Songwriters get inspiration for their lyrics from various experiences, and Debbie Harry was no different. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Blondie singer shared what "One Way or Another" is all about. The singer said that she wrote the song about a stalker that she once had. While living in New Jersey, Harry was in a relationship that she eventually broke off. Her ex-boyfriend spent all day working at a chemical plant and would drink all night.
According to Harry, it came to a point when the man would constantly call her on the phone and show up at her place unannounced. The stalking got so bad that Harry had to leave New Jersey (via Louder Sound). When writing the song, however, she wanted to make it appear more humorous to counter the severity of the situation. "I think in a way that's a normal kind of survival mechanism," the singer explained. Instead of dwelling on it, she said that life had to go on "one way or another," which inspired the lyrics of the song.
