I wasn’t expecting new Chappell Roan music this soon after the September 2023 release of her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, but after listening to her new single, “Good Luck, Babe!” I was thankful we were blessed with this release.
In true Chappell Roan fashion, “Good Luck, Babe!” is full of wonderful stylistic choices. As someone who isn’t normally a fan of artists singing in falsetto for an extended amount of time, imagine my surprise when I absolutely fell in love with the chorus of “Good Luck, Babe!” The falsetto is tasteful and brings a lighthearted and carefree feel. The glittering vocal and upbeat production create a juxtaposition with the heartbreaking story Roan tells throughout the song. In the first verse, Roan sings “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.” Roan slightly tweaks the lyrics in the second verse to say “Think I’m gonna call it off / Even if you call it love / I just wanna love someone who calls me baby.” The song is about having to let go of a romantic partner who denies her feelings for Roan.
“Good Luck, Babe!” features strings which begin in the second verse and continue to enhance the production throughout the song. Leading into the bridge, tom drums help change the atmosphere from lively to something darker. Roan also switches her vocals during the bridge, 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 / And when you think about me, all of those years ago / You’re standing face to face with ‘I told you so’” with a tone that is no longer bright but now filled with anger and bitterness.
The biggest highlight is when Roan belts “I told you so” at the top of her register, not just once, but twice when the final chorus begins. My jaw was fully on the floor after that moment. The song then closes with a slowdown in the outro that feels like a beautiful bow wrapping up an incredible gift.
If you decide to give “Good Luck, Babe!” a listen (below) and fall in love, you should follow it up with the entirety of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. You will most likely listen to nothing but Chappell Roan for the foreseeable future. Good luck, babe!
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