Apparently Sabrina Carpenter has been burning the midnight oil more than we first thought, and not just because she’s a singer, but because she’s been working on her latest single, Manchild.
Taking on the challenge of creating the next summer anthem is no mean feat, especially when her biggest competition is – herself. But with one short (and sweet) social media post, she was already on track to meet and exceed those tantalising targets with the seasonal hit we’ve all been craving.
And boy did Sabrina deliver.
Manchild is officially out, and as Carpenter explains in a caption revealing the news, “I wrote manchild on a random tuesday with amy and jack not too long after finishing short n’ sweet and it ended up being the best random tuesday of my life not only was it so fun to write, but this song became to me something I can look back on that will score the mental montage to the very confusing and fun young adult years of life,” Carpenter wrote in a caption alongside the song’s release.
“It sounds like the song embodiment of a loving eye roll and it feels like a never ending road trip in the summer ! hence why i wanted to give it to you now- so you can stick your head out the car window and scream it all summer long!”
The song was first teased in a grainy, overexposed teaser video shared to her Instagram on June 3, the Espresso singer was pictured in cut off denim shorts and sky high heels on the side of a highway. Her blonde bombshell locks – the same ones that sparked a curtain bang revolution – billow in the desert breeze as she extends a thumb to a passing truck, only to be ignored. That in itself is a baffling concept, but anyway…
As the video plays on loop, one dismissive truck driver at a time, fans were left questioning what it all meant. Now, we have our answer and it’s just as rewarding as we’d hoped.
What Are The Manchild Lyrics?
The country-influenced synth pop ballad is already being played on repeat in the marie claire offices, but just in case you haven’t had the pleasure of listening just yet – these are the lyrics you’re about to start obsessing over.
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, boy
You said your phone was broken, just forgot how to charge it
Whole outfit you’re wearing, God, I hope it’s ironic
Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started
It’s all just so familiar, baby what do you call it?
[Pre-Chorus]
Stupid / Or is it slow? / Maybe it’s useless? / But there’s a cuter word for it, I know
[Chorus]
Man-child / Why you always come-a-running to me?
Fuck my life / Won’t you let an innocent woman be?
Never heard of self-care / Half your brain just ain’t there
Man-child / Why you always come-a-running taking all my loving from me?
[Verse 2]
Why so sexy if so dumb?
And how survive the earth so long?
If I’m not there, it won’t get done
I choose to blame your mum
[Chorus]
[Bridge x 2]
Oh, I like my boys playing hard to get
And I like my men all incompetent
And I swear they choose me, I’m not choosing them
Amen, hey, men
[Chorus]
[Outro]
Oh, I like my boys playing hard to get (play hard to get)
And I like my men all incompetent (incompetent)
And I swear they choose me, I’m not choosing them (not choosing them)
Amen (Amen), hey, men (hey, men)
Is Manchild Written About Barry Keoghan?
Naturally the internet responded, filling the comments section with speculative theories about a certain Saltburn actor, and we’d be lying to ourselves if our minds didn’t automatically jump to her famous Irish ex, too.
How could they not? Barry Keoghan not only dated Sabrina Carpenter in a very public way, but also (allegedly) broke her heart in an equally publicised way, despite the singer giving him fair warning not to do so in her chart-topping song Please, Please Please.
“I heard that you’re an actor, so act like a stand-up guy,” Sabrina pleads in the 2024 hit. “Whatever devil’s inside you, don’t let him out tonight / I tell them it’s just your culture and everyone rolls their eyes.”
Sabrina also cautioned, “If you don’t wanna cry to my music / Don’t make me hate you prolifically.” But if we know one thing about men, it’s that they’re terrible listeners and we know Carpenter would agree.
The latest single, Manchild, feels like the ultimate follow-up to Short n Sweet with lyrics like: “Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know that we started” providing the perfect reference to the first track off the album’s deluxe version, titled 15 Minutes. In it, she sings: “I can do a lot with fifteen minutes / Only gonna take two to make you finish” using her masterful grasp of the double entendre.
And the familiar themes continue throughout Manchild, with references to excuses about broken phones and sexy – but stupid – men.
So take that as you will, but we’re betting big on a Sabrina Summer 2.0 now that we have our first taste of what’s inevitably sure to follow.
Related articles:
- Barry Keoghan Details Terrifying Backlash Over Sabrina Carpenter Cheating Rumours
- All The Exes & Awkward Run-Ins At The 2025 Met Gala
- Everything To Know ABout Short n Sweet
