The time has finally come: Sabrina Carpenter released the deluxe version of her album Short n’ Sweet. She dropped it at midnight on Valentine’s Day (which is so fitting), featuring five brand new songs. Naturally, I listened as soon as it dropped, and needless to say I was not disappointed. In addition to the gorgeous cover photo, the songs are absolutely flawless. I thought it would be a fun idea to dive into each one and discuss my favorite things about them.
15 minutes
The first deluxe song serves as an updated glimpse of Sabrina’s life since the album’s release in September. The title refers to the phrase “15 minutes of fame” while also previewing the stream time of the album (there are about 15 minutes of added songs). Sabrina discusses how life and fame can be fleeting, and how short-lived fame doesn’t scare her because she is enjoying the moment and she feels confident in her judgment. This song is exciting and fast-paced, which makes it a perfect opener.
Please Please Please (feat. Dolly Parton)
Dolly Parton has had a major influence on Sabrina’s personal style and songwriting for this album, especially in Slim Pickins and Please Please Please. So, it only made sense that we would get this feature on one of the album’s top songs. This has a very country-style feel, and in true Dolly nature, the lyrics are completely clean, which I admire. However, what I adore most about this collaboration is the music video. Given the outcome of Sabrina’s relationship with Barry Keoghan (who starred in the original video), it only made sense that the girls threw some shade at him during a post-breakup road trip. Somebody commented under the video, “Barry was the only man to ever survive a Sabrina video, so she had to come back and make things right,” which perfectly sums it up. This song is probably not one that I will return to often, mainly because it is not exactly my style, and I have already heard the original so many times. Nevertheless, it is a novelty, and I have a deep appreciation for it.
Couldn’t Make It Any Harder
From the title alone, this song is clearly filled with Sabrina’s signature use of double meanings and word play. Lyrically, it is not only clever and humorous, but it is also vulnerable as it touches on her struggle with fully letting a significant other in. From my first listen, I noticed that the song sounds a lot like Hopelessly Devoted from Grease, which is one of my favorite songs and one that Sabrina has covered on stage before. I love that she put her own spin on this classic, which she seems to feel a deep connection to. Lyrically, this song is not only clever and humorous, but it is also very vulnerable, which makes it all the better.
Busy woman
This song is so fun! I love how she contradicts herself, going on about how she’ll drop everything to be with this person, and then getting defensive and saying she’s too busy for them once they reject her. Sabrina’s ability to make fun of herself is what I love most about her songs because it makes them so relatable. My favorite lines are “Yeah, I’m a busy woman, I wouldn’t let you come into my… calendar any night” and “I’m a busy woman, unless you call tonight.” Musically, this song is also incredibly catchy and features so many fun sound elements. It also reminds me a lot of Taste, especially with the “oh hey” that recurs in the background. This one will definitely be on repeat for me!
bad reviews
The last song is the slowest and most melancholic. Sabrina addresses all of the negative talk about her significant other yet chooses to look the other way. This is another song that has a slight country-style feel to it. It also definitely seems to be about Barry Keoghan, nodding to his reckless lifestyle and his acting career. Like the new version of Please Please Please, this song feels like a Dolly-Esque version of Lie to Girls, which has the same theme. Sabrina’s vulnerability in this song is unmatched and I really admire how she captures a difficult situation that many of us experience.
As always, Sabrina has delivered a perfect mix of humor and vulnerability in her album that I simply cannot get enough of. I am so excited for her to continue her tour in Europe next month, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!