Chappell Roan has ushered a brand new era of her musical career with “The Subway,” a melancholic track about a love that once was. This love has itself rooted in the iconic places in the city their love blossomed in making these icons intolerable after heartbreak.
“The Subway” is the third release of Chappell Roan’s upcoming second studio album, following singles such as “Good Luck, Babe” and “The Giver.” The song was initially performed by Chappell at the Governor’s Ball Music Festival on June 9, 2024.
The song references several iconic New York landmarks such as The Statue of Liberty, The Subway food chain, and the subway transportation system that carries over a staggering 3 million passengers per day. It also hints at the classic love ballad “She’s Got A Way” by an icon of New York City–Billy Joel.
Listen to “The Subway” by Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan “The Subway” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
In the first verse of the song, we find Chappell Roan has already been through a heartbreak and wallowing in the city of New York. The singer rode the subway past the iconic Statue of Liberty one day and its green color triggered a memory of her ex, who presumably had green hair as well. Chappell Roan is a Missouri native and her ex is likely a New York native, thus these iconic New York places tend to have close link to her ex.
Not few weeks later, again on the subway, a perfume of one of the 3 million passengers on the subway reminded her of the same perfume her ex used to wear. Smell has a strong link to different memory faculties. The singer almost broke down in tear and agony both these times in the middle of the subway ride.
This is no way to live!
In the chorus of the song, Chappell Roan comes to the realization that though their relationship is officially over, her affection for her ex has not found its natural closure. It has been weeks (or maybe months) after they ended things. Each day since has been a step towards healing–but healing has been a slow process, especially with so many things in New York are subliminally linked to her. It’s not over until it’s over–and there are no shortcuts in this journey.
In the post-chorus of the song, we find out that Chappell Roan had met this girl riding in the New York subway. And they must have taken countless subway rides together since. It is unfortunate that Chappell has to ride the subway for her daily commute as this doesn’t make it any easier to suppress the memories with her ex. Chappell can only endure the heartache and count the days until her ex’s memory fades into the millions of others commuting the subway.
In the second verse of the song, Chappell Roan reveals that it has been four months since they decided to walk different paths and it has not gotten any easier. She even made her ex the villain of their love story so she can start to hate her and convince herself that this is for the best. When you are surrounded by things and places that remind you of your past love affairs, might be the only solution is to move yourself away from those things and places. Chappell is so fed up with the big cities that she just might move to the remote Canadian province of Saskatchewan so that nothing even remotely similar to New York surrounds her.
In the outro of the song, Chappell laments that her lover ‘got away’ from her. The lyrics bounce between ‘she’s got a way’ and ‘she got away’ reminiscing us of Billy Joel’s classic love song “She’s Got A Way” from 1971.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Read the complete lyrics to the song on Genius.