Chappell Roan Explains Heartbreaking Meaning Behind 'Good Luck, Babe!' Lyrics

14 September 2024, 09:23

Chappell Roan Good Luck, Babe! Lyrics: The Meaning Explained. Picture: Amusement Records, Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

By Sam Prance

In 'Good Luck, Babe!', Chappell Roan sings about dating a closeted girl who refuses to acknowledge their relationship.

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Chappell Roan has opened up about the meaning behind her 'Good Luck, Babe!' lyrics and what the song was like to write.

Everything's coming up Chappell Roan right now! After supporting Olivia Rodrigo on the Guts World Tour and wowing fans with her Tiny Desk Concert, Chappell has skyrocketed into superstardom. Not only has she been the must-see act of the festival circuit this year but she's also dominated the charts with songs like 'Red Wine Supernova' and 'HOT TO GO!'.

However, it's Chappell's song 'Good Luck, Babe!' that's really taking the world by storm – it's become Chappell's first top 10 Hot 100 hit. What are Chappell's 'Good Luck, Babe!' lyrics about though? Here's the story behind the queer anthem.

Read more: Chappell Roan Explains The Gay Meaning Behind Her 'Red Wine Supernova' Lyrics
Read more: Chappell Roan Reveals The Actual Meaning Behind Her 'Hot To Go!' Lyrics
Read more: Chappell Roan Has Secret Backing Vocals On Three Olivia Rodrigo Songs

What are Chappell Roan's 'Good Luck, Babe!' lyrics about?

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In 'Good Luck, Babe!', Chappell sings about dating a closeted girl who refuses to acknowledge their relationship. In the first verse, Chappell sings: You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth. She then adds: I don't wanna call it off
But you don't wanna call it love / You only wanna be the one that I call baby.

In the chorus, Chappell wishes the girl good luck with denying her true feelings. She laments: You can kiss a hundred boys in bars / Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling / You can say it's just the way you are / Make a new excuse, another stupid reason / Good luck, babe.

Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe! (Official Lyric Video)

Discussing the song with Konibini, Chappell said: "Originally it was not called 'Good Luck, Babe!', it was called 'Good Luck, Jane!'. But my co-writer and I kept getting in arguments about it so it became 'Good Luck, Babe!'. I wrote it because I fell in love with this girl and she started dating this f---ing loser of a guy and I was like, 'Ok, b----! Good luck with that!'

She continued: "And then it turned into like, 'Oh I think this is a story about me.' Especially the bridge. Like only dating men prior to the past couple years. It would have been horrible to wake up in the middle of the night and being, 'Oh my God, what have I done?' And thinking about that girl that I fell in love with. It's just a huge statement of, I told you so.

Explaining the meaning behind 'Good Luck, Babe!' with Rolling Stone, Chappell said that it's "about wishing good luck to someone who is denying fate". She then continued: "I was just wanting to write a big anthemic pop song."

As for the writing process, Chappell said: "I knew exactly what I wanted. I wrote it in three minutes. I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn’t add anything when I wrote it all, done. It was a perfect storm."

🎥 | " It was originally called 'Good Luck, Jane!' "

— @ChappellRoan shares more about the history of writing “Good Luck, Babe!” in an interview with @KonbiniFr 🍀💗 pic.twitter.com/V2JXVwQXXe
— Chappell Roan Philippines (@chappellroanPH) September 13, 2024

You can hear Chappell's anger and heartbreak in the iconic bridge. She belts: When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night / With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife / And when you think about me, all of those years ago / You're standing face to face with 'I told you so'.

BRB, screaming 'I told you sooooooooooooooo!' at the top of my lungs until further notice.

Chappell Roan - 'Good Luck, Babe!' lyrics

VERSE 1
It's fine, it's cool
You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth
And guess I'm the fool
With her arms out like an angel through the car sunroof

PRE-CHORUS
I don't wanna call it off
But you don't wanna call it love
You only wanna be the one that I call baby

CHORUS
You can kiss a hundred boys in bars
Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling
You can say it's just the way you are
Make a new excuse, another stupid reason
Good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
Good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

VERSE 2
I'm cliché, who cares?
It's a sexually explicit kind of love affair
And I cry, it's not fair
I just need a little lovin', I just need a little air

PRE-CHORUS
Think I'm gonna call it off
Even if you call it love
I just wanna love someone who calls me baby

BRIDGE
When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night
With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife
And when you think about me, all of those years ago
You're standing face to face with "I told you so"
You know I hate to say it, I told you so
You know I hate to say, but I told you so

CHORUS
You can kiss a hundred boys in bars
Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling (Well, I told you so)
You can say it's just the way you are
Make a new excuse, another stupid reason
Good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
Good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

OUTRO
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling