Dealer

Album: I'm Only F--king Myself (2025)
Charted: 27
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Since first turning heads with "Messy," Lola Young has made a habit of digging through the emotional attic and handing listeners whatever she finds, whether it's rage, regret, or the odd flash of gallows humor. Written alongside producers Solomonophonic and Will "Manuka" Brown - two longtime collaborators from her This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway era - "Dealer" is a jumpy, skittering tune that finds a heartbroken Young threatening to ghost her own life in favor of something – anything - less emotionally taxing.
  • I wanna get away, far from here
    Pack my bags and tell my dealer I'll miss him


    On the surface, the lyric is a wry nod to drug use, delivered with a shrug of dark humor. But underneath, it reflects the push-pull dynamic of addiction and escape. By saying she'll "miss him," Young humanizes the dealer - not just as a supplier of substances, but as a symbol of the comfort and routine she's trying to break away from. It suggests a deeper relationship with self-sabotage: even as she chooses to run, part of her still clings to what she knows, however destructive it may be.

    In short, she's not just leaving a person; she's leaving a version of herself. And that's always harder than it sounds.
  • "Dealer" was issued on July 25, 2025, as the third single from Lola Young's third album I'm Only F---ing Myself. Compared to her previous singles, it's the most openly vulnerable. "Not Like That Anymore" strikes a bittersweet balance, pairing emotional honesty with flickers of resilience and dry humor in the wake of a breakup. "One Thing," on the other hand, leans fully into confidence and sexual freedom, ditching heartbreak for irony and swagger. Together, they chart a journey through chaos, clarity, and contradiction, and with "Dealer," Young leans into the chaos with full-throttle honesty.
  • And if you're wondering, yes, the I'm Only F---ing Myself album title is meant to sting. As Young puts it, the record is "my ode to self-sabotage, my chance to claw myself back from the edge of defeat." "Dealer" represents a step further into her personal darkness and honesty, setting the tone for the album as a portrait of struggle, resilience, and self-discovery.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.