Editor’s Note: This story includes mention of sexual content.
Pop artist Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, “Man’s Best Friend" on Aug. 29. Judging by its cover, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend” looks like it would be a raunchy, provocative album, but there is more to it than meets the eye.
The majority of the album consists of heartbreaking lyrics about what a disappointment men can be, which contrasts the record’s upbeat pop music.
When Carpenter revealed the cover of the album, along with its release date, it was met with controversy for many reasons. The cover depicts Carpenter on her hands and knees next to an unknown man who is holding her hair. People thought it was too sexual, dehumanizing women and all-around degrading.
This album is just another example of why you can’t judge something by its cover. The cover and suggestive parts of her last tour led people to expect this album to be all about sex, but it’s not.
In fact, I really only think one song is purely sexual with no deeper meaning: "House Tour.” Don’t get me wrong, I love the song. It’s a fun, silly pop song that, despite what she sings in the song, is all a metaphor for sex, but that’s it.
On first listen, “Tears," seems like it would be the same. While it is a raunchy song, I think the meaning behind it is actually sad.
Carpenter sings about being turned on by a man who is responsible and treats her like he’s supposed to. She romanticizes the bare minimum, which is all too familiar to many women.
It’s the perfect song to follow the lead single, “Manchild,” a song about a man who is not responsible and is, well, a manchild. The expectations for a man to be a good partner are so low that when they simply take care of themselves and treat their partners with respect, it’s a turn on.
“Nobody’s Son” is another track on the album that, while set to cheery music, has depressing lyrics. The contrast of hearing lyrics like “That boy is corrupt / Could you raise him to love me, maybe?” set to an upbeat track followed the sound of a whip cracking is such a fun juxtaposition.
The same can be said for “Go Go Juice.” By its title and beat, you would think it’s just a song about having fun drinking, but it’s the opposite. She sings “No party invitations, not goin’ to the club,” and continues with “I’m just drinking to call someone / A girl who knows her liquor is a girl who’s been dumped.”
Despite singing that fun numbs the pain, she’s not drinking to have fun. She’s drinking to ease the pain of heartbreak.
You wouldn’t expect it by listening to the music “My Man on Willpower” and “Goodbye” are set to, but both contain some of the saddest lyrics I’ve heard in a long time. Carpenter sings “And I have cried so much I almost fainted,” in the latter and “He used to be literally obsessed with me / I’m suddenly the least sought-after girl in the land,” in the former.
I think there is only one track on the album that sounds as depressing as its lyrics are: “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night.” It’s a song about a relationship being on the brink of the end but continuing to hold on.
With Jack Antonoff and John Ryan as producers, it only makes sense that the album sounds like it does. Both have produced many songs for other artists that have the upbeat sound, but gut-wrenching lyrics.
Ryan produced One Direction’s “History,” a song that seems to be saying goodbye to their fans, but with a fun clap track so it doesn’t sound that sad, unless you listen close.
Antonoff has produced many songs that are way more depressing than they sound. He worked with Taylor Swift on her song “I Wish You Would,” which has a fun, pop beat like most of “1989,” but the meaning is anything but. It’s about wishing that your love would come back and regretting letting them go.
The pair were the perfect choice to produce this album with Carpenter. They know how to make good pop music that has substance and that’s what “Man’s Best Friend” is.
The album is about more than sex, but the cover still makes perfect sense. The album is about how badly she’s been treated by men, and the cover reflects just that: a man is pulling her hair and controlling her, like she’s a dog.
When people hear the phrase “man’s best friend,” they usually think of a dog. I think when the album name and cover were released people expected it to be about submitting to men and being obedient, but it’s not. It’s about not being able to escape men and what they want. Carpenter’s still looking for love, so she must endure the bad treatment over and over for the chance to find it. It’s about being treated like a dog.
It’s not sexual it. It’s sad.
