The song incorporates ska music, as the lyrics tackle her dealing with the betrayal of her boyfriend, while enjoying his misery. Contemporary critics complimented the song, noticing the confidence it hides and the carnivalesque, yet melancholy, theme, although some, like Rob Sheffield, did not consider it one of the album's best songs and makes the singer a "theoretical pop princess". The single peaked inside the top forty of the charts of some European countries and Australia, while staying on the summit of the UK Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks and ended the year as the country's eleventh most successful song. It is also charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it was certified gold.
For promotion, "Smile" was also re-recorded in Simlish and had its own answer song. The accompanying music video portrayed a revenge theme, with Allen hiring a posse to beat her ex-boyfriend. It was directed by Sophie Muller and also banned on MTV due to obscene language. The song was performed live many times, including on talk shows, her 2007 concert tour and also during her 2009 concert tour, though Allen claimed to be "sick" of it. It won, in 2008, a Pop Award at the London Broadcast Music Incorporated Awards.
Smile
Lily Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you first left me
I was wanting more
But you were doing that girl next door
What'd you do that for?
When you first left meI didn't know what to say
I've never been on my own that way
Just sat by myself all day
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
And now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
It's only because you're feeling alone
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
Whenever you see me
You say that you want me back
And I tell you it don't mean jack
No, it don't mean jack
I couldn't stop laughing
No, I just couldn't help myselfSee, you messed up my mental health
I was quite unwell
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
And now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
It's only because you're feeling alone
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
Now at worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
Now at worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
Now at worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
At first, when I see you cry
The lyrics to Lily Allen's "Smile" describe the aftermath of a broken relationship in which the singer's ex-partner cheated on her with their neighbor. Initially devastated by the betrayal, the singer finds solace in the support of her friends and in time, discovers a newfound sense of independence and happiness. When her ex attempts to win her back, she brushes him off with dismissive laughter, secure in the knowledge that she is better off without him.
The refrain of the song, "At first when I see you cry, yeah it makes me smile," may seem callous at first glance, but upon closer examination, it reveals a number of emotions. The singer is not necessarily taking pleasure in her ex's pain but may be experiencing a sense of validation that he is experiencing the same kind of hurt that he inflicted upon her. Additionally, his tears may be a reminder to her of how far she has come since their split and the resilience she has developed.
Overall, "Smile" is a song about resilience and self-discovery, and the lyrics reveal the process of moving on from heartbreak, finding strength in oneself, and ultimately finding happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
When you first left me
The beginning of the breakup when the singer was still unsure how to react
I was wanting more
The singer was still emotionally invested and wanted the relationship to continue
But you were fucking that girl next door
The singer discovered their former partner was unfaithful and cheating on them with someone else
What'd you do that for? (What'd you do that for?)
The artist is exasperated with their former partner's actions and is questioning why they cheated
When you first left me
The artist repeats the line to emphasize how lost they were at the beginning of the breakup
I didn't know what to say
The singer was at a loss for words and unsure how to react to the sudden breakup
I've never been on my own that way
The singer has never been single and independent before and is still adjusting
Just sat by myself all day
The artist spent a lot of time alone and isolated after the breakup
I was so lost back then
The artist reiterates how emotionally lost they were during the early stages of the breakup
But with a little help from my friends
The artist turned to their close friends for support and comfort during this difficult time
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
The singer eventually found hope and positivity after going through the difficult breakup
Now you're calling me up on the phone
The former partner is trying to reach out and reconnect with the artist
So you can have a little wine and a moan
The former partner just wants to vent their emotions and problems to the singer
And it's only because you're feeling alone
The singer knows the former partner is only reaching out because they are lonely and want emotional support
At first, when I see you cry
When the singer witnesses the former partner crying
Yeah, it makes me smile
The artist feels a sense of satisfaction or vindication seeing their former partner receive some emotional turmoil for once
At worst, I feel bad for a while
The artist may feel some empathy or sadness in response to their former partner's crying, but not for long
But then I just smile
The singer quickly shifts back to feeling satisfied or pleased
I go ahead and smile
The singer doesn't hold back from expressing their satisfaction with their former partner's emotional state
Whenever you see me
Whenever the artist and their former partner cross paths
You say that you want me back (want me back)
The former partner expresses a desire to reconcile and rekindle the relationship
And I tell you it don't mean jack (it don't mean jack)
The artist dismisses the former partner's desire to get back together and rejects the idea
I couldn't stop laughing
The singer laughs in response to their former partner's failed attempt to reconcile
No, I just couldn't help myself
The artist's laughter is uncontrollable and instinctive
See, you messed up my mental health
The former partner's previous actions caused the singer emotional distress or trauma
I was quite unwell
The singer experienced significant negative effects as a result of their former partner's actions
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
The repeated refrain serves as a sort of 'sing-song' response to the negative events in the song
Lyrics © PREMIERE MUSIC GROUP, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jackie Mittoo, Lily Rose Beatrice Allen, Iyiola Babatunde Babalola, Darren Emilio Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@inyomouth_
Lyrics: When you first left me
I was wanting more
But you were fucking that girl next door
What'd you do that for? (What'd you do that for?)
When you first left me
I didn't know what to say
I've never been on my own that way
Just sat by myself all day
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
Now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
And it's only because you're feeling alone
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
Whenever you see me
You say that you want me back (want me back)
And I tell you it don't mean jack (it don't mean jack)
No, it don't mean jack (no, it don't mean jack)
I couldn't stop laughing
No, I just couldn't help myself
See, you messed up my mental health
I was quite unwell
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
Now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
It's only because you're feeling alone
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
At first, when I see you cry
Yeah, it makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst, I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
At first, when I see you cry (I see you cry)
Yeah, it makes me smile (makes me smile)
Yeah, it makes me smile (it makes me smile)
At worst, I feel bad for a while (feel bad for a while)
But then I just smile (but then I just smile)
I go ahead and smile (I go ahead and smile)
@theharshtruthoutthere
@@pink_addict
lets analyse the nonsense /lies many amongst you believe in:
lie: schools are of use (fact. schools keep slavery alive and stands for dumbing down the population of mankind)
lie: moon and mars landings, (fact: even masons know they cannot leave)
lie: news channels share truth (fact: these are for politic propaganda)
lie: money has a value of its own (fact: it is just a tool of this world, which value has been agreed upon world wide)
lie: NASA lies (globe and all....) (fact: NASA stands for to deceive) - you havn´t searched - have you?
lie: the lgbtq++++ propaganda (fact: it is a part of masonry depopulation agenda, 500 000 000 souls, thats their goal.)
lie: Evolution and the dinosaurs. (fact: mankind is not hybrid kind)
to keep stating that there was an evolution, then we ain´t humans, we aint then mankind, we are then hybrids.
Lie: holidays (xmas, halloween, new year eve and so on) (fact: PAGAN HOLIDAYS, to praise BAAL, the god of this world)
lie: U.F.Os (fact: they are demons/evil spirits in high places, against whom we fight daily = spiritual warfare)
lie: rules and laws rule the world (fact: signs and symbols of masonry do)
10 lies, should i go on?
@novalux4452
WTF, there are a lot of British singers who sound British rather than American.
Amy Winehouse
Adele
David Bowie
Elton John
Elvis Costello
Liam Gallagher (oasis)
Matt Bellamy (Muse)
Joe strummer (the Clash)
Johnny Rotten (sex pistols)
Morrissey (the smiths)
Sting (the police)
Damon albarn (Blur)
@alexw8432
LYRICS
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 didnt know what to say
I've never been on my own that way
Just sat by myself all day
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
Now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
And it's only because you are feeling alone
At first when I see you cry
It makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
Whenever you see me
You say that you want me back
And I tell you it don't mean jack
No it don't mean jack
I couldn't stop laughing
No, I just couldn't help myself
See, you messed up my mental health
I was quite unwell
I was so lost back then
But with a little help from my friends
I found the light in the tunnel at the end
Now you're calling me up on the phone
So you can have a little whine and a moan
And it's only because you're feeling alone
At first when I see you cry
It makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
At first when I see you cry
It makes me smile
Yeah, it makes me smile
At worst I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
At first when I see you cry
It makes me smile
Yeah it makes me smile
At worst I feel bad for a while
But then I just smile
I go ahead and smile
@lilyallen
At worst I feel bad for a while But then I just smile I go ahead and smile La la la
@---kp1dp
I'm sorry what how does this only have 4 likes
@lovendor
maybe this comment was hidden for a while???? surprising
@morgan2193
she probably just pinned it 0:
@MelquiadesMariana
Lily Allen I Love this music ♡
@tariqdickens9809
Lily Allen I don't know if you're gonna read this, but I'm constantly impressed with your honesty and self reflection. And your banging melodies :D
@ljoxleyofficial8119
The fact she wrote this 15 years ago and it’s still relevant is amazing.
@ljoxleyofficial8119
feckless clod she did she put it on MySpace herself lol
@ljoxleyofficial8119
feckless clod yeah I didn’t say she wrote it alone. She wrote it with Darren Lewis and someone else. Plus the MySpace version had different lyrics
@fatpussylipsperiody4008
LJ Oxley Official it was 11 years ago not 15 damn