'Another Thing' Wraps With Songs Of Housework Woe

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And now, the final edition of a fall feature we've called Another Thing Considered. It was conceived and curated by contest queen, Lenore Skenazy. For this week's call-out, Lenore was inspired by a Norwegian study. It found that couples who split their household chores are 50 percent more likely to divorce. So she asked listeners to submit their ideas for a country song about an egalitarian marriage and any heartache it might cause.

Here's Lenore with some of your best efforts.

LENORE SKENAZY, BYLINE: "She's Not The Trash I Wanted You To Take Out," "If You're Cooking Dinner, Could You Make Mine To Go?" "Eat My Dust, Buster," "I Missed A Spot And Now I Miss Her," "I Did The Raking, She Did The Leaving," "I Did The Dishes, She Takes Out The Cash," "I Did All The Cooking And Still Got Burned," "She Mows The Lawn, I Do The Laundry, That's Why We Both Wear Pink," and "My Old Lady Left Me, Even Though I Never Actually Referred To Her As My Old Lady Throughout The Entire Duration Of Our Equitable Marriage."

Then there were some that were based on very famous songs like "All My Exes Cleaned Their Messes," "Don't Come Home A-Drinking With Dustin' On Your Mind," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Dry," and with apologies to Patsy Cline, "I Called For Pizzas Each Time You Failed To Defrost."

The runners up were Lusia Mitchell of San Diego. She sent in "Two Much Moppin', Not Enough Blowin'." Jeff Wachtel of Pacific Palisades, California, said, "First I Did The Dishes, Then She Done Me Wrong." And Tim Chew of Waxhaw, North Carolina, said, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight (But I'll Have Everything Cleaned Up For Your Book Club Tomorrow)."

The winner, it's Brian K. Piere in Grimes, Iowa. Can you believe it? Grimes, Iowa, in a contest about housework, that's not why I chose him. But he sent in "By The Time I Get To Windex, She'll Be Leaving." Brian, of course, gets an NPR mug that he will be expected to clean and me, I'm signing off. This is my final Another Thing Considered. I'm Lenore Skenazy in New York.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

BLOCK: You're listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.