What is “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan about?
“Good Luck, Babe!” details the experience of dating someone who hasn’t accepted their sexuality. In press materials about the song, Chappell wrote that she “needed to write a song about a common situationship within queer relationships—where someone is struggling with coming to terms with themselves.” “Good Luck, Babe!” captures this painful dynamic from the very first lines, when Chappell sings, “It’s fine, it’s cool / You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth.” In these lyrics, Chappell tries to appear unbothered and chill about the fact that her lover is downplaying the seriousness of their relationship, but her pain shines through with her insistence that her lover must “know the truth” deep down. This frustration also comes through in the 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.’” In other words, Chappell’s feelings run so deep that she can’t end things. And, even though her lover refuses to admit that they’re in love, she won’t let Chappell go, either. This leads to a difficult push-pull, with Chappell longing for her lover to accept her sexuality and admit the strength of their feelings for each other, and her lover continually running away from the reality of the situation.
Throughout the song, Chappell insists that her lover won't be able to run away from her true self forever. In her newsletter, Chappell wrote that “Good Luck, Babe!” is “about wishing good luck to someone who is denying fate.” In other words, Chappell’s lover can try to “kiss a hundred boys in bars” to “try to stop the feeling” of being in love with a woman, but eventually, she won’t be able to hide from who she truly is. At the end of the chorus, Chappell also sings, “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling.” In this line, she seems to be saying that there’s no way for her lover to actually escape her sexuality—she’d have to “stop the world” to get away from the truth.
Chappell also tells her lover that she'll end up with a lot of regret if she doesn’t accept herself. In the climactic bridge of the song, Chappell belts out heart-wrenching lyrics about the future her lover can expect if she refuses to acknowledge her sexuality. Chappell pictures her in a loveless marriage to a man, singing, “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.” She also imagines her lover looking back on the situationship with sadness and regret: “And when you think about me, all of those years ago / You’re standing face to face with ‘I told you so.’” In these lines, Chappell seems to be saying that her lover will never feel truly fulfilled if she denies her feelings for women, and even if she tries to settle down with a man, she’ll eventually be forced to confront the truth. Note: Based on these lyrics, Chappell’s lover seems to be a closeted lesbian who is not attracted to men, which makes the idea of her settling down with a man tragic. The lyrics don’t seem to be about a bisexual woman marrying a man—in that case, the woman could be sincerely in love with her husband, and it wouldn’t be an example of her hiding or denying her identity.
The Making Of “Good Luck, Babe!”
Chappell wrote “Good Luck, Babe!” in just three minutes. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Chappell explained that she knew exactly what she wanted for the song, and that she “wrote it in three minutes.” Speaking about the feelings behind the tune, Chappell said, “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.” Justin Tranter also has writing credits on the song, along with Chappell’s longtime collaborator Dan Nigro, who also produced it. Chappell calls “Good Luck, Babe!” a “ big anthemic pop song” in her interview with Rolling Stone, and with its propulsive, 80’s-inspired synths and powerhouse vocals, it definitely lives up to this title.
“Good Luck Babe” Full Lyrics
“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan It’s fine, it’s coolYou can say that we are nothing, but you know the truthAnd guess I’m the foolWith her arms out like an angel through the car sunroofI don’t wanna call it offBut you don’t wanna call it loveYou only wanna be the one that I call “baby”You can kiss a hundred boys in barsShoot another shot, try to stop the feelingYou can say it’s just the way you areMake a new excuse, another stupid reasonGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingI'm cliché, who cares?It’s a sexually explicit kind of love affairAnd I cry, it’s not fairI just need a little lovin’, I just need a little airThink I’m gonna call it offEven if you call it loveI just wanna love someone who calls me “baby”You can kiss a hundred boys in barsShoot another shot, try to stop the feelingYou can say it’s just the way you areMake a new excuse, another stupid reasonGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingWhen you wake up next to him in the middle of the nightWith your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wifeAnd when you think about me, all of those years agoYou’re standing face to face with “I told you so”You know I hate to say it, I told you soYou know I hate to say, but I told you soYou can kiss a hundred boys in barsShoot another shot, try to stop the feelingYou can say it’s just the way you areMake a new excuse, another stupid reasonGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingGood luck, babe (Well, good luck)Well, good luck, babe (Well, good luck)You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingYou’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingYou’d have to stop the world just to stop the feelingYou’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
Other Music to Check Out if You Like “Good Luck, Babe!”
“Casual” by Chappell Roan If you’re a fan of “Good Luck, Babe!,” you’ll probably enjoy Chappell’s other work. Out of all the songs on her debut album, “Casual” may be the most similar to “Good Luck, Babe!”, since it also deals with the frustrating dynamic of being in a situationship with someone who refuses to acknowledge the feelings involved. For example, in the chorus, Chappell lists things that reveal how serious the relationship actually is, while ironically asking her lover if things are casual: “Two weeks, and your mom invites me to her house in Long Beach / is it casual now?”
“Anything But Me” by Muna For fans of Chappell Roan and gay pop in general, Muna’s music should be essential listening. Specifically, the song “Anything But Me,” has a lot of similarities to “Good Luck, Babe!” with its 80’s synth-type sound and pop anthem energy. The lyrics also deal with a lot of similar themes, such as wishing an ex-lover well (with an undercurrent of frustration): “You say that you need relief / Well I hope you get everything you need / everything but me.” If you enjoy “Anything But Me,” you may also like Muna’s tracks “Pink Light,” “Stayaway,” and “Silk Chiffon.”
“Sad to Breathe” by the Japanese House Like “Good Luck, Babe!”, “Sad to Breathe” recounts the heartbreaking details of a doomed relationship, set to a surprisingly bright and dance-y instrumental backdrop. After a slower, stripped back intro, the song jumps into an infectious beat full of 80’s synths, which is super reminiscent of “Good Luck, Babe’s” sound. Other songs by the Japanese House to check out include “Something Has to Change,” and “Boyhood."
“Edge of the Earth” by The Beaches In “Edge of the Earth,” Canadian band The Beaches recounts the ups and downs of a tumultuous sapphic relationship, just like Chappel Roan does in “Good Luck, Babe!” The song establishes this frustrating and intoxicating dynamic right from the opening lines: “She’s a fire sign / and I don’t really know what that means / I’m a cold night, and I wanna be close to the heat / I don’t want to get burned / I don’t want love like that.”
The Rise (and Rise) of Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan’s music exploded in popularity in 2024. Chappell’s road to success was long and windy— she actually got dropped from her first recording contract and contemplated quitting music. Thankfully, she persevered and eventually found a home at her collaborator Dan Nigro’s label. In September of 2023, Chappell released her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and in the following months tracks like “HOT TO GO,” “Casual,” and “Femininomenon” started going viral on social media. Chappell was catapulted to a new level of popularity when she released “Good Luck, Babe!” in April of 2024, and the song became her first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the summer of 2024, Chappell performed for huge crowds at festivals, even breaking attendance records for her set at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Chappell also performed a set for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, which went viral and further solidified her status as a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter.
Fun Facts about Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan is a stage name. She chose the name as an homage to her grandfather, who was named Dennis K. Chapell, and his favorite song, which was “The Strawberry Roan” by Curley Fletcher. With this stage name, Chappell also adopted a larger-than-life stage persona, heavily inspired by her love of drag fashion and culture. Chappell’s birth name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, but she’s mentioned that she does not like it when fans call her by this name and prefers to be called her stage name.
Chappell sings background vocals on a few Olivia Rodrigo songs. Chappell opened for Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts tour, and she also lends background vocals for Rodrigo’s tracks “Lacy,” “Obsessed,” and “Can’t Catch Me Now.”
Chappell did, in fact, grow up in the midwest. Due to her album being called The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, some have wondered if Chappell is actually from the midwest. The answer to this question is yes–Chappell was raised in Willard, Missouri.
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