Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985), known professionally as Lily Al… Read Full Bio ↴Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985), known professionally as Lily Allen, is an English singer/songwriter, hailing from London, United Kingdom. Allen left school when she was 15 and concentrated on improving her performing and compositional skills. She started her musical career in 2002 by signing to London Records. In 2005, she made some of her recordings public on Myspace and the publicity resulted in airplay on BBC Radio 1 and a contract with Regal Recordings.

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, won her the BRIT Awards for British Female Solo Artist 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. lily allen is the sickest to ever do it.

Friend of Mine
Lily Allen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't want us to have a fight
But in the background
I can hear you chatting shite
I hear it every night
And you think you're being really cool
And you've been doing it
Since we were both at school
Now who looks like a fool

You're no friend of mine, girl
And I've known it for a while, girl
You're just a waste of time, girl
Why don't you have another line, girl?

Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck
Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck

What happened to the good old days?
I was kinda hoping this was all a stupid phase
Who are you anyway?

I know you've heard this all before
I know some people who are calling you a whore
Don't know you anymore

You're no friend of mine, girl
And I've known it for a while, girl
You're just a waste of time, girl

Why don't you have another line, girl?

Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck
Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck

Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck
Tell me what did you expect
Have you got no self respect?
Reputation to protect?
Soon you'll be a nervous wreck

Overall Meaning

The song "Friend Of Mine" by Lily Allen is a scathing rebuke of a former friend who has become unreliable, untrustworthy and self-destructive. The lyrics are both angry and sad, as Allen expresses her disappointment and frustration with someone she used to love and trust. The song is about a friend who has lost her way and become a toxic influence, spreading gossip and lies behind Allen's back. She warns her ex-friend that her behavior will catch up with her, and that she will end up alone unless she changes her ways. The chorus is particularly biting, as Allen sings "You're no friend of mine, girl / And I've known it for a while, girl / You're just a waste of time, girl / Why don't you have another line, girl?" It's a stark reminder that sometimes the people we care about the most can end up hurting us the most.

The verses amplify Allen's frustration with her friend's behavior. She can hear her talking "shite" in the background, and knows that this has been going on for years. She asks rhetorically "What happened to the good old days?" and wonders how her friend could change so much. Despite her hurt and anger, however, Allen still cares about her former friend, and tries to impart some wisdom. She tells her that she needs to have more self-respect and protect her reputation if she wants to avoid becoming a "nervous wreck".

In conclusion, "Friend Of Mine" is a powerful song about the pain of losing a friend. It's a reminder that even the strongest bonds can be broken by toxicity and betrayal. The song is a standout from Lily Allen's debut album "Alright, Still", showcasing her talent for writing catchy, witty and heartfelt songs.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want us to have a fight
I don't want to argue with you

But in the background
However, something is bothering me

I can hear you chatting shite
I can hear you talking nonsense

I hear it every night
It's constantly in my head

And you think you're being really cool
You think you're impressing someone

And you've been doing it
You've been acting this way

Since we were both at school
Since we were young

Now who looks like a fool
Now who appears foolish

You're no friend of mine, girl
You're not my friend

And I've known it for a while, girl
I've realized this for a long time

You're just a waste of time, girl
You're not worth my time

Why don't you have another line, girl?
Why don't you do something else with your time?

Tell me what did you expect
What did you think would happen?

Have you got no self respect?
Why don't you respect yourself?

Reputation to protect?
Don't you care about what others think?

Soon you'll be a nervous wreck
Your actions will catch up with you

What happened to the good old days?
When were things simpler?

I was kinda hoping this was all a stupid phase
I hoped this was just temporary behavior

Who are you anyway?
Who are you trying to be?

I know you've heard this all before
I know other people have told you the same

I know some people who are calling you a whore
I know some people are making negative judgements about you

Don't know you anymore
I don't recognize you