Lily Allen

Lily Allen
"Alright, Still"

She’s got a soulful voice, a thick British accent, and lyrics that would make a sailor blush. Meet Lily Allen! I first saw her on SNL, and the impression I got was that she was a "nice girl" from London singing about happy things in life. I quickly learned that my impression was way off. When I got the album and heard the lyrics to the songs, I really learned how off I was! With her humor and sarcasm, she sings about some crazy topics in a lighthearted way. For example there’s “Smile” where she sings to an ex-boyfriend who hurt her, but eventually got over him:

When you first left me I was wanting more
But you were fucking that girl next door, what cha do that for?
When you first left me I didn't know what to say
I never been on my own that way, just sat by myself all day

There's also “Everything's Just Wonderful” where she sarcastically sings about the sad state of the world we live in:

Do you think, everything, everyone, is going mental,
It seems to me that it's spiraling outta control and it's inevitable,
Now don't you think,
This time is yours, this time is mine,
Its temperamental,
It seems to me, we're on all fours,
Crawling on our knees,
Someone help us please

Oh Jesus Christ almighty,
Do I feel alright? No not slightly,
I wanna get a flat I know I can't afford it,
It's just the bureaucrats who won't give me a mortgage,
Well it's very funny cos I got your fucking money,
And I'm never gonna get it just because of my bad credit
Oh well I guess I mustn't grumble,
I suppose that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Oh yeah, I'm fine,
Everything's just wonderful,
I'm having the time of my life.

I don't get the feeling that she's trying to be "edgy" or cool in her songs. This is shit that people go through in real life. She just has a way of taking the sting out of it through her witty style. If you appreciate raw songs about life that are laced with sarcasm, humor, and some groovy beats, then you might dig this album.