An Analysis of Sabrina Carpenter’s New Album: Man’s Best Friend

I always appreciate when you can tell an artist is having fun with their creative projects – and that’s exactly what brought me joy during my first listen of Sabrina Carpenter's new album, Man’s Best Friend. Sabrina is known for her cheeky lyrics, catchy beats, hyperfeminine looks, and her ability to turn relatable experiences in relationships and breakups into witty pop anthems. In the span of 38 minutes, Sabrina takes her fans on a journey through a relationship that unravels into a breakup filled with mixed emotions. Each song represents a different phase of a relationship — from the first track, Manchild, about putting up with an immature boyfriend, to the final track, Goodbye, which captures the final moments of acceptance.

The playful beat of Manchild complements the witty lyrics, yet creates a contrast that masks the sad truth of dealing with a partner who’s emotionally immature. The meaning behind Manchild is a universal experience for all girls – making it the first lead single as it truly encapsulates the meaning behind the album. 

Staying on the theme from Manchild, Sabrina makes it clear in the album’s second track, Tears, that a guy simply being responsible is a big turn-on for her. The title itself sounds sad, but the creative mind of Sabrina strikes again as she’s celebrating her wants in a partner.

Track three, My Man on Willpower, explores the theme of confusion that occurs when a partner suddenly switches up with no explanation through a mix of humor, an upbeat tune, and country influences. My favorite lyrics from the song, ‘He used to be literally obsessed with me / I’m suddenly the least sought-after girl in the land,’ truly capture the frustration that comes with the aftermath of being love-bombed – which is a feeling all too many girls are familiar with in today’s modern dating.

 Following the themes of dealing with mixed signals from a partner, Sabrina explains how she needs more than words of affirmation in Sugar Talking – one of my favorite tracks of the album. The lyric, ‘Put your loving where your mouth is / Your sugar talking isn’t working tonight,’ captures the frustration of not being satisfied with a partner’s words of affection and instead longing for them to prove their care through actions — because actions speak louder than words.

We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night, one of the saddest songs on the album, explores the cycle of back-and-forth arguments that drag on between a couple before ending in a breakup – a universal feeling as it’s difficult knowing when to call it quits while in a relationship you want to work. ‘Big deal we’ve been here before, and we’ll be here tomorrow’explains being in denial of the relationship ending, hoping things will suddenly flip a switch – when that’s never the case. 

My favorite track on the album is definitely Nobody’s Son. It captures the post-breakup emotions of being sent back to square one in the dating world — a single-girl anthem that channels Sabrina’s frustration with constantly being disappointed by men. The song opens with, ‘Hi, I hope you’re great / I think it’s time we took a break / So I can grow emotionally’ — that’s what he said to me, a pitiful excuse for a breakup that many girls have heard before. Although the meaning behind this track may come across as sad, it is easily one of the most upbeat songs on the album — totally a good crashing-out song.

Never Getting Laid – a prime example of Sabrina’s creative, cheeky mind – is the next track of the album and is almost a sarcastic, screw-you love letter. Sabrina wishes her ex ‘A lifetime full of happiness and a forever of never getting laid,’singing it with what sounds like a smile on her face.

When Did You Get Hot? is the track to stream when you see someone after forever and are shocked, but excited about their glow-up – definitely a niche, but fun concept. My favorite line being, ‘I bet your light rod’s like bigger than Zeus’ / Hey, wait, can you lift my car with your hand?’ – I always appreciate a Greek mythology mention!

Go Go Juice is my new go-to song while being out with my girls as Sabrina glamorizes the idea of drunk-calling any ex of hers, just for the thrill of it. She mentions her exes in a reference as to who she would drunk call in a subtle rhyme – John, Larry, Gosh, and Villain (Shawn Mendes, Barry Keoghan, Joshua Bassett, and Dylan O’Brien).

Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry is the perfect ballad for expressing how you find yourself not the easiest person to date, and being far from a perfect girlfriend – and can make her partner ‘worry like no other girl can.’

House Tour – the most explicit track on the album – explores the concept of seeing someone new, and the excitement that comes with it. Sabrina’s cheeky metaphor for what a ‘house tour’ is, is full of creativity and playfulness – a prime example of what distinguishes Sabrina’s lyrics from the other pop girls today.

In Goodbye, the last track of Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina comes to the final stages of the breakup as she’s finally ready to say her goodbyes to her ex-boyfriend after overthinking, bargaining, and grieving. ‘Goodbye means that you’re losin’ me for life’ is the ideal mentality to have after someone you love does you so dirty – Sabrina’s confidence and knowledge of self-worth is inspiring in this final track as she remembers who she is, despite being wronged time and time again.