Lily Allen – “Alright, Still”
Earlier this week, an online service suggested to me that I listen to the music of British recording artist Lily Allen. Allen’s music is described as “cheeky” and at first blush it sounds like any top 40 pop artist. In fact, it’s easy to dismiss her music during the first few bars of a song because it sounds like it’s going to be typical vacuous bubble-gum music of the sort most of us outgrow in our 20s. If you stick with it, however, there’s quite an intelligence and sense of humor to it.
Her first album, “Alright, Still” features 13 tracks (links below go to YouTube videos of the songs):
- In “Smile” we’re told that after a breakup, she was “so lost back then, but with a little help from my friends, I found the light in the tunnel at the end”. Now, the boyfriend’s trying to get her back, but she doesn’t want him. When she sees him cry, it makes her smile.
- “Knock ‘Em Out” is about meeting “nasty” people in nightclubs who hit on you. Unfortunately, she says, you “can’t knock ‘em out, can’t walk away, try desperately to think of the polite thing to say”. It includes all kinds of excuses a woman might use to get rid of a potential suitor, such as being pregnant, engaged, etc.
- “Ldn” (London) has a kind of calypso sound in places. It’s a story about riding around on a bicycle because “a filth took away my license” while still trying to enjoy the “priceless” sights while wondering what lurked below the surface. The sights include “a fellow looking dapper and he’s sittin’ on the slapper then I see it’s a pimp and his crack whore” and “a little old lady who was walking down the road, she was struggling with bags from Tesco… when a kid came along to offer a hand but before she had time to accept it, hits her over the head, doesn’t care if she’s dead, because he’s got all her jewelry and wallet”.
- In “Everything’s Just Wonderful” the singer laments that people are “going mental”, that she can’t get a mortgage to buy a flat, and that life is just some “sick” and “insincere game”.
- “Not Big” takes a stab at an ex-boyfriend’s manhood and says that “I’m gonna tell the world you’re rubbish in bed now, and that you’re small in the game”.
- “Friday Night” is a slice of “pub and club” life in London, and tactics of fear and intimidation by other club-goers.
- “Shame for You” tells a sleazy guy that “you must be jokin’ me if you think you’ll be pokin’ me.”
- “Littlest Things” talks about the early days of a relationship that’s now over.
- “Take What You Take” strikes back at older people who offer unsolicited and unwanted advice.
- “Friend of Mine” gets back at a “friend” who has been “chattin’ shite” behind her back.
- “Alfie” talks about a little brother who spends all his time “smoking weed” and playing computer games.
- In “Nan You’re a Window Shopper” Lily chastises an older person who lives an uninteresting life and rarely gets involved with the world around her.
It’s an enjoyable album. The melodies are catchy, Lily’s voice is easy to listen to, and her accent helps deliver the humor inherent in all the songs. You’ll notice that there are “explicit” and “edited” versions of Lily’s albums. That’s because she’s not at all afraid of using crude language to help make her point or express herself.
If it sounds like something you might enjoy, check out the links above to hear the songs in their entirety on YouTube. After you’ve previewed them, you can pick up the album on the Zune Marketplace, Amazon.com, iTunes, or your favorite music store.