Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Manchild’ Lyrics Seem to Be Savage Message to Ex Barry Keoghan

Sabrina Carpenter is making an early bid for song of the summer with the release of her new single ‘Manchild.’ Leading up to its release, fans wondered whether Carpenter’s lyrics were aimed at her ex Barry Keoghan given the track name and promo language (specifically her announcement post saying, ‘this one’s about you!!’).

The song doesn’t explicitly call Keoghan out by name, but it generally alludes to the annoyance of having to deal with an immature man. The chorus goes, ‘Man-child / Why you always come a-running to me? / Fuck my life / Won’t you let an innocent woman be?’

In the music video, which was released on Friday morning, Carpenter hitchhikes in a nondescript farm town and mingles with an array of incompetent men. One drives a jet-ski down the road like it’s a car, and another washes his face with gasoline.

When she announced the video on Instagram, she posted a clip with the caption, ‘Hey men!! Manchild music video is out NOW. it’s exactly what i pictured in my head 🐷. no animals were harmed in the making but some men were.’

Keoghan and Carpenter first sparked romantic rumors in late 2023 before going public with their relationship in February 2024. Their relationship included a Met Gala date and Keoghan starring in Carpenter’s music video for ‘Please Please Please.’

Those lyrics seemed to have a message for him too, with her singing: ‘I heard that you’re an actor / So act like a stand up guy / Whatever devil’s inside you / Don’t let him out tonight / I tell them it’s just your culture / And everyone rolls their eyes / Yeah I know / All I’m asking baby / Please please please don’t prove I’m right / Please please please / Don’t bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice / Heartbreak is one thing / My ego’s another / I beg you don’t embarrass me / Mother fucker ahhh / Please please please.’

Sadly, their love story didn’t last and fizzled out in December 2024. A source told Entertainment Tonight, ‘Things didn’t end well, and they are taking space from each other. Sabrina and Barry are definitely broken up right now. Sabrina isn’t sad over the breakup and is staying busy and distracted.’⁠

The insider added that ‘Sabrina is figuring out what she wants and is focused on her career.’

Carpenter hasn’t dated anyone publicly since Keoghan—but chances are she has plenty of private stories to draw inspiration from, too.

Whether Keoghan or someone else is her muse, the star isn’t likely to share the subject of ‘Manchild.’ She told W magazine last year that she doesn’t want to put her love life up for public consumption. ‘I get why people are interested,’ she conceded. ‘But they can listen to my album and decide for themselves what the songs are about.’

‘Manchild’ offers fans an opportunity to do just that. Listen to the song below and read the lyrics, courtesy of Genius:

[Intro]

Oh, boy

[Verse 1]

You said your phone was broken, just forgot 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 mom

[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?

[Bridge]

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

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)

[Chorus]

Man-child

Why you always come a-running to me? (Always come a-running to me)

Fuck my life

Won’t you let an innocent woman be? (Amen)

[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)

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Alyssa is the Deputy Editor, News and Strategy, at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take outfit pics of her, and exploring New York City.

Juliana Ukiomogbe is the former Assistant Editor at ELLE. Her work has previously appeared in Interview, i-D, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and more.