridge and chorus), and is sung from the point of view of a woman who is destitute after her husband abandons her, taking "everything with him that wasn’t nailed down" - including her wedding dress.
The song has been described as a murder ballad in which "the murder hasn’t happened … yet",[3] given the last line: But somewhere I'll find himthen I'll have peace of mindand the box he comes home in will be all satin lined.