'Spoiled' by Noah Kahan - Lyrics & Meaning

As if Noah Kahan fans weren't spoiled enough with smash hits like 'Stick Season', 'Dial Drunk', 'Forever' and more, the talented singer-songwriter took to social media on February 18 to spoil his supporters once again with what's seemingly a new single.

The teaser came just days after the release of the second extended edition of his Stick Season album, Stick Season (Forever).

In an Instagram reel, Kahan is seen wearing a beige hoodie, strumming and singing a brand new tune alongside a group of instrumentalists, ultimately revealing the title and lyrics in a lengthy caption.

Dubbed 'Spoiled', fans of the folk genre flooded the comment section of the post, demanding the release of the soon-to-be hit song.

“Maybe we could release this one like right now,” one fan suggested.

“Shut up I’m going to puke release it now,” another demanded.

“Pls don’t make us wait for this,” a third begged.

Given that Kahan is in the midst of the first European leg of his We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour, attendees are hopeful that they'll be able to hear the new track live like the fans who got a peek during his show in Cologne, Germany.

As of reporting time, he's yet to reveal when – or if – this tune will hit streaming services worldwide.

Since the track is yet to be released, it's unclear what the studio version of 'Spoiled”'will sound like.

However, based on the teaser shared to social media, featuring Kahan and his colleagues strumming acoustic guitars and banjos, it seems like it will have his signature rootsy, raw sound, falling in line with the folk and Americana genres.

As far as vocals go, Kahan’s beloved cry and yodel will make its way into the tune as well, much to the delight of fans all across the globe.

"Gambling with the sun
On which one of us dies young
I ain't afraid to hold the gun
If it leads to me the safe
Tell the fellas at the morgue
That I'm heading back on tour
Gonna put them boys to work
'Wipe your hands and wash your face'"

'Spoiled' is a rather jaded look on the narrator’s life as he reflects on the risks that he's willing to take and journeys that he's willing to embark on to better the lives of those he loves – notably his future children – despite the burnout it may cause him.

Living life on the edge, he is alluding to the fact that he is willing to do whatever it takes, as in the line “I ain't afraid to hold the gun”, to achieve fortune and fame, which is exemplified as “the safe” within the song.

Going along with the idea of fortune and fame, Kahan references his life as a chart-topping artist in the final four lines of verse one, leaving his life of normalcy and complacency to “head back on tour.” As the tune notes, hitting the road is an attempt to achieve success – and some monetary compensation as well – all to better the lives of his future children.

"I'm filling every pause
I'm speaking when I know something
It's everything I want
It's everything I want"

The pre-chorus continues by sharing the narrator’s busy lifestyle, “filling every pause” and continuously working hard to achieve said success.

"I hope my children get spoiled when they get old
So they can fuck up all they want and blame it all on their dad
So they can watch me go to work then fall asleep on the couch
They'll say, 'I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that'
They'll say, 'I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that'"

As mentioned previously, this idea of fortune and fame comes to a head in the chorus of the unreleased track, with the narrator admitting that “he hopes his children get spoiled when they get old,” largely due to the hard work he put in before they were born.

Admitting that they can mess up as much as they want, as well as enjoy their youth, Kahan shares that he doesn't mind working tirelessly as an artist to make sure that his kids can live their best life, though, this is where he mentions his feelings of burnout for the first time.

The final two lines repeat one another, sharing that his children will say “I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that.” In these lines, Kahan is alluding to the idea that his kids might admire all of the glitz and glam that he's had as a successful musician, but seeing all of the burnout at home, they won't aspire for fame like their father.

"I'm betting on the north
To drag my ass back down to Earth
'Cause, where I'm from and what I'm worth
Have gotten too damn intertwined
If I'm gone this time next year
If I inhale the smoke and smash the mirrors
Fuck it, I might even disappear
I hope you've had a decent time"

The narrator’s burnout continues in verse two, where he explains that he has lost sight of who he truly is, needing to be dragged “back down to Earth,” as well as separate his work and personal lives.

To follow, he explains that all of his hard work is really taking a toll on him, threatening to “inhale the smoke and smash the mirrors,” as well as step out of the limelight once and for all.

"I'm gambling with the sun
Oh, man, on which one of us dies young
I ain't afraid to hold the gun
If it leads to me the safe
I'm filling every pause
I'm speaking when I know something
It's everything I want
It's everything I want"

The outro is essentially a combination of verse one and the pre-chorus, with the first four lines stemming from the former and the last four lines stemming from the latter.

Unfortunately, Kahan has not said anything about 'Spoiled', aside from the teaser that he shared to social media on February 18.

Nonetheless, it is safe to say that fans will be keeping up with the Grammy Award nominee on social media until further notice for any kind of updates.

Gambling with the sun
On which one of us dies young
I ain't afraid to hold the gun
If it leads to me the safe
Tell the fellas at the morgue
That I'm heading back on tour
Gonna put them boys to work
"Wipe your hands and wash your face"

I'm filling every pause
I'm speaking when I know something
It's everything I want
It's everything I want

I hope my children get spoiled when they get old
So they can fuck up all they want and blame it all on their dad
So they can watch me go to work then fall asleep on the couch
They'll say, "I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that"
They'll say, "I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that"

I'm betting on the north
To drag my ass back down to Earth
'Cause, where I'm from and what I'm worth
Have gotten too damn intertwined
If I'm gone this time next year
If I inhale the smoke and smash the mirrors
Fuck it, I might even disappear
I hope you've had a decent time

'Cause I'm filling every pause
I'm speaking when I know something
It's everything I want
It's everything I want

Just hope my children get spoiled when they get old
So they can fuck up all they want and blame it all on their dad
So they can watch me go to work then fall asleep on the couch
They'll say, "I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that"
They'll say, "I wanna be you, but I don't wanna be that"

I'm gambling with the sun
Oh, man, on which one of us dies young
I ain't afraid to hold the gun
If it leads to me the safe
I'm filling every pause
I'm speaking when I know something
It's everything I want
It's everything I want

––

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