Her first mainstream single, "Smile", reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in July 2006. Her debut record, Alright, Still, was well received, selling over 2.6 million copies worldwide and brought Allen a nomination at the Grammy Awards, BRIT Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. She began hosting her own talk-show, Lily Allen and Friends, on BBC Three.
Her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You, saw a genre shift, having more of an electropop feel, rather than the ska and reggae influences of the first one. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and the Australian ARIA Charts and was well received by critics, noting the singer's musical evolution and maturity. It spawned the hit singles "The Fear" and "Fuck You", popular mostly in Europe. Allen and Amy Winehouse have been credited with starting a process that led to the media-proclaimed "year of the women" in 2009 that saw five female artists making music of "experimentalism and fearlessness" nominated for the Mercury Prize.
22
Lily Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she's nearly 30 now and she's out every night
I see that look in her face she's got that look in her eye
She's thinking how did I get here and wondering why
It's sad but it's true how society says
Her life is already over
There's nothing to do and there's nothing to say
It seems so unlikely in this day and age
She's got an alright job but it's not a career
Wherever she thinks about it, it brings her to tears
Cause all she wants is a boyfriend
She gets one-night stands
She's thinking how did I get here
I'm doing all that I can
It's sad but it's true how society says
Her life is already over
There's nothing to do and there's nothing to say
Til the man of her dreams comes along picks her up and puts her over his shoulder
It seems so unlikely in this day and age
It's sad but it's true how society says
Her life is already over
There's nothing to do and there's nothing to say
Til the man of her dreams comes along picks her up and puts her over his shoulder
It seems so unlikely in this day and age
The song "22" by Lily Allen is a poignant reflection on the societal pressure placed on women to find a partner and establish a "successful" life by a certain age. The lyrics begin by painting a picture of a young woman at 22, full of hope and optimism for the future. However, at nearly 30 years old, she is out every night and feeling disillusioned with her life. The line "she's thinking how did I get here and wondering why" speaks to the confusion and self-doubt that can arise as we move through different stages of life.
The song goes on to highlight the unfair expectations placed on women, with society telling her that her life is already over unless she finds a man to "pick her up and put her over his shoulder." The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and hopelessness as the singer struggles to find fulfillment and meaning in her life. The line "all she wants is a boyfriend, she gets one-night stands" speaks to the difficulties of navigating relationships in the modern world.
Overall, "22" is a poignant and insightful critique of societal pressures placed on women to conform to certain expectations. It highlights the struggles women face in finding their place in the world and the importance of challenging traditional gender roles.
Line by Line Meaning
When she was 22 the future looked bright
At the age of 22, she had high hopes for the future.
But she's nearly 30 now and she's out every night
Now approaching 30, she spends her evenings partying and socializing.
I see that look in her face she's got that look in her eye
She bears a certain expression, indicating that she's not content with her current state.
She's thinking how did I get here and wondering why
Pondering on how she arrived here and the reasons why.
It's sad but it's true how society says
It may be sorrowful, but society dictates that
Her life is already over
At her age, society expects her to already have achieved her goals.
There's nothing to do and there's nothing to say
As per societal norms, there's nothing left for her to do or speak of.
Til the man of her dreams comes along picks her up and puts her over his shoulder
Until she finds the perfect partner who can take care of her.
It seems so unlikely in this day and age
It appears to be improbable in modern times.
She's got an alright job but it's not a career
She's employed in a decent job, but it's not something she aspires to long-term.
Wherever she thinks about it, it brings her to tears
Whenever she reflects on it, it makes her cry.
Cause all she wants is a boyfriend
All she desires is a partner.
She gets one-night stands
She engages in brief sexual encounters.
She's thinking how did I get here
She often wonders how she ended up in this situation.
I'm doing all that I can
She's trying her best to improve her circumstances.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LILY ALLEN, GREGORY KURSTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tee Jay
As a wise elderly 28 year old, here's the premise of the song. At 22 it scared me now it makes me smile ironically.
- 22: You graduate college and assume your first job is going to be your fulfilling, high paying dream career
- 30: You're in crippling student debt, hate your job, wish you studied something else and suddenly get baby rabies
- 22: You're at the peak of youth, you have all the time in the world to date around and find the perfect match
- 30: Relationships crumble or you've been chronically single, all your prospects are on Tinder and they frankly suck
- 22: You are putting yourself out there, travelling the world, networking, and society congratulates you for living life
- 30: People are asking you why you're not having kids yet, give you side eye for having fun and carefree weekends
- 22: You're self esteem sucks, you don't know who you are and don't even feel like an adult
- 30: You finally feel happy in your skin and found YOUR voice, but society says it is irrelevant
id ek
The lyrics of this song hit different when you're grown now.
The Sailing Song
WE ARE ON A TIME MACHINE AND REMINISCING :D
GAtestimonymiracle
Loool true I actually lived it
TMC
There are men who feel the same way.😆
Ricardito
😭😭
S A M M Y
It’s making me tear up now.
k k
When I found this song 10 years ago, I was 14 and I thought to myself: I have sooooo much time in front of me, I am gonna build the perfect life. Wtf is this song talking about? I am gonna rock in my 20's! Fast forward to now: I am 24 and everyday I wake up feeling I haven't seen/acomplished anything important, I still haven't figure out who I truly am and feel like don't know sh*t about this world... It's funny how arrogant I was back then. Adulthood is so much harder than I expected it to be and I was such an idiot for rushing into becoming an adult.
Mia Ramirez
I´m 16 and I already think that way, still trying to make myself believe that someday I will do something :(
Thomasreed
Join the club
Wekkerklok
Alyssa Graves You're 23. No reason for pessimism. Chill. That's the period of suck. You're thrown into an adult life, and you start running into things that school never trained you for. Take your time. Play the cards you've been dealt. Don't be lazy, don't postpone activities, finish an education in a field with a future, and work in a place where you can grow. Once you're in the groove of working and planning your life, you'll see that adulthood is actually pretty damn cool and most of the time very easy. :)