View source for Can't Blame a Girl for Trying (song)

{{short description|2014 single by Sabrina Carpenter}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Can't Blame a Girl for Trying
| cover      = File:Sabrina Carpenter - Can't Blame a Girl for Trying Single Cover.png
| alt        =
| type       = Single
| artist     = [[Sabrina Carpenter]]
| EP         = [[Can't Blame a Girl for Trying]]
| released   = {{Start date|2014|03|14}}
| recorded   = 2013
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Folk pop]]}}
| length     = {{Duration|m=2|s=49}}
| label      = [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]]
| writer     = {{hlist|[[Meghan Trainor]]|Al Anderson|[[Chris Gelbuda]]}}
| producer   = {{hlist|[[Brian Malouf]]}}
| chronology = [[Sabrina Carpenter]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[The Middle of Starting Over]]
| next_year  = 2014
| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|HibDj27DHMI|"Can't Blame a Girl for Trying"}}}}
}}
"'''Can't Blame a Girl for Trying'''" is the debut single by American singer [[Sabrina Carpenter]] from her debut [[extended play]] [[Can't Blame a Girl for Trying|of the same name]] (2014), serving as the opening track of the EP. The track appears on her debut studio album, ''[[Eyes Wide Open (Sabrina Carpenter album)|Eyes Wide Open]]'', serving as the second track of the record. The song was produced by [[Brian Malouf]] and written by [[Meghan Trainor]], Al Anderson and [[Chris Gelbuda]]. The song was released by [[Hollywood Records]] as the [[lead single]] from ''Can't Blame a Girl for Trying'' on March 14, 2014 onto [[iTunes]] and was premiered a day before exclusively on [[Radio Disney]]. "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" is a [[midtempo]] [[pop folk]] song with influences of pop music backed by an acoustic guitar. Lyrically, the song speaks about being foolish in love and making mistakes, but never blaming those who make them. According to Carpenter, the song perfectly describes a thirteen-year-old girl and a teenage girl.
It was accompanied by a music video directed by Kinga Burza premiered on her [[Vevo]] channel on March 28, 2014. The song won a Radio Disney Music Award in the category "Best Crush Song" in 2015.
==Background and recording==
"Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" was written in 2012 by [[Meghan Trainor]], Al Anderson and [[Chris Gelbuda]]. Trainor first performed the song at Durango Songwriter's Expo in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meghan Trainor & Al Anderson "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying" 2012 DURANGO Songwriter's Expo/SB|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEFuNPbMgGQ|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=May 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513084123/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEFuNPbMgGQ|url-status=live}}</ref> Later, Trainor shared a video at her official Facebook account about the song, but it was later removed.<ref>{{cite news|title=NEW VIDEO!!! Can't Blame a Girl for Trying: written by Meghan, Chris Gelbuda and "Big Al" Anderson, who are all writers for Big Yellow Dog Music|url=https://www.facebook.com/meghantrainorsongs/posts/390911660944255|publisher=Facebook|accessdate=May 1, 2016}}</ref> In 2013, Carpenter received the role of Maya Hart in the [[Disney Channel]] series ''[[Girl Meets World]]'' and she signed a record deal with [[Hollywood Records]].<ref name=ew-20130131>{{cite news|last=Hibberd|first=James|title='Boy Meets World' spin-off casts Riley's best friend|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/01/31/boy-meets-world-spin-off-maya/|accessdate=February 1, 2013|newspaper=Entertainment Weekly|date=January 31, 2013|archive-date=October 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026203547/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/01/31/boy-meets-world-spin-off-maya/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the same year, Trainor gave the song to Carpenter and [[Brian Malouf]] produced the track. The song was the first to be recorded to her first EP. "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" was released as the debut single of Carpenter's career at 14 March 2014 onto [[iTunes]] and was premiered a day before exclusively on [[Radio Disney]].<ref name="fanlala1">{{cite web|url=https://www.fanlala.com/news/check-out-sabrina-carpenters-new-single-cant-blame-girl-trying|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317001913/http://www.fanlala.com/news/check-out-sabrina-carpenters-new-single-cant-blame-girl-trying|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 17, 2014|title=Check Out Sabrina Carpenter's New Single "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying"|publisher=Fanlala.com|date=March 15, 2014|accessdate=June 12, 2016}}</ref> The song was also included on Carpenter's first studio album, ''[[Eyes Wide Open (Sabrina Carpenter album)|Eyes Wide Open]]'', which was released on April 14, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title="Eyes Wide Open" by Sabrina Carpenter|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/eyes-wide-open/id966304973|publisher=[[iTunes]]|accessdate=May 6, 2017|archive-date=July 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729014433/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/eyes-wide-open/id966304973|url-status=live}}</ref>
The song was recorded somewhere in 2013 and was produced by [[Brian Malouf]].<ref name="linernotes">''[[Eyes Wide Open (Sabrina Carpenter album)|Eyes Wide Open]]'' liner notes [CD] [[Hollywood Records]] (2015)</ref> Malouf [[audio mixing|mixed]] the track at Cookie Jar Recording, located in [[Sherman Oaks, California]] and Chris Thompson engineered the track.<ref name="linernotes"/> In the track, Malouf played keyboards and Jim McGorman play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and [[glockenspiel]].<ref name="linernotes"/> Malouf [[music programming|programmed]] the drums and McGorman handled the hand percussion.<ref name="linernotes"/> The song was [[Audio mastering|mastered]] by Eric Boulanger at The Mastering Lab, Inc., located in [[Ojai, California]].<ref name="linernotes"/>
==Composition and lyrical interpretation==
{{Listen
| filename    = Sabrina_Carpenter_Can't_Blame_a_Girl_for_Trying.ogg
| pos         = left
| title       ="Can't Blame a Girl for Trying"
| description = A 25-second sample of the chorus of "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying", an acoustic guitar-driven [[midtempo]] [[folk pop]] song with pop influences.
| format      = [[Ogg]]
| type        = music
}}
Musically, "Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying" is a two minutes and forty-nine seconds acoustic guitar-driven [[midtempo]] [[folk pop]] song with pop influences. In terms of [[musical notation|music notation]], "Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying" was composed using [[Time signature|{{Time signature|4|4}} common time]] in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[C major]], with a moderately fast [[tempo]] of 144 [[beats per minute]].<ref name="Musicnotes">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0136166|title=Sabrina Carpenter "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" Sheet Music in C Major|date=10 June 2014|publisher=Musicnotes.com|access-date=July 15, 2017|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516052451/https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0136166|url-status=live}}</ref> The song follows the chord progression of C–Dm<sub>7</sub>-Am-F in the verses and C-Caug-C<sub>6</sub>-C<sub>7</sub>-F-Fm in the chorus and Carpenter's vocal range spans from the low note [[A (musical note)|A<sub>3</sub>]] to the high note of [[F (musical note)|F<sub>5</sub>]], giving the song one octaves and five [[musical note|notes]] of range.<ref name="Musicnotes" /> The tempo has a Swing feel.<ref name="Musicnotes" /> Lyrically, the song speaks about being foolish in love and making mistakes, but never blaming those who make them. According to Carpenter the song "perfectly describes a thirteen year-old girl and a teenage girl."<ref name="EWOChat">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o95di894U3o|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Sabrina Chats "Eyes Wide Open"|date=20 April 2015 |publisher=YouTube|access-date=July 31, 2017|archive-date=July 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702222359/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o95di894U3o|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Music video==
===Background and release===
The music video was directed by [[Kinga Burza]] and it was premiered on [[Vevo]] and YouTube on March 28, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Can't Blame a Girl for Trying (Official Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HibDj27DHMI|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=July 29, 2017|archive-date=August 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230809221039/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HibDj27DHMI|url-status=live}}</ref> The behind the scenes of the music video was premiered on May 23, 2014 in the same platforms.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Can't Blame a Girl for Trying (Behind the Scenes)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNiq9XAdvbcin|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=July 29, 2017|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513073221/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNiq9XAdvbcin|url-status=live}}</ref> A [[lyric video]] was premiered on YouTube on July 18, 2014 and it features various scenes of her behind the scenes music video, her photoshoots, her live performance on Disney Playlist Sessions and her Disney Channel events.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Can't Blame a Girl for Trying (Official Lyric Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pU0Ug2CSbw|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=July 29, 2017|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110004226/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pU0Ug2CSbw|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Synopsis===
{{Rquote|right|You can mess up a lot and you can fail a lot of times, but when it come to the end of the day, you just have to embrace who you are and just love it and having fun because there's nothing better than being yourself.|Carpenter in the behind the scenes of "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" music video.}}
The video begins with Carpenter sleeping in her bed, next to her bed there is a bedside table with an alarm clock with books underneath, a lamp and a glass of water. Her alarm clock rings, but when she turns it off, her alarm clock turns into a cactus. Scared, Carpenter takes her hand off and hits the glass that falls on the floor. She gets up, but when she gets up she watered the foot and then the water turns into glitter. She wears her robe and makes up her bed, while she was tidying up her bed she pushes a sheet and turns it into a table towel. The next scene shows Carpenter in a red dress spinning to sit on a chair, but instead of sitting on a chair, she sits on a couch. Leaving a door, Carpenter takes off the dress she was wearing at the last scene and it shows a shirt with jeans behind it; She sits down on the couch and starts playing several "instruments" like a guitar, a tennis racket and a ukulele.
When she ends up singing the first chorus, it shows a scene when she was tying her [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]] in her bedroom, she leaves the chair she was sitting and her Converse turns into roller skates; later, in the final scene of the video, she falls and takes off the curtains and drops in her bed. Carpenter opens an umbrella at home and when she opens the umbrella, she appears outside the house spinning the umbrella near to an orange tree. She appears using a bunch of hats, sunglasses and making fruit as objects. One of the last scenes is Carpenter answering a phone call but the phone turns into a banana. In all the video, it shows a scene where Carpenter is sitting and singing the song.
==Critical reception==
Monique Melendez of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pointed the relatability of the song by saying: "[...] the lyrics cross the generational gap with their relatability, with lyrics like "Here I am again, the same old situation / Why does the guy thing have to be so complicated."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7438252/songs-you-didnt-know-meghan-trainor-wrote|title=6 Songs You Didn't Know Meghan Trainor Wrote|publisher=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=July 29, 2017|archive-date=August 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802200826/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7438252/songs-you-didnt-know-meghan-trainor-wrote|url-status=live}}</ref> Anna Marie of ''A Kid's Point of You'' said "The EP kicks off with the title track / hit single , “Can’t Blame A Girl For Trying." Flawless vocals, an undeniably sophisticated edge, and an effortless ability to inspire listeners makes this song a feel-good anthem (not to mention the adorable music video). This is a cute song about an innocent love story, and it speaks to the girls who make mistakes, but keep trying."<ref>{{cite news|title=Music Review: Can't Blame A Girl For Trying (EP)|url=http://www.akidspointofview.com/2014/music-review-cant-blame-a-girl-for-trying-ep/|publisher=YouTube|date=August 25, 2014|accessdate=August 3, 2017|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107034436/http://www.akidspointofview.com/2014/music-review-cant-blame-a-girl-for-trying-ep/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Dolph Malone of ''Headline Planet'' said "Valuable from a marketing standpoint, the inclusion of two Meghan Trainor co-writes is even more valuable from a musical standpoint. "Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying" and "Darling I’m a Mess," those songs, possess the same self-awareness and same intimate, conversational approach that fuels Trainor's own hits."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/04/13/sabrina-carpenter-eyes-wide-open-album-review/|title=Sabrina Carpenter is the Right Kind of Great on "Eyes Wide Open;" Review|date=14 April 2015|publisher=Headline Planet|access-date=July 28, 2017|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127031026/https://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/04/13/sabrina-carpenter-eyes-wide-open-album-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="border:none; margin:0;"
|+Awards and nominations for "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying"
! scope="col" | Organization
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Result
! class="unsortable" scope="col"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[Radio Disney Music Awards]]
| [[2015 Radio Disney Music Awards|2015]]
|"XOXO – Best Crush Song"
|{{won}}
|style="text-align:center;" |<ref name="Radio Disney Music Awards Winners">{{cite web|title=Radio Disney Music Awards Winners|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6546042/2015-radio-disney-music-awards-see-the-winners-list|work=Winnipeg Free Press|accessdate=May 16, 2012|archive-date=June 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630051318/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6546042/2015-radio-disney-music-awards-see-the-winners-list|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}
==Live performances==
Carpenter first performed the song at the [[2014 Radio Disney Music Awards]] along with "[[The Middle of Starting Over]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter performing "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" at the Radio Disney Music Awards 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VANeScWKa4|publisher=YouTube|date=April 27, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513073221/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VANeScWKa4|url-status=live}}</ref> A few time later, she performed on City at BT Studio where she was wearing a blue dress.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Can't Blame a Girl for Trying on BT Studio City|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekq-d0fhmx0|publisher=YouTube|date=August 25, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513073221/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekq-d0fhmx0|url-status=live}}</ref> She performed an acoustic version of the song on Perez TV along with "The Middle of Starting Over".<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying" (Exclusive Perez Hilton Acoustic)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sM-8ZRx7_0|publisher=YouTube|date=September 15, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409183236/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sM-8ZRx7_0|url-status=live}}</ref> She performed the song at D23 Expo in 2015 along with "Take on the World", "[[We'll Be the Stars]]", a cover of "[[FourFiveSeconds]]", "The Middle of Starting Over" and "[[Eyes Wide Open (Sabrina Carpenter song)|Eyes Wide Open]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter D23 Performance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfL540YiA5Y|publisher=YouTube|date=August 16, 2015|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409182449/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfL540YiA5Y|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2016, Carpenter performed the song on the Honda Stage at the [[iHeartRadio]] Theater LA along with some covers and songs from her first and second album.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – Can't Blame a Girl (Live on the Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater LA)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJTMU5fqXBE|publisher=YouTube|date=October 14, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2016|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209115742/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJTMU5fqXBE|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Credits and personnel ==
'''Recording and management'''
*Mixed at Cookie Jar Recording ([[Sherman Oaks, California]])
*Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Inc. ([[Ojai, California]])
*Year of the Dog Music (ASCAP), a division of Big Yellow Dog, LLC administered by Words & Music; International Dog Music (BMI), a division of Big Yellow Dog, LLC/Bucked Up Music (BMI), administered by Words & Music; National Dog Music (SESAC), a division of Big Yellow Dog, LLC administered by Words & Music
'''Personnel'''
{{div col}}
*[[Sabrina Carpenter]]&nbsp;– lead vocals
*[[Meghan Trainor]]&nbsp;– songwriting
*Al Anderson&nbsp;– songwriting
*[[Chris Gelbuda]]&nbsp;– songwriting
*[[Brian Malouf]]&nbsp;– production, [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]], [[programming (music)|drum programming]], keyboards
*[[Chris Thompson (English musician)|Chris Thompson]]&nbsp;– [[audio engineer|engineering]]
*[[Jim McGorman]]&nbsp;– acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, [[glockenspiel]], [[body percussion|hand percussion]]
*Eric Boulanger&nbsp;– [[audio mastering|mastering]]
{{div col end}}
Credits adapted from ''[[Eyes Wide Open (Sabrina Carpenter album)|Eyes Wide Open]]'' liner notes.<ref name="linernotes"/>
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release history and formats for "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying"
! scope="col" | Region
! scope="col" | Date
! scope="col" | Format(s)
! scope="col" | Label
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
! scope="row" | United States
| March 13, 2014
| [[Radio Disney]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]]
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name="fanlala1"/>
|-
! scope="row" | Various
| March 14, 2014
|{{hlist|[[Music download|Digital download]]|[[Streaming media|streaming]]}}
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name="fanlala1"/>
|}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Sabrina Carpenter}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:2014 debut singles]]
[[Category:2014 songs]]
[[Category:Sabrina Carpenter songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Meghan Trainor]]
[[Category:Hollywood Records singles]]
[[Category:American folk rock songs]]