In this raw and introspective narrative, Noah Kahan finds himself in a dire situation, having just been arrested for drunk driving and desperately needing help. Struggling with his own demons and breaking a promise, he dials his ex's phone number, which he knows will go unanswered. From the very beginning of the song, the tone is set, as he reflects on the irony of remembering his promise not to contact his ex, yet succumbing to the allure of the past while under the influence of alcohol.
Kahan tries to distance himself from the blame in the first verse, attributing his actions to the drowning effect of his chosen coping mechanism. His medicine, in the form of alcohol, drowns out his perspective, leading him to deny any fault in his continued contact with his ex against her wishes.
During the chorus, regret washes over him as he acknowledges the unsavory aspects of his past that contributed to the demise of their relationship.
I ain't proud of all the punches that I've thrown
In the name of someone I no longer know
For the shame of being young, drunk, and alone
Kahan places all his hopes on a single call, relying on the person he once loved to come through for him in his time of need.
I gave your name as my emergency phone call
Honey, it rang and rang, even the cops thought you were wrong for hanging up
I dial drunk, I'll die a drunk, I'll die for you
His ex hangs up on the police, rejecting any obligation to assist the vulnerable vocalist.
She remains his sole lifeline in this moment, as he grapples with his emotions. As morning approaches, Kahan vows to forget, left only with the haunting sound of the dial tone, a stark reminder of an unanswered call.
The story told in the banjo-led song is completely fictional. "I do just want to emphasize that not every song I make is directly about my life experience," said Kahan. "'Dial' lyrics are not meant to glorify the behavior as much as tell a story about a desperate burnout clinging onto a relationship."
Republic Records released "Dial Drunk" on June 9, 2023 as part of the deluxe edition of Kahan's
Stick Season album.
Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever) contains six new songs plus an extended version of the track "The View Between Villages." Kahan co-produced the album with Gabe Simon (Lana Del Rey's "
Blue Banisters," James Bay's "
Give Me The Reason," Jessie Murph's "
Pray").
Noah Kahan wrote "Dial Drunk" with Noah Levine, also known as Noah In The Open. Berklee College of Music student Levine's talent as a guitarist first caught the attention of artists like Olivia O'Brien, Better Than Ezra, and Kahan himself.
Impressed by Levine's playing on his Stick Season track "Homesick," Kahan invited him to join his band as his touring lead guitarist. The chemistry between the two Noahs sparked a creative synergy that resulted in two co-written tracks for Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever).
Noah Kahan teamed up with Post Malone for
a new version of "Dial Drunk" released on July 18, 2023. The collaboration happened after Malone told Kahan he wanted to not only sing on it, but write his own verse. "I have been listening to Post Malone since '
White Iverson' dropped, even covering '
Congratulations' right when my career was beginning," said Kahan. "It feels like a full circle moment."
The track came to life in Noah Levine's Boston apartment. "He (Noah Kahan) came over to play some basketball with me and my friends,"
Levine told Sheesh Media, "and then we ended up deliriously writing a song for fun in my room and came up with the first draft of 'Dial Drunk.'"
Kahan
performed "Dial Drunk" on the December 2, 2023, episode of
Saturday Night Live. It was his debut on the comedy sketch show as a musical guest.
