You Explain the Hype: Lily Allen
I keep hearing about this chick who is apparently burning up the MySpace, Lily Allen. She’s becoming major in the UK. She’s only 21 years old and sounds like a low class version of Natasha Bedingfield. Think ‘Tasha + The Streets + M.I.A. - something.
All of the previous performers I absolutely love, so you’d think I’d be falling over myself while listening to Lily. But I’m not…something is rubbing me the wrong way about her, but I just don’t know what.
I asked Jeff why she was all the fuss and he said it was because some dudes think she’s hot [NOT JEFF- FOR THE RECORD, HE DOES NOT THINK LILY ALLEN IS HOT EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE PICTURE OF HER WEARING A LACE TUBE TOP..AND EVEN THEN HE'S ONLY WILLING TO GO TO "SORTA HOT"]. But I don’t even think she’s all that hot! She’s definitely not sexy/hip in the same way as someone like M.I.A. Looking at her photos and listening to her music, she looks kinda like your run-of-the-mill 20-something throwing ironic gang signs as she sips vodka sodas at the Dark Room…but with a British accent.
Unlike Mikey Skinner, who is a lyrical genius and who is an obvious influence, Lily’s song content is pretty standard. Sorry, but if you’re not going to really sing, your beats should be hot and/or your lyrics amazing. “Why can’t I sleep at night/ Don’t say it’s gonna be alright/ I wanna be able to eat spaghetti bolognaise/ and not feel bad about it for days and days and days.” just doesn’t fill me with inspiration or awe.
I would be very interested to see her live though. Who knows, maybe she gives the best live show ever and everything falls into place. Or something like that…
Thoughts?
1. Dan | 10:23 pm on July 12th, 2006
I don’t know a lot of her stuff but i love that LDN song. Catchy chorus, happy summer vibe, good lyrics. And it makes me nostalgic for my own summer times in London.
I think Mike Skinner-esque lines like this are quite sweet,
“There was a little old lady, who was walkin down the road
She was struggling with bags from Tesco
There were people from the city havin lunch in the park
I believe that it’s called al fresco”
A little twee perhaps out of context, but it works in the song.
2. anonny | 12:16 am on July 13th, 2006
She’s damn hot!
3. Anonymous | 12:18 am on July 13th, 2006
she has a face like a pig
4. Stefan | 12:58 am on July 13th, 2006
To quote Dan: ‘Catchy chorus, happy summer vibe’ - I won’t even discuss the lyrics.
But hey, sometimes, especially in summer, that’s all you really need, right?
5. Anonymous | 4:27 am on July 13th, 2006
She’s hot in that “I’d let you fuck me in the ass then cum on my face without thinking twice about it” way but other than that, and having a famous Daddy,she sucks. Is this what MySpace gets us?
6. Channy | 4:33 am on July 13th, 2006
http://chavscum.co.uk/4images/details.php?image_id=4932
7. Mike Chalmers | 4:34 am on July 13th, 2006
Ok ok, it started from Jamie T (Salvador and Sheila are amazing and better than anything in clubs). He helped her out and made that pretty cool mixtape with her songs and loads of songs she liked.
Her songs LDN, Alfie etc are originally supposed to be jokes (she was a comedian) but they are actually really cool (rhyming Tesco with Al Fresco - genius). Plus her voice is cute. And she’s not hot but she’s definitely hot at the same time, in a weird sort of way..
Does that explain it? Probably not..
8. Jeff | 4:59 am on July 13th, 2006
Fuck that man, I dont get her at all. I meant that her being “hot” explains why other people like her. I’m as baffled as you.
9. Anonymous | 5:15 am on July 13th, 2006
Some facts about Lily Allen:
* Her first name is spelled with 2 L’s, not 3.
* Her dad’s famous in the UK, which could only help her career.
* Put her in a faux-vintage t-shirt, jeans, and high heels, and she’s any chick in flickr’s NYC hipster party pics.
And one fact about male music bloggers:
* Even if they have a plain girl at home to bang, they’d prefer a well-known plain girl w/musical talent who will impress their guy friends. That’s the only way to explain the so-called hotness of various female indie musicians. (Chicks have lusted over ugly guys in bands for decades, so I guess this is equality of the sexes?)
10. Yo, yo | 5:31 am on July 13th, 2006
as above her dad is Keith Allen so I reckon that has helped
http://film.guardian.co.uk/Player/Player_Page/0,,45443,00.html
11. laura | 6:37 am on July 13th, 2006
whoops about the extra L. and haha to your one fact about male music bloggers.
12. nagin | 6:52 am on July 13th, 2006
the record is alright.
her choruses are super catchy.
her saving grace is that she’s more on the pop side than the streets and that’s the reason why she’ll be bigger than him here.
english rappers’ flows are always so awkward
see: dizee rascal
13. nora | 7:11 am on July 13th, 2006
um.. please tell me that bolognaise/days thing is a joke. please.
14. pebble_rebel | 7:36 am on July 13th, 2006
Her album was mixed/produced by Mark Ronson. Its just a bit of fun really, and a bit different from the constant drudge of guitar/rock/pop were heading for in the uk.
15. Amira | 7:38 am on July 13th, 2006
i’m happy the only reason i could think about bolognaise for days and days is..
..no there really is no reason why.
16. Amira | 7:40 am on July 13th, 2006
ok, i went to her myspace, she is really ugly!
what’s up? new generations are growing with distorted vision?
17. Anonymous | 8:25 am on July 13th, 2006
“Everything seems to look as it should
But I wonder what goes on behind doors
A fella looking dapper, but he’s sittin with a slapper
Then I see it’s a pimp and his crack whore ”
class lyrics or what?
18. rachel | 9:57 am on July 13th, 2006
ummm can we talk about project runway now??? that home sewn idea = out of this world. i totes loved robert’s dress. he shoulda won.
19. Jen | 10:43 am on July 13th, 2006
oi! She’s cute, a chav, but cute. And her music is fun, no one is saying it’s high art but who the bloody hell cares if she’s making you shake your ass?
20. laura | 11:16 am on July 13th, 2006
you’re american. stop using phrases like “bloody hell cares”.
21. Little Fury | 11:26 am on July 13th, 2006
The real irony here is the fact that most of the people slagging her looks probably have faces like a dog’s nutsack. Yay internets!
22. Jen | 12:01 pm on July 13th, 2006
fuck off.
23. laura | 12:19 pm on July 13th, 2006
hahah.
24. thigh master | 12:39 pm on July 13th, 2006
this convo is so 3 months ago
why can’t we talk about how broke the new killers album is going to be or if israel is going to bomb the band beirut
25. Henry | 3:00 pm on July 13th, 2006
Wow. Don’t take it the wrong way but, that chick looks like Mel Torres.
26. £ | 6:41 pm on July 13th, 2006
lily_allen = rubbish++;
27. Nilina | 8:34 pm on July 14th, 2006
I didn’t really like her until I saw her video for ‘Smile’. It’s great!
28. Robbie | 8:43 am on July 15th, 2006
I hate sweeping generalisations, but she’s very British, her sense of humour is very British, she’s streetwise in a way that only someone from London can be. She’s not a “chav”, to those who’ve said that - what a lazy insult. I consider her to be a bit like Wallace and Gromit - they both have worldwide appeal, but if you were watching it at a cinema with people from all over the world, you’d get the British people laughing at different bits to everyone else. It’s all about cultural familiarities. I’m not saying there’s something specifically British about Spaghetti Blognese, but the banal, self-depricating dead-pan humour is.
29. Channy | 11:30 pm on July 15th, 2006
It was the comparison between the pictures that i was going for,not calling her a “chav”.A sort of “this could lead to this”.The picture of the pregnant woman could have come from any website.It just happened to come from chavscum.com.. I never called her a “chav”.
30. mu | 7:05 pm on July 17th, 2006
i think she’s good in the sort of ‘ooo this song sounds really happy - oo wait, shes actually talking about her baby brother and how he’s in his bedroom smoking wait or a little old lady being mugged etc etc etc’
alfie’s my fave - contains lyrical gems such as ‘now how the hell do you ever expect that youll get laid, when all you do is stay and play on your computer games?’ or ‘its time that you and me sat down and had a little chat, and look me in the eyes take off that stupid fitted cap’
as for the whole ‘her dad’s famous’ thing - i doubt many of the record buying public that sent her to number 1 know who keith allen is.
and while we’re on it britain rocks.
and last but not least i woudlnt say no.
31. n/a | 6:39 am on July 18th, 2006
wot the fuck is it with u guys GET A FUCKING LIFE COMPLAINING ABOUT FUCK ALL. I like Lilly Allen and her music
32. Victor Hugo Carballo | 8:14 pm on July 24th, 2006
I´m a brazilian who just bumped into her music. She´s hilarious, she´s a female Jerry Seinfeld who can sing.
Don´t be too harsh on her. what´s the matter if she´s not that pretty? She´s funny!
“that´s not gonna happen…not in a million years” hehehe
33. nat | 6:07 am on July 25th, 2006
HATERZ. instead of criticizing lily y dont u start writing the tune of the century
34. Amy | 12:08 pm on July 29th, 2006
Hey… does anyone know where i can find a html video code for lily allens ‘LDN’?????
And not from youtube:@:@:@ arrgh
Pleeease!!!!!!
AmY xox
35. sara | 6:26 am on August 2nd, 2006
musicjesus.com is where u cin get her song amy xox i thought i wid tell u coz nobody else haz
fae
!X!sara!X!
36. Amy | 7:07 am on August 2nd, 2006
aww thanks sara lol xox
37. charlotte | 8:51 am on August 3rd, 2006
aww i tink she is mental i love er so far n hu gives a fuk if shes a chav yh shes a chav onli cos she dresses like one durrr nuff luv xx
38. A of T&A | 3:36 pm on August 3rd, 2006
I’ve been trying to fight it, this new british-girls-who-sing-about-cute-little-things-over-hip-hop-beats-and-brass-samples… I think the kids call it neo soul, which in and of itself makes me think it’s like they once HAD soul and then it died and now they have these brand new state-of-the-art blue tooth capable souls that are made out of cheap plastic and break just after the warranty is up.
It’s like the new craze among bloggers in LESsy and Olde City and probably NoHo too for all I know: “we love HEARING your accent little girl, and tell us, what did you do today in horrible rhyme schemes and slang no one knows that won’t catch on?” Thank goodness it hasn’t spread to NoLib, there’s SOMEWHERE I like to hang out where I don’t have to be beaten over the head with just how little and british some girl is.
Lily Allen
Corinne Bailey Rae
and others like you… get outta my head and off my favourite member supported radio! You’re worse than a commercial!
You’re not far from chav Lily and your daddy’s claim to fame is being FRIENDS with people. And Corinne, you might have a decent record, but so did Nelly Furtado and now look at her… ick.
39. The Modern Age » Drool-worth Band for the Boys: Dead Disco | 2:14 am on August 13th, 2006
[...] I know that this site sometimes reads like a BOP magazine of indie rock music, which can sometimes frustrate male readers. So this one is for you guys…and it doesn’t involve Lily Allen. [...]
40. dee | 9:46 am on September 10th, 2006
NICE ONE FOR SPITTIN ON PEACHES!
41. John | 3:44 am on September 18th, 2006
Lily Allen is just gorgeous. I want Lily !!
42. harry piel | 6:18 am on September 22nd, 2006
Geez, hasn’t this “1-hit wonder” loose cannon faded away into obscurity already? I’ve thought we’d have done away with overhyped streetwise-wannabe hoes all covered up in icing, but it seems that all the teenies are jumping the bandwagon yet again. She has her mouth full of the media depicting that bad image of women and complaints about “bad men”. All this from a woman who revealed that she used and sold drugs at 15 ‘out of boredom’ and in her video promotes drugging an ex-boyfriend and paying off men to have him mugged as an act of revenge. Some role model she is…. No wonder why youth nowadays are so fucked up and overweight (”spaghetti bolognaise” anyone?).
43. nicola | 8:39 am on September 24th, 2006
UR AMAZIN!
i just wish i was like u.1 thing,why r u a druggy?
44. nicola | 8:41 am on September 24th, 2006
i luv ya hen. oh! and by the way . the suns in the sky! lol
45. bob | 10:52 pm on September 25th, 2006
shes in the wrong genre, a bass guitar, a leather trenchcoat and a shitload of make-up and she’ll make a half decent fifth member of KISS.
put the make up on liberally to sculpt the ugly face because her cheeks are massive, theyre bigger than her boobs,
46. jessica | 10:50 am on October 3rd, 2006
i wont say a bad word about you your star i love yas
47. Ammar | 12:01 pm on October 27th, 2006
She looks so fucking ugly i just had to wonder how the hell she was allowed to be in a video, probably her dad had something to do with it since she definetely could not have fucked some prdoucers to get it.
hopefully my eyes will be spared of more crap from her
48. Summer | 11:28 pm on December 5th, 2006
Her music is fun, it is not all about hidden messages and lyrical genius crap that people praise but cannot or don’t understand. In the song Smile I knew what she was talkin about and related. I think she is cool for now.
49. Ollie | 5:57 am on December 22nd, 2006
“She looks so fucking ugly i just had to wonder how the hell she was allowed to be in a video”
you’re a fucking retard.. are you saying only people you deem pretty should be allowed in a video? dickhead; this girl has real talent.. and for your information she writes her own choons and has a major hand in production.
get a fuckin life you tard
50. Douglas | 7:37 pm on January 18th, 2007
Um, clever lyrics. Chintzy, candyfloss tunes and beats…There is something dislikeable about her. She seems very calculated…a careerist sensibility, and somewhat dead looking eyes. Is she talented? Yes. An artist? I don’t think so. Will she be richer than I could ever dream of being? Yes. And good for her. I don’t doubt she has worked genuinely hard for that.
51. kookoobirdz | 12:05 pm on February 4th, 2007
Only just now hearing her. What fun. Original, fresh, pop with some substance, genuineness, and a bit of grit. A fresh summer feelgood pop hit that has the words “crack whore” in it? Fantastic!
52. Cinder-ellie | 12:39 pm on February 15th, 2007
She’s really cool
53. Alyssa | 12:53 am on February 16th, 2007
“HATERZ. instead of criticizing lily y dont u start writing the tune of the century”
No one said they’re great writers but they just don’t like Lily Allen’s music and don’t understand why she’s making it big. Lily Allen’s tunes aren’t the tunes of the century. She will be forgotten at the end of the year and will be replaced by another one hit wonder.
54. cool person4196 | 9:59 pm on March 10th, 2007
is lily allen pregnant
55. Adam | 8:07 am on March 11th, 2007
A lot of people here seem to think only pretty people are allowed to make music. That’s a product of our society and that’s what Lily Allen is singing about. “If i buy those jeans I can look like Kate Moss” etc etc.
She’s putting two fingers up to it and I reckon many more artists will be coming along doing the same thing very soon.
And if you still think she’s rubbish, at least she’s original….. you can’t argue against that
56. Abbie | 10:52 am on March 11th, 2007
I think Lilly Allen is origanal can u name any other female artists who do what she does???Her songs are great and the lyrics are not exactly genius but origanal and somthing u know about and relatable.But she is a bit gobby AND she slags people off a bit.But she is probably saying what everynody is thinking.But i think Lilly is brilliant!KEEP IT UP
57. Laura | 3:12 pm on March 19th, 2007
u r a great singer u hav talent and u can actually sing unlike hilary duff and other bad singers!!! u r very pretty but u look sumtimes wasted other than that u r good at singing
58. Miley Cyrus | 3:15 pm on March 19th, 2007
YOU ARE OKAY NOT THE BEST LIKE ME BUT U ARE VERY PRETTY BUT ALSO NEED A GOOD IMPACT ON CHILDREN U DRINK AND SMOKE
59. Douglas | 12:16 am on March 23rd, 2007
She da shizzle fo sho
60. Anonymous | 2:10 pm on March 24th, 2007
shes so damn ugly its unbelievable… I cant imagine anyone thinking shes nice… she has a face like a walrus and opitomises everything thats wrong with the UK today. cheap, nasty people getting recognition…
61. Yo Home Boyie | 11:58 am on March 28th, 2007
She honestly blows. All her songs fallow the same patterns a bunch of words and then a chorus that repeats on average 20 times. And most of her songs are about her crappy sex life, who cares. Give me some cool licks not some stupid shit.
62. Ben from Dtown | 10:04 am on April 5th, 2007
theres only two things wrong with her; shes ugly and has no real talent
63. Johnny Punani | 1:54 pm on April 14th, 2007
She is cute but not hot. I guess the reason why so many think she’s hot is because she looks like a reg gurl you could hook up with but she can sing and has some attitude about her. That makes her “hot”
64. Jodie | 8:11 am on April 18th, 2007
Lily Allen,
I’m Jodie from Bristol, i’m a really big fan.
I’ll give you my e-mail and then i’ll send you my address so you can send me an altograph, plzz!
Sunnysunday__8@msn.com
Lots of love Jodie
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
65. Jodie | 8:13 am on April 18th, 2007
Have U heard Lily Allens new CD?
Its fabaroooooooony! - lol
Its really cool and groovy but if your under the age of 10/11 i would advice you not to buy it as thee are some words may afend you and also she swares a lot! - lol!
I’m 10, i listen to it!
66. Jodie | 8:14 am on April 18th, 2007
67. Jodie | 8:15 am on April 18th, 2007
hear are smilies look
: - ) ~
: - ( ~
68. Jodie | 8:15 am on April 18th, 2007
*-~:-(~-*
69. Teresa | 6:25 am on May 21st, 2007
Half the people in this blog are slagging her off for being ugly, but if the world seriously thinks you must be drop dead gorgeous to make music or even be successful, then I think I should just go kill myself now, because I guess that means me and a lot of the world is going to end up being just another Lily Allen “fucking damn ugly chav with no talent” or something like that. And as for everyone else who says her lyrics are completely stupid, not every single song can be some monumental philosophical revelation - sometimes you just have to have music for even, yes, when you feel fat and you just want to pig out on spaghetti bolognaise without having to worry about the excess calories. If you can honestly say you have never felt any of the emotions Lily has attempted to express in her music, THEN you have the right to slag her off about being ugly/non-talented/chav/bitchy. And as for her only being famous for having a famous dad or something, Keith Allen I think he’s named? Who the hell is he anyway?
70. $$$$$ | 10:26 pm on May 27th, 2007
it’s so sad she smokes shes so young and beautiful and talented. but shes just throuwing away her life!
71. Katherine | 4:49 pm on June 9th, 2007
…why would you all go to such an effort just to dis someone??
that’s actually the most rediculous thing i’ve ever heard.
lily allen is awesome. who cares if she smokes and drinks, so many other good artists do too.
72. sophie | 6:53 pm on October 24th, 2007
i think lilly allen and amy winehouse are fighting over who is more popular… i think thats pathetic
73. sophie | 6:58 pm on October 24th, 2007
i dont care if lilly allen smokes because she can do what she wants we dont control her
74. sophie | 7:08 pm on October 24th, 2007
i cant wait to know what your going to say next…lilly allen is really pretty and i think your just jealous now shut it if your going to be like that
75. Anonymous | 7:58 pm on April 26th, 2008
how can you be so mean to her??? she is so awesome la la la la I’ m not lgoing to hear all this $&$*(^)&W$I!!!