Zach Bryan’s explosive new album With Heaven on Top isn’t just a collection of songs—it’s a raw, unfiltered public diary. We break down the scathing lyrics targeting his ex, Brianna ‘Chickenfry’ LaPaglia, the romantic odes to new wife Samantha Leonard, and his profound struggles with sobriety and the prospect of fatherhood.
The Diss Tracks: A Blade to Old Tattoos and a Warning from Queens
The most visceral moments on the album are reserved for Bryan’s past relationship. On the track “Skin,” the lyrics are a clear declaration of severance. Bryan sings of taking “a blade to my old tattoos” to drain “the blood between me and you,” a direct reference to the tattoo of his own lyrics that LaPaglia has on her arm, a detail confirmed by People.
The song escalates into a series of pointed questions that fans interpret as aimed at LaPaglia: “Do you still talk s— on all of your friends? Need to take it all to the chin this time stone-cold sober.” This line connects directly to Bryan’s recent sobriety, announced in November, and the very public allegations LaPaglia made after their breakup.
Another track, “Plastic Cigarette,” contains what is perhaps the album’s most damning reference. Bryan sings of meeting someone “evil” in Queens, New York—the exact location where he and LaPaglia began their romance in June 2023 after a concert at Forest Hills Stadium. The lyric “My brother had told me to leave but I didn’t believe the evil beneath some people you meet out in Queens” positions the entire relationship as a cautionary tale he ignored.
The New Love: ‘Slicked Back’ Hair and Spanish Eyes
In stark contrast to the songs about his ex, Bryan’s lyrics about his new wife, Samantha Leonard, are filled with reverence and quiet admiration. The chorus of “Slicked Back” is a pure ode: “You’re so cool in my living room/And when you talk trash with your hair slicked back/When I get to hell or heaven, can I bring my girl?/’Cause she likes romance, good sex, music and ruling the world.”
He also draws a clear line between his past and present, singing, “Used to know some folks who put it all online but you paint landscapes in the evening time.” This is a direct nod to Leonard’s work as a painter, whose art Bryan has shared, and a subtle critique of the social-media-centric life of his previous relationship.
The song “Runny Eggs” appears to chronicle the early days of their courtship, with Bryan singing about booking a flight to Pamplona to “find a lady with some big old Spanish eyes.” This aligns perfectly with the couple’s documented trip to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, in July, which preceded their New Year’s Eve wedding in the same country, as reported by People.
Beyond Romance: Sobriety, Fatherhood, and a Night in Jail
With Heaven on Top delves deeper than just relationship drama. Bryan uses the album to grapple with his newfound sobriety and the life changes that come with it. On “Appetite,” he confronts the pressure to conform to a traditional path: “Everyone I know got older/Told my drunk ass to get sober, settle down and have some kids/Be content with all of this.”
What follows is a moment of profound self-doubt about parenthood: “What if I don’t want children that grow up like their father, willing to stir s— up and start a fight?” This line reveals an artist deeply conscious of his own flaws and hesitant to pass them on.
Bryan also doesn’t shy away from his controversial past. The title track includes a wink to his September 2023 arrest in Oklahoma: “Spend a night in jail after pissing off a cop.” This brief mention acknowledges the incident without letting it dominate the album’s narrative, showing an artist who incorporates his entire journey, both good and bad, into his art.
Why This Album Matters Now
The release of With Heaven on Top is a strategic and cathartic move for Bryan. Coming just over a week after his wedding to Leonard, the album serves as a ceremonial closing of one chapter and the bold opening of another. By lyrically processing the tumult of his past relationship so publicly, he effectively reclaims the narrative that has been circulating in the media since his split from LaPaglia.
For fans, the album is the most transparent look yet into the singer’s psyche. It confirms long-held theories about the inspiration behind his music while also introducing new, more mature themes of responsibility and self-reflection. The album was written, recorded, and produced by Bryan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and he plans to support it with a massive world tour starting in March.
In an era where celebrity breakups are often played out through vague social media posts and press statements, Bryan has chosen the rawest form of communication available to him: his songwriting. With Heaven on Top is not just an album; it’s a statement of intent from an artist determined to define his own story, one brutally honest lyric at a time.
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