Trust Fund Baby

⋆ Genre [Source: Naver/BigHit]: Pop Ballad, Indie Pop

⋆ Producing Credits: Brian Philips Slow Rabbit

⋆ Writing/Composing Credits: Cate Downey, Slow Rabbit, danke, Brian Philips, TAEHYUN, YEONJUN

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ABOUT/MEANING: ‘Trust Fund Baby’ embodies the third stage of grief: bargaining, offering a critique of wealth and privilege. The song explores the boys' internal conflict between emotional pain and the fantasy of escaping it through material success, where the superficial allure of a privileged life contrasts with their desire for authentic connections and meaningful experiences. The song highlights the gap between their reality and an idealized existence, suggesting they may attempt to 'bargain' for happiness through external means, only to realize that material wealth cannot offer true fulfillment. In contrast to ‘LO$ER=LOVER’, where the boys reject materialism for love, ‘Trust Fund Baby’ reflects their struggle with the idea that wealth could ease their emotional pain, before ultimately realizing it cannot. It captures the frustration and self-reflection of the bargaining stage, revealing that no external solution - such as wealth - can resolve their deeper emotional challenges.

*For further context on the song check out the 'Minisode 2: Thursday's Child' album summary

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LYRICS - ENGLISH TRANSLATION (translations by @translatingTXT)

To me, the shining silver spoon is just somebody else's story

CONTRAST/EXPLANATION: The phrase "silver spoon" is commonly used to describe someone born into wealth and privilege. It originates from the expression "born with a silver spoon in their mouth," which means that the person has advantages or opportunities due to their wealthy or well-connected family.

It's somebody else's dream

In the lives of those who already have everything, there's no "game over"

If they want to, they can keep anything they wish

They're different from me

Whether it's just a room, their dream or love, oh

I can't be a lover,

The charge of this world is a bit too much

I might lose again, this game

I'll never be a trust fund baby, no

CONTEXT/EXPLANATION: A trust fund baby refers to someone who has inherited wealth from a family trust fund. This fund is typically set up by wealthy parents or relatives to provide financial support for the individual, often covering their living expenses, education, and other needs, without the individual having to work for it. The term can sometimes carry a negative connotation, implying that the person has not earned their wealth and may live a life of privilege without having to make efforts for financial success.

Why can't that life ever be mine?

My heart, emptier than my wallet, is named

"Lover with no dollar sign"

SELF REFERENCE: In LO$ER=LOVER the boys reject materialism with "Lover with a dollar sign is a loser," emphasizing that love holds more value than wealth. However, in Trust Fund Baby, "Lover with no dollar sign" reflects their painful realization that without money, even love can feel unattainable—suggesting their circumstances might have been different if they had wealth. This shift underscores how deeply financial status impacts self-worth and relationships, portraying a more disillusioned view of love in a capitalist society.

I'll never be a trust fund baby, no

I wish everything's a lie

The stolen hunnit bands, only make me more miserable

SELF REFERENCE: 'LO$ER=LOVER':  "In my two hands, hunnit bands." (Yeonjun can be seen as stealing from a bank in the LO$ER=LOVER video).

I can never become the owner

There's no such thing as paradise for a loser,

There's definitely no salvation

Yeah, I know I know I'm not like them

Even if I add or multiply the numbers, it doesn't work out

To me, every number is still zero

I'm nothing; you can't buy it

SELF REFERENCE: '0x1=LOVESONG': The song title used mathematical symbolism to represent an emotional journey, where ‘0’ symbolizes the boys and their feelings of emptiness, and ‘1’ represents “you” - the source of emotional breakthrough that gave their lives meaning. However, now that "you" are gone, they are once again left with 0, unable to find another number to multiply with it to change their circumstances. In the process, they ultimately conclude that no matter what they do, they cannot escape their sense of emptiness; they remain a 0, unable to create value without external validation.

I'll never be a trust fund baby, no

Why can't that life ever be mine?

My heart, emptier than my wallet, is named

"Lover with no dollar sign"

I'll never be a trust fund baby, no

I wish everything's a lie

I'll never be a trust fund baby, no

I wish everything's a lie

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Helpful Context (Album Summary): 'Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child' explores the emotional turbulence of adolescence, focusing on heartbreak, identity, and self-discovery. The love that once felt like salvation in 'The Chaos Chapters' ultimately proves unsustainable, leaving the boy* - who had relied on it for healing and guidance - feeling lost after his first breakup. Framed through Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance - the album portrays his emotional journey, illustrating his transition from pain to growth. As the boy comes to terms with the end of the love that once defined him, he takes his first steps toward moving forward; no longer clinging to the past, he is finally ready to embrace what lies ahead. Acting as a bridge between 'The Chaos Chapters' and 'The Name Chapters,' the album sets the stage for his evolving understanding of himself and his place in the world. [*Within TXT's discography-based narrative the 'boys/boy' can be interpreted as representing the TXT members, but they also serve as generalized protagonists used to convey the broader experiences of youth.]

Helpful Context (Album Series Summary): In between each series of chapters in TXT's discography,  'minisodes' are released. Minisodes serve as transitional bridges, between chapters, guiding the listener from one era to the next while introducing new themes and emotional turning points.