American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan released a new single Jan. 30, titled “The Great Divide,” after his upcoming album with the same name. The song had over 8.4 million streams in its first week of release and quickly became Kahan’s highest-streaming launch ever. 

The song sticks with Kahan’s folk-pop vibe but brings a little more rock into the equation. The song is broody and reflective, but also hopeful for the future. The lyrics tell an emotional story that had fans speculating across the internet about the true meaning.

“The Great Divide” tells the story of a pair of friends who grew out of touch, which is a special type of tragedy in its own. The narrator looks back on this time and realizes that his friend was drowning in a pain he couldn’t recognize because he was struggling with his own. 

He wishes his lost friend all the best and hopes he’s living better now. He wants his friend to be afraid of everyday things instead of painful existential questions. The song emphasizes the peace of normalcy and how the little things we fear can be bigger blessings than we know. 

Fans have created their own theories for the story behind the song using specific lyrics. The most popular theory online is that the main character has experienced intense religious trauma and is struggling to find peace, stemming primarily from the line at the end, “I hope you threw a brick right into that stained glass.” 

Other theories range from the narrator reflecting on a friend who has passed away to simply growing apart from a childhood buddy.

I listen to Noah Kahan almost daily, so I was incredibly excited when this song came out. I was not disappointed. The song feels exactly like nostalgia, an aching loss combined with hopeful memory. Anyone can listen and find themselves in it, on either side.

“I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich” is a chant for the people who miss someone they don’t talk to anymore. It’s the dawning understanding that you missed something important, something that they were begging you to see, and knowing there’s nothing you can do to change it. 

“The Great Divide” is regret, peace, and tearful acceptance all rolled up into one catchy pop song. 

The title track of Kahan’s future album has left me with high hopes for his album release on April 24. Snippets of unreleased songs have been leaked onto TikTok, so fans have an idea of what to expect. Many are excited for “Pain is Cold Water” and “Porch Light,” which have been trending on social media for months.

Categories: Arts & Entertainment