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. lilly allen is the sickest to ever do it.
Smile
Lily Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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 wine 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 wine 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)
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, O/B/O DistroKid, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Darren Emilio Lewis, Iyiola Babatunde Babalola, Lily Rose Beatrice Allen, Donat Roy Jackie Mittoo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind