The meaning of the lyrics of the song "My Wife" by the artist "Who, The"

The song "My Wife" by The Who portrays a lyrical hero comically exaggerating his fear of his wife's wrath.

He hasn't been home since Friday night and fears his wife will assume he spent the night with another woman. This fear consumes him to the point of panic, leading him to fantasize about outrageous escape plans: buying a tank and a plane, hiring a bodyguard with a machine gun, and embarking on an endless escape in a fast car. He is willing to spend all his money just to avoid his wife's anger.

The humor lies in the disproportionate reaction to the supposed offense. The hero hasn't committed a terrible act, yet his fear of his wife drives him to behave as if he has committed a heinous crime. Irony permeates the lyrics as the hero amplifies his guilt and the gravity of the situation, portraying himself as cowardly and henpecked.

In the final verses, exhausted from his own fantasies and desperate escape, the hero decides to surrender and face his wife's wrath. The open ending leaves the listener wondering about the outcome, but suggests that reality will likely be less terrifying than the hero's imagination.