Stick Season

"Stick Season" is a deeply personal and metaphorical song about heartbreak, loneliness, and the feeling of being stagnant while the world moves on. The title itself refers to a colloquial term from Noah Kahan's native Vermont, describing the bleak period between autumn and winter when the trees are bare. This transitional, desolate season serves as a powerful metaphor for the emotional limbo the narrator finds himself in after a breakup. He feels trapped in his small hometown, surrounded by memories of a past relationship, while his former partner has moved on. The lyrics explore themes of nostalgia, regret, and the difficulty of coping with change, especially when feeling isolated. It touches on the complexities of small-town life, where personal histories are intertwined and moving on can feel impossible. The song also hints at broader anxieties, such as those brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified feelings of being stuck. Ultimately, "Stick Season" is a poignant reflection on loss and the painful process of healing in an environment that constantly reminds you of what you've lost.

The song begins with the memory of a promise made by a former lover, a promise that their connection was stronger than any physical distance. This promise, however, seems to have dissolved mid-journey, as the lover's voice faded right as they passed the narrator's exit on the highway, symbolizing the end of their shared path. The narrator finds themself back in a familiar, yet emotionally desolate place, grappling with the remnants of this failed relationship during 'stick season' – that dreary, transitional time in Vermont after the vibrant autumn leaves have fallen, but before the winter snow has arrived to cover the bleakness.

Life in his small town feels stagnant and suffocating. The narrator sees his ex's mother, who has already forgotten he existed, a painful reminder of his insignificance in their world now. He admits to a degree of self-pity, using alcohol as a crutch until his friends return for the holidays. He's haunted by dreams of a version of his ex that he feels he didn't truly lose, because perhaps he never fully had them. What's left of the relationship are mere traces – like tire tracks in the mud and a single pair of shoes, leaving him feeling fractured, a state he has to accept.

The narrator reflects on his internal conflict, caught between anger and the blame he can't quite face. His life feels like a charade, a performance for the people back home. He recalls a doctor's advice to travel, a suggestion rendered impossible by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him feeling even more trapped. The memory of his ex-partner's seasonal affective disorder is poignant, a shared vulnerability that now only highlights his own loneliness. He questions the nature of forgiveness, wondering if it's something earned or simply a state of being one accepts over time. The song concludes with a raw admission of his emotional state, acknowledging that despite loving his home state of Vermont, the 'season of the sticks' mirrors his internal landscape of loss and stagnation, where he is left to grapple with the ghosts of what was and what could have been.

Noah Kahan wrote "Stick Season" in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic while living back in his hometown of Strafford, Vermont. He had been feeling burnt out from the music industry and disconnected from his previous pop-influenced sound. During a period of insecurity, he wrote a verse and chorus for the song and posted a clip to TikTok in late 2020, which quickly gained traction. Despite his initial doubts about the song's appeal, the positive online response encouraged him to finish it. The song marked a significant shift for Kahan towards a more authentic, folk-centric sound inspired by his New England roots and influences like Phoebe Bridgers and Sam Fender. The term "stick season" itself is a local Vermont phrase for the bleak time between fall and winter, which Kahan felt was a perfect metaphor for his feelings of being stuck and left behind. The song was produced by Kahan alongside Gabe Simon. An early version was performed on an Instagram live stream before its official release. "Stick Season" was released as the lead single from his third studio album of the same name on July 8, 2022.

"Stick Season" utilizes a relatively straightforward and effective rhyme scheme within its verses, often following an AABB or ABCB pattern, which contributes to its memorable and folk-like storytelling quality. The rhymes are often perfect or near-perfect (e.g., "combined"/"drive", "existed"/"victim"), making the lyrics feel both natural and poetic. The chorus features a more anthemic and repetitive structure, making it highly singable and memorable. The song is set in a 4/4 time signature with a tempo around 115-118 BPM, giving it a steady, driving rhythm that propels the narrative forward. The rhythmic structure of the vocals is conversational yet melodic, with Kahan often cramming quick wordplay into the verses before opening up into the more spacious, belted-out chorus. This dynamic interplay between lyrical density and melodic release contributes significantly to the song's emotional impact and its viral appeal.

• Specific, Narrative Lyrics: Kahan employs vivid, story-driven lyrics that paint a clear picture of his emotional state and physical surroundings. Name-dropping his home state of Vermont and using local colloquialisms like "stick season" grounds the song in a specific, authentic place, which ironically makes its themes of heartbreak and feeling lost more universal.
• Vulnerable Vocal Delivery: Kahan's vocal performance is raw and emotive, conveying a sense of honesty and vulnerability that resonates with the listener. There's a palpable ache in his voice that enhances the song's melancholic tone.
• Folk-Pop Instrumentation: The song features a blend of acoustic guitar, banjo, and a driving rhythm that builds in intensity. This folk-pop arrangement is both intimate and anthemic, creating a sound that is both traditional and contemporary. The production, while clean, maintains a raw, live feel, with subtle instrumentation that doesn't overpower the vocals and lyrics.
• Wordplay and Juxtaposition: Kahan uses clever wordplay, such as being "split in half, but that'll have to do," to express complex emotions with a sense of resigned wit. The upbeat, almost singalong nature of the chorus contrasts with the heartbreaking lyrics, creating a bittersweet emotional experience.

"Stick Season" became a massive and unexpected cultural phenomenon, propelling Noah Kahan from a respected indie artist to a Grammy-nominated, mainstream star. Initially gaining traction on TikTok in 2022, the song went viral, resonating with a huge audience who connected with its themes of heartbreak, hometown ambivalence, and mental health. Its popularity was significantly boosted when artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Maisie Peters covered the song, introducing it to an even wider listenership. The song achieved remarkable chart success internationally, reaching number one in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the Netherlands. In the US, it climbed into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The success of the single and the subsequent album, also titled "Stick Season," marked a significant moment for the folk-pop genre, bringing its heartfelt storytelling and acoustic sound back into the mainstream spotlight in a major way. The song has been praised for its lyrical depth and emotional honesty, solidifying Kahan's reputation as a powerful songwriter for his generation.

• Stick Season: The most significant metaphor is the title itself. "Stick season" is a Vermont term for the time of year after the leaves have fallen but before the snow has come. It symbolizes a period of transition, bleakness, and emotional limbo, mirroring the narrator's feelings of being stuck after a breakup.
• Driving Metaphors: The song uses the imagery of driving to represent the relationship's journey and its end. The line, "You must have had yourself a change of heart like halfway through the drive / 'Cause your voice trailed off exactly as you passed my exit sign," powerfully visualizes the moment of separation and being left behind. The "tire tracks and one pair of shoes" symbolize the faint, painful remnants of the departed lover.
• Hometown as a Trap: The small Vermont town, while loved, also represents a feeling of being trapped and unable to move forward. Seeing the ex's mother who has forgotten the narrator underscores his feeling of erasure and the suffocating nature of a place filled with shared memories.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: The mention of his ex being "afraid of the dark" and having "seasonal depression" connects the emotional turmoil of the breakup to the literal darkness and cold of the changing seasons, reinforcing the song's central theme.

The most prominent recurring phrase and central motif is "the season of the sticks." Its repetition in the chorus, "And I love Vermont, but it's the season of the sticks," reinforces the central metaphor of the song. It anchors the narrator's feelings of being trapped and heartbroken within the specific, bleak landscape of his home state during that transitional time of year. The phrase encapsulates the entire emotional core of the song: a love for a place that is currently a source of pain and a reminder of loss. The repetition of dreaming of "some version of you" also serves as a key lyrical motif, highlighting the narrator's inability to let go of the past and his tendency to idealize what has been lost. The imagery of driving and the road appears at the beginning and serves as a foundational motif for the journey of the relationship and its ultimate divergence.