From racy ad-libbed outros for ‘Nonsense’ to her exotic range of ‘Juno’ positions, there’s no question that coquettish pop star Sabrina Carpenter is a big fan of a euphemism. With her brand-new seventh album ‘Man’s Best Friend’ already stirring up controversy with its provocative cover, we dive into its lyrics to uncover the often not-so-hidden double meanings.
“Tears run down my thighs” – ‘Tears’
Never underestimate the sexiness of acts of service. ‘Tears,’ Carpenter’s steamy love letter to a caring partner, describes her lust for him taking care of household chores and remembering to text her back. Following in lead single ‘Manchild’s footsteps, the song has become an instant hit both on TikTok and in the charts. Debuting at number three on both the US and UK top 100, it’s proof that a little innuendo can make it into the mainstream.
“Gave me his whole heart / then I gave him head” – ‘We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night’
Track five on the album sees Carpenter blurring the line between love and lust. She takes us through the same old break-up and make-up routine, describing how both the sexual and emotional aspects of a relationship can become chore-like when the love grows jaded. By taking the classic head-and-heart expression and twisting its meaning into something characteristically spicy, Carpenter keeps this break-up song on the right side of light-hearted.
“Congratulations on your new improvements / I bet your light rod’s like bigger than Zeus’ ” – ‘When Did You Get Hot?’
If you thought Carpenter had pushed the boundaries of mainstream smut as far as they would go, ‘When Did You Get Hot?’ will have you thinking again. Subtlety goes out the window as she flirts with an old schoolmate after a transformative glow-up, declaring in no uncertain terms “You were an ugly kid/But you’re a sexy man.” It’s not long before Carpenter brings her attention to what’s underneath his clothes, comparing a certain body part to that of a Greek god.
“Could be John or Larry, gosh, who’s to say / Or the one that rhymes with villain if I’m feeling that way” – ‘Go Go Juice’
In this fun and flirty country-inspired track, Carpenter pokes fun at herself and her penchant for a drunk booty call. “Ain’t nobody safe when I’m a little bit drunk,” she croons, before name-checking three – no, FOUR – of her rumoured famous exes through the medium of rhyme. To be fair, who wouldn’t need their phone confiscated at happy hour if their exes included Shawn Mendes, Barry Keoghan, Josh Bassett, and Dylan O’Brien?
“I could take you to the first second third floor / And I promise none of this is a metaphor” – ‘House Tour’
Carpenter takes us back to her place in this invite for a post-date hook-up, and there’s a double entendre waiting for us in seemingly every room. From pineapple air freshener to ‘the back door’ and ‘waxed floors,’ there is no doubting what Sabrina expects from her date when asking them to “come inside.” The lewd imagery is laid on so thick that she feels the need to call herself out for her incessant use of metaphor. We love a self-aware queen.
