by Chappell Roan · 2024
The song “The Subway” by Chappell Roan is about struggling to move on from a past lover, feeling their lingering presence in everyday life, and longing for the day when memories of them no longer hurt.
This song has been Shazamed over 546,976 times. As of this writing, The Subway is ranked 200
‘The Subway’ by Chappell Roan is a heartfelt song about remembering someone you loved and how hard it can be to move on. We’re going to break down the feelings and stories behind this powerful track. ⬇️
Roan’s lyrics transport us to the underground world of the subway, where memories are as persistent as the rumble of the train cars. The atmosphere is thick with longing, regret, and the ache of seeing reminders of a lost love at every turn.
When we arrive at the chorus, we’re hit with the relentless cycle of heartbreak—“It’s just another day / And it’s not over, till it’s over / It’s never over.” The pain lingers, refusing to fade, and we feel trapped in the echo chamber of old habits and wishful thinking. We’re counting days, bargaining with ourselves, hoping that one day the person who meant everything will become “just another girl on the subway,” just another face in the crowd, but until then, the wounds stay raw.
In the verses, Roan’s vivid imagery—green hair, a beauty mark, the ghostly presence of a familiar perfume—shows how heartbreak can haunt every sense, every corner of a city. “Made you the villain / Evil for just moving on,” she admits, revealing the self-inflicted pain of blaming someone for healing faster than you. There’s even a desperate promise to escape, to move far away (“Saskatchewan!”) if time doesn’t do its job, but we know deep down, grief is stubborn and travels with us.
By the outro, the refrain “She got away” loops like a mantra, both a lament and an acceptance that some things slip through our fingers no matter how tightly we hold on. It’s a dizzying blend of mourning what’s lost and grudging admiration for the one who left—a way of saying goodbye that never quite feels final.
The true heart of “The Subway” is in its raw admission: letting go isn’t a clean break—it’s a daily, messy, sometimes hilarious struggle, and sometimes, all we can do is ride the train and hope the memory fades with each passing stop.
Writer(s) of The Subway:
