Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe!" Is a Queer Anthem For the Situationship Era
Photo: Ryan Clemens
Chappell Roan is ascending to main pop girl status with the growing popularity of her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and her brand new single “Good Luck, Babe!” makes it clear the momentum is far from dwindling. The soaring '80s-inspired track has captured the internet’s heart just from its snippets, and fans will be pleased to know the anticipation was well worth the wait.
Although it’s only April, “Good Luck, Babe!” has all of the elements it needs to qualify for song of the summer. With a light groove, heavenly synths, and a subtle country twang, Roan and frequent collaborator Dan Nigro paint the stage for this highly relatable queer anthem. The track starts off enchanting, with a hint of underlying melancholia to mimic blissful denial before the problems that inevitably arrive when denying your true self. Her vocals start out gentle and sweet, setting the scene of being enamored with someone who won’t fully claim you due to outside judgment. As the story unfolds and the sugar-coated perspective fizzles, both the production and Roan’s vocal delivery become more intense.
Speaking on the song, Roan shares, “I needed to write a song about a common situationship within queer relationships — where someone is struggling with coming to terms with themselves. It’s a song about wishing well to someone who is avoidant of their true feelings”.
The chorus of “Good Luck, Babe!” is a tragically gorgeous moment of acceptance, where Roan has to let this person go and let them make their own choices. Although the end of this situationship has left her heartbroken, it’s nothing compared to their future, which will surely be riddled with the consequences of living in denial. This sentiment is beautifully put in the standout lyric, “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling,” a phrase that is repeated throughout the track to emphasize the depth of its message.
It all comes to a head in the theatrical bridge, where Roan’s bubbling confidence explodes into a vision (reminiscent of the one in “Femininomenon”) of a life built on a lie. Although there’s anger in her words, there’s a clear element of compassion as she sings, “You know I hate to say it, I told you so.” This is where her captivating vocal ability shines, with a glorious belt that carries over into the electric final chorus.
“Good Luck, Babe!” ends with a slow-motion finale, an ethereal soundscape of strings and glitchy synths to wrap the complex emotional journey listeners have experienced. This glittery pop achievement is proof that Chappell Roan will have no problem following up her beloved debut album and is only becoming more prolific as her star rises.
Watch the "Good Luck, Babe!" lyric video below:
