At long last, Chappell Roan has released her new breakup ballad “The Subway” with an accompanying music video. She originally debuted the song live on stage at Gov Ball (the one where she dressed as a blunt-smoking Statue of Liberty). And now it’s out there for all of us to listen and yearn to!
The song chronicles running into an ex on the subway and the ensuing snare of emotions it unravels. The simple earnest quality of these lyrics are an asset, Chappell wrapping her strong vocals around vulnerable confessions, like “Made you the villain / evil for just moving on.” And is it just me or is there a Dolores O’Riordan quality to how she sounds on the “over” in “it’s not over” in the chorus?
As a fan of Chappell’s ballads — which generally receive a lot less love than her more upbeat bops — I’m instantly smitten with “The Subway.” This could be a karaoke showstopper at the next queeraoke night. It reminds me a bit of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License” in its earnest breakdown of post-breakup yearning and angst that just sort of simmers in the background as you’re moving through life without someone (and watching them move on). And who among us has not been here: “Somebody wore your perfume / It almost killed me / I had to leave the room” ?
But it’s the accompanying music video that really sells this new Chappell project to me.
According to YouTube, I was waiting with 15,700 other people for the premiere of the “The Subway” music video at 9:59 a.m. this morning. It opens with Chappell in a massive wig that exaggerates her big red hair. The specter with the green hair similarly wears a giant wig as they comically chase each other through the streets of New York. I won’t give a full beat-by-beat breakdown of the music video, because you really should just watch it! As with so many Chappell projects, it’s visually immersive, detailed, with a collage of tonal and aesthetic references. I love the trash accumulating in Chappell’s wig, the simultaneous beauty and grime of the city.
My favorite part is when the subway car transforms into a queer club. Public transportation already has this liminal quality to it, and the surreality of seeing someone you weren’t expecting while on it can disrupt a whole day in my experience. The music video captures that well and, as with all the best music videos, views like an experimental short film.
As someone with multiple exes in NYC, let’s just say this song and its video resonate. Now everyone watch the music video and tell me about the ex you least want to run into on public transportation! (jk)
Also, happy ChappRapp Friday! We got this new Chappell video today and a whole ass new album from Reneé Rapp! What a time to be a lesbian!
Aaaaah oh my gosh, this is easily my favourite Chappell Roan song and I love the music video too!!! Her poppy hits do absolutely nothing for me (sorry Pink Pony Club-heads) but this is goin’ on the playlist. The subject matter of breakups + New York subway feels personal to me too Kayla, as I love love love NYC and the city is now forever connected to my ex in my heart, and part of grieving that relationship is also grieving all the future chances to visit NJ and NYC that died with it. This whole video feels like such a love letter to the city. Love that the Green Lady of Brooklyn is in it for a split second and I am not sure but is that local trans woman and absolute voice legend Bernie Wagenblast’s iconic subway announcement voice in the very last second of the video? If anyone knows this do tell!!!
Pallas, no that’s not me. It’s my friend Charlie Pellett.
Oh my gosh hi Bernie!!! Thanks for responding, and in the Autostraddle comment section of all places! I hope Charlie is thrilled at being part of this music video :D
Green Lady cameo <3
I'm def more a bop-head than a ballad-head, but I'm sure this will grow on me. Love the outro
Mind blown.
Also I gotta say… I heard the teaser all week “I’m moving to Saskatchewan” and then I thought of the raging fires and some of my lesser-quality neurons put those two things together although they are, of course, completely separate.
The bangers obviously great but I too am a ballad-appreciator they don’t get enough love! The refrain makes it just so sad, it’s SO good
I’m late to the Chappell party but better late than never. I’m loving this new song (and I’m someone that listens to In This Moment, Halestorm, Nightwish, etc.). But I love me a ballad with a great hook. This has a great hook.
Honestly dropping this the same day as Renee’s album is a bit too much for me. Unless I can somehow figure out how to play uhmm.. 13 songs at the same time which.. Like my ADHD wants to make it work but realistically I know I can’t.
I’m a sad girlie usually and honestly the fact that I like the bops too is wild. Joy? in my music? Wow.. But I’m so glad that Good Luck Babe, the Giver and The Subway are bops cause.. honestly her success brings me so much joy.
I saw Aurora in concert a few weeks ago and they played Pink Pony Club as sort of hype music/ sound check before Aurora came in and the crowd reacted to it visibly positively. And Tod in the Shadows also mentioned how hard that song goes because he heard straight people singing it. I told my friends that I think it’s maybe the next Bohemian Rhapsody.
Fast forward to a few days later when I randomly watched The Grammy Museum Spotlight on Chappell hosted by Brandi Carlile where Dan was like I wanna write the nest Bohemian Rhapsody and Chappell was like Dan no it’s been done leave it. Psss guys I really think you might have done it already it’s Pink Pony Club.
I’m also gonna indulge in a bit of bitterness cause Chappell’s playing in Budapest on the 11th and I’m in Bucharest.. Like it’s funny that people sort of mix them up pissing off the locals of course but they are like 900 km away which.. isn’t close but it is the closest she played to my location.. And I’m too broke to go.. I’m sort of seething inside but also..
In my early 20s I was miserable at concerts cause I was overstimulated and I have ADHD and like clubbing and honestly a lot of stuff like that is not fun for me and it took a while for me to realize why .. However if I really love the music I get over all of that. And Chappell and Renee are some of the few artists that I make me want to be in a crowd. And not to be dramatic af but.. it gets better? Like sure I’m miserable and depressed and live in a country where marriage isn’t legal and the homophobia is so rampant actors stay in the closet. Actors. And I get to be in my 30s and experience joy though music the way I did as a teen? It’s really precious.
I can completely relate to the ADHD thing, the avoiding crowds thing, etc. Also, to living in a major city that many performers don’t visit (although I only have to go about half the distance you describe to get to one where they do) is frustrating. I’m sorry you’re surrounded by so much homophobia. I mean, we all are, but the fact that even actors are afraid to come out of the closet? Yikes. I’m glad you get to have a teenage thrill from ChappRapp, which I totally have too. It’s nice to feel that again, after (not saying how many) years.
Did Chappell and Renee plot these releases to:
a) Make our brains explode
b) Give our “straight” friends identity crises
c) Make it the gayest week ever
d) All of the above
I’ve had this bleedin’ song on repeat for DAYS now and I’m still panting over how good it is. In particular, the subtle switch in lyrics from “She’s got a way…” to “She got away…” wrecks me to smithereens.