The final song of Gumboot Soup (and the band’s five albums from 2017) is “The Wheel.” Taking influences from jazz and psychedelic rock, it's the longest tune on the album while also containing some of the most thoughtful and meaningful lyrics. The choruses (sung by Stu) describe how we “fall asleep” with the future ahead of us, while the verses (sung by Ambrose) examine how we live our lives passively or even without sympathy. The first verse notes how we see those who need help but decline to offer a hand, even if it would collectively lead us to a better world. The second verse tells of “shivering pilgrims” who attempt to achieve their idealized version of death by ending on their own terms. We’re all traveling to that inevitable end point and we want it to end in our own ways though this may never happen if we refuse to help each other. The third and final verse notes how society is under stress and that division will be our downfall. The wheel itself is a guiding force, a way into the future we want, but one we actively fail to control. For us to steer a path through the unstoppable march of time, there must be action. Ultimately the lyrics can be interpreted in a number of ways. While one may view it as a song about neglecting the future, another may see it as a song rooted in Hegelian philosophy. The song’s deep, existential lyrics paired with the somber and emotional music creates a perfect end note for both Gumboot Soup and 2017 as a whole.

Ambrose (vocals), Cavs (drums), Joey (bass), Lucas (keyboards) and Stu (vocals/keyboards/percussion) played on the song, which was recorded and mixed by Stu at Flightless HQ. It saw a release on Gumboot Soup on December 31st, 2017. On vinyl pressings the song ends with a locked groove, meaning that the final moments of the music loop continuously until you lift the needle, making a clever interactive metaphor for the meaning of the song. Lucas would call the song “underrated” during the band’s 2020 Reddit AMA.