New Jersey Lyrics – Charlie Puth | from “Whatever’s Clever!”

Charlie Puth takes a tender detour home on New Jersey, the fourth track from his introspective new album Whatever’s Clever!, landing March 6, 2026, via Atlantic Records, and it feels like flipping through old photos in the backseat of a Jersey Turnpike drive, all nostalgic glow and that quiet pull of where you started.

Puth has always woven his life into the hooks, but this one digs deeper into his Rumson roots, the kind of song that started as a late-night piano doodle during those early pandemic days when everything slowed down. It’s got his classic pop sheen, bright keys and a steady groove that nods to the ’80s soul he loves, but with these raw, unfiltered edges—think subtle strings swelling like ocean waves off the shore, carrying lines about small-town dreams clashing with the big lights he chased.

Thematically, it’s a love letter to the place that shaped him, unpacking the ache of leaving family behind for fame, mixed with fresh gratitude now that he’s building his own. No big collabs here, just Puth solo on production with a couple trusted engineers, letting the vulnerability breathe without overthinking it. He teased a snippet in one of his Whatever’s Clever residency shows back in September, and the crowd lost it, singing along to half-remembered bars like they were already old favorites.

Whatever’s Clever! isn’t just another collection—it’s Puth’s most unguarded swing yet, a 12-track therapy session clocking around 42 minutes, from the upbeat lead Changes (that baby-bump reveal in the video had everyone tearing up) to collabs like Sideways with Coco Jones adding some smooth R&B lift. The whole thing orbits big life shifts: fatherhood on the horizon, shaking off industry burnout, and owning the weird kid who taught himself keys on YouTube. Tracks like Beat Yourself Up hit the self-doubt hard midway, while closers like Hey Brother lean into sibling bonds, all tied with that polished-but-real production he honed on Voicenotes.

Puth is stepping into this new era with both feet, fresh off those intimate Vegas residencies where he road-tested half the album and connected like never before, all while prepping for dad life with wife Brooke. It’s his fourth go-round, but the first where he scrapped a whole draft to chase something truer, trading radio chasers for stories that stick with you.

Dive into the New Jersey lyrics below and unpack its raw narrative. Don’t miss other Whatever’s Clever! tracks for more of Charlie Puth’s heartfelt glow.