Sabrina Carpenter took the world by storm this summer with her new album Short n’ Sweet. Her 12 song, 36 minute album is packed with incredibly relatable lyrics layered over groovy beats. The title of the album is a double entendre, nodding towards both the relatively short length of the album and her tiny stature. The word play doesn’t stop with the album title. Countless lyrics have double meanings and interesting rhyme schemes (the repetition in “Sharpest Tool” is immaculate). Let’s look at four of the album’s songs.
“Taste”- Carpenter holds back nothing for her opening track, lyrically and musically. A head bopping guitar riff backs dreamy vocals in each verse of the song as Carpenter reminds the new lover of her ex boyfriend that she had him first. The music video, which can be found on YouTube, is a girly, gore-filled saga. Carpenter and actress Jenna Ortega get up to bizarre hijinks while fighting over a boy. Many of the bloody encounters (Carpenter’s arm gets ripped off and spews fake blood) are an homage to classic horror films. In classic Sabrina style, the song is just plain fun.
“Please Please Please”- The second track on Carpenter’s album was released in June as a teaser for Short n’ Sweet. The song was very well received, reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in less than a month. Bratty and hilariously real, the song is a plea from Carpenter for her partner to not embarrass her publicly. One lyric in the chorus says, “please, please, please / don’t bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice” while another jokes that the boy in question should “maybe just stay inside.” Is it shallow? Definitely. But that’s part of what makes it so good. Sometimes, it feels good to be a little selfish, and Carpenter is not afraid to admit it.
”Good Graces”- This song is Carpenter’s self respect anthem of the album, and I am 100% here for it. Another song addressed directly to a partner, Carpenter reminds her significant other that her love for him doesn’t mean she’s willing to put up with nonsense. Its bubbly, catchy beat paired with the no-nonsense lyrics make it an excellent part of the album.
“Dumb and Poetic”- Carpenter shows a less confident side of herself with this song as she laments about her emotionally unavailable partner. Musically, the song is simple, but the lyrics provide a much deeper and more complicated narrative. The emotional vulnerability in this song is part of what makes Carpenter’s music feel so authentic.
