This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.
In February, two of my close friends and I saw rising indie/folk/pop artist Noah Kahan at Mission Ballroom. Between the sold-out venue with a crowd who absolutely loves him and his unique merch referencing all of his albums, the concert was a success. Noah Kahan played all of our favorite songs, so what better way to re-live the concert than to look at the tracklist in a bit more detail? Lyric analysis is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to the artists I listen to most, and if you’re looking for a new artist to bond with over experiences or feelings, Noah Kahan just may be your guy.
The Songs he Played from Stick Season
- “Northern Attitude”
- One of the most popular songs on Stick Season, “Northern Attitude” is a song about Noah’s childhood and where he was raised having an effect on his adult life. He implied that he’s having a conversation with someone he knows, perhaps an old friend, and catching up with them about their current, yet different, places in life.
- “Stick Season”
- “Stick Season” is the title song of Noah’s most recent album, and reminisces on a past relationship that fell apart suddenly. He claims “you once called me forever, now you still can’t call me back,” implying that they could see a future together but it ended and left him still thinking about that time in his life. He claims that not even the other person’s mom remembers that he was once such a big part of their life, but he may also be to blame for part of the relationship’s crash-and-burn ending.
- “All My Love”
- In contrast to “Stick Season,” “All my Love,” represents a more supportive and loving side of Noah. Though he’s talking to someone he used to date who used to live near him, he claims there’s no hard feelings about the distance or the way things may have ended, and that he’s there for them if they ever need anything. He remembers the good things about their relationship, the memories they shared together, and wishes them all the best in the future. Perhaps suggesting he is still in love with them, he sings, “you got all my love and it’s still out here” meaning that he will always be there to support them no matter the circumstance, and if they ever decide to come back, he’ll be waiting.
- “She Calls Me Back”
- “She Calls Me Back” seems to be a kind of emotional roller coaster for Noah. He talks about the sacrifices he made in a relationship and how he feels when he’s not around or talking to the person on the other end. He exclaims how he seems obsessive, sees her in his dreams, and is constantly thinking about her and where their relationship is at. Yet, as soon as he hears from her, everything is okay again. Noah tells her “I’ll love you when the oceans dry, I’ll love you when the rivers freeze,” meaning that no matter the circumstance, he will love her until the end of time despite the ups and downs they may have in their relationship.
- “Come Over”
- As he stated before playing this song at his concert, “Come Over” is a song about being ashamed of where you live and having hardships at home, but still inviting people over because you’re perceived as weird if you don’t. Everyone has those things about their home life that they don’t like and those things can take a visible toll on people. He refers to himself as a “sad kid in a sad house” and says his house looks like it’s also crying where “the eyes are the windows” and “the garage is the mouth.” This is perhaps a metaphor for how he feels other people perceive his house and his living situation, but he states that there are some redeeming qualities that may make people want to stay. This could be a larger metaphor for his life and how he has always been depressed, but can treat someone right and be a good thing in their life.
- “New Perspective”
- In “New Perspective,” Noah seems to be referring to talking to someone from his hometown that he had a fling with, and how being with them in the present moment makes him think about where they came from. He says that the other person has left the town, came back with a new point of view on things, and Noah feels they don’t share that connection based on their hometown anymore. He wants to bring them back to remembering the life they shared before they grew apart and gained new perspectives on life.
- “Everywhere, Everything”
- One of my personal favorite songs on this album, “Everywhere, Everything” is an emotional ballad for a lover. He says he wants to be with them forever, until they’re “food for the worms to eat” and they decompose because they have died. He references many of the memories they have made together, their personalities, and how well they work as a couple, but also mentions that they didn’t see any of the troubles they had getting in the way of their vision of the future together. This song is a mostly-wholesome, genuine song about wanting to be with someone for eternity and making memories with them that will last a lifetime.
- “Orange Juice”
- “Orange Juice” is a very personal song, and one many people can relate to in terms of their relationship with a loved one suffering from addiction. He reflects on the fact that his loved one was struggling with getting sober, but now they will not be tempted by anything at Noah’s party, because Noah has also stopped drinking since then. He says he’s “just glad you could visit,” – meaning he won’t bring anything up from the past and just wants to focus on the future where there are no problems on either end related to substance abuse. They’ve both changed as people, but want to have a new view on life and each other after the addiction they’ve both been affected by.
- “Growing Sideways”
- Another quite relatable song on Stick Season is “Growing Sideways,” : a song about feeling like you’re not getting anywhere in life while everyone around you is moving forward and hitting milestones. He discusses his experience with therapy and how he feels like everyone around him is “growing” and “healthy” but he’s still stuck in a place where he is moving perpendicular to everyone metaphorically. He also discusses feeling how his “engine” is on empty and that his life may have been a waste if he’s not moving forward through the same experiences as everyone around him. However, he knows his own unique path is what’s keeping him alive and that there are worse coping mechanisms than having an individual experience.
- “Homesick”
- “Homesick” is another emotionally complicated song of Noah’s. This song expresses both his love for, and resentment towards, his hometown in New England. He states that, while he never really left, he is somehow homesick for something which could have been. Saying “I would leave if only I could find a reason,” he is ready to leave the town but he’s still stayed all this time for potential hope the town will fulfill his desires. This is a great song for the people who have a complicated relationship with where they are from, and a bittersweet remembrance of things past.
- “The View Between Villages”
- The last track on Stick Season is a song called “The View Between Villages,” where Noah reflects on his old and his current life as he drives home. He sees the place he grew up as he’s coming from his new life, and thinks about all the things he loved and hated about his hometown. This song is a metaphor for feeling some of who you used to be after you’ve grown and changed as a person, and having mixed emotions about going back to your roots. He remembers the negative things about his life before now, but recognizes that it’s a part of who he is and always will be.
Other Songs he Played from Older Albums
From Busyhead
- “Young Blood”
- Since he wrote this song when he was 17, Noah refers to “Young Blood” as a song about his experience starting out in the music industry and the kinds of challenges he faced. He apologizes to his younger self for having to grow up so fast as a result of playing shows and losing his friends and home life when he started out in the industry. Telling his younger self that the most important thing is to always stay true to himself, he serves as a sort of unknown, future supporter and a voice saying that he’ll make it in life and the industry so long as he doesn’t always conform to what they want him to be. This sends the message that it’s important to retain who you are even when life tells you otherwise.
- “Mess”
- “Mess” is another relatable song from Busyhead: about losing yourself through the chaos of life and finding yourself again when you have a chance to finally settle down and relax. He claims nothing feels the same in his hometown and says all the people he used to talk to now only care about his fame. Everything he has experienced since entering the music industry has affected another part of his life, and he feels like he has tried to ignore the many parts of his life falling apart by going on tour. He’s also afraid of other new people he meets thinking he’s too much of a mess to be worth keeping around, which is a common feeling for a lot of people.
- “False Confidence”
- “False Confidence” is a song that addresses an internal battle most of us are fighting – talking about how we constantly build ourselves up and tear ourselves apart depending on the day and the circumstance, and how it ultimately has an effect on how we see ourselves in the long run. He talks about how he wishes he could go back to a better time where he didn’t worry about his confidence, saying “I hope I’ll wake up young again.” This song is perfect for anyone thinking they will never be truly confident because of what the world tells us and what we tell both ourselves and each other.
- “Carlo’s Song”
- “Carlo’s Song” is a very emotional song about losing a friend and coping with grief. Noah discusses the memories he made with his old friend and how they saw each other every other weekend, but he didn’t realize it wasn’t enough time until his friend had already passed away. He says he hopes his friend could escape their pain and wants them to know everyone is still present but missing them. Noah says he feels regretful, which can be taken as a statement of survivor’s guilt.
From Cape Elizabeth
- “Glue Myself Shut”
- “Glue Myself Shut” from Noah Kahan’s EP Cape Elizabeth is a reflection on the people in his life that have supported him and helped him even when he pushed them away and was unappreciative of their attempts to get through to him. He states that the people in his life never pried or asked him to talk about things he was uncomfortable with, but created a network that supported him regardless of the circumstance. Singing “oh you’d wear yourself thin and accept every sin,” Noah implies that he was never judged for his actions and now realizes he may have not given enough credit to those who loved him for who he was and were always there for him.
- “Maine”
- The last song on Cape Elizabeth, “Maine,” reminisces on a past relationship and questions the other person’s life now that they are no longer together. Saying he wants to go to Maine is Noah likely implying that he wants to go back to simpler times where nothing in the relationship was as complicated and they were still together. However, he refers to them as “no more than fossils on Crescent Beach State Park,” saying they were once a huge part of each other’s lives but their memories live on in the places they went together despite the breakup.
From Hurt Somebody
- “Passenger”
- One of my personal favorite Noah Kahan songs, “Passenger,” preaches a journey of self-improvement and relying on others when needed. Throughout the song, Noah talks about things that have helped to reduce his anxiety and the importance of finding things that you can find joy in even when the world around you seems chaotic and hard to balance.
Seeing Noah Kahan live was one of the best experiences of my life. I love diving deeper into the songs that he’s written, specifically the ones he sang on tour. His music is full of messages, stories, and memories many of us can relate to. If you’re looking for a new artist to support and need somewhere to start, Noah Kahan will speak to you through his music in a way that makes you a lifelong fan!