breadwinner
Kacey Musgraves Lyrics

Here's what he'll do
This line sets the stage and indicates that the following lines describe the behavior of a certain type of boy who spends time with women like the singer.

He'll play it cool
The boy will pretend to be indifferent towards the singer's success and not show any emotions.

When he hangs out with a woman like you
The boy enjoys the company of successful women like the singer.

Say he ain't pressed by all your success
The boy will say that the artist's success doesn't have any effect on him and he is not intimidated by it.

Tell you he's different than all of the rest
The boy will claim that he is unique and different from other men and therefore, worth the artist's time and energy.

You're gonna give it all and give it all
The singer will put in a lot of effort and energy into the relationship.

But you won't get it back
Despite the singer's best efforts, she won't receive the same amount of attention or love from the boy in return.

I'm telling you, it's gonna hurt
The situation described in the song is going to be painful for the artist.

Stay away from a boy like that
The artist advises other women to stay away from boys like him.

He wants a breadwinner
The boy is looking for a woman who is financially successful and can provide for him.

He wants your dinner
The boy is interested in a woman who can cook for him and provide him with meals.

Until he ain't hungry anymore
The boy will continue to take advantage of the woman until he is satisfied and doesn't want her anymore.

He wants your shimmer
The boy is attracted to a woman's shine, success, and charisma that reflects on him.

To make him feel bigger
The boy wants the woman to make him feel important and significant by association.

Until he starts feeling insecure
The boy will become insecure and jealous of the woman's success once he realizes that he cannot match up to it.

I wish somebody would've told me the truth
The artist regrets not being informed about these types of boys and their behavior earlier.

See, he's never gonna know what to do
The boy will never know how to act around a successful woman.

With a woman like you
The boy is incapable of handling a woman like the singer.

I can sleep at night
The singer is at peace with herself and her decisions.

Knowing I really tried
The artist tried her best in the relationship despite the boy's behavior.

I put in the time
The artist invested time and effort into the relationship.

But the fault isn't mine
The artist does not blame herself for the failure of the relationship.

And me
This line is part of the chorus and indicates that both the singer and other women have dealt with boys like this.

He likes what he sees
The boy is initially attracted to the success and charisma of the woman.