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.
The Fear
Lily Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fuckin' fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault, it's how I'm programmed to function
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah, I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
The song "The Fear" by Lily Allen is a commentary on our society's obsession with wealth, fame, and material possessions. The opening lines reveal her desire for wealth and money- regardless of intelligence, wit, or humor. She wants a life filled with clothes and diamonds, but she's aware of the darker side of this lifestyle. People die while trying to attain this level of wealth and fame. Lily Allen then reflects on how being shameless is now how people gain fame, rather than talent. Looking at the sun and in the mirror, she's happy with her path, feeling as though she's on the right track to fame and success.
However, in the chorus, she begins to show a more introspective side. She no longer knows what's right or real, and she doesn't know how she's meant to feel. She's being taken over by "the fear." The next verse then goes on to criticize how society values celebrities and fast cars over mothers and more important things. She acknowledges that her life is made better by her "packing plastic," but she also recognizes that she's become a "weapon of massive consumption." She looks in the mirror again, affirming that she's on the right track.
Yet, in the final chorus, she seems to express a desire to break free from this cycle. She calls on us to forget about guns and ammunition, saying she's capable of dealing with her own problems. She's not perfect, but she's not a sinner, and everything is fine if she's getting thinner. The final lines repeated again and again in the chorus, convey her anxiety and confusion towards her obsession with wealth and fame.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
The singer desires wealth above all else.
I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny
The singer thinks intelligence and humor are unimportant.
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
The singer wants material possessions, specifically clothing and diamonds.
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
The singer acknowledges that the pursuit of wealth can result in harm or death.
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
The singer is willing to do anything, even if it is considered shameful, to become famous.
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous
The singer believes that taking off one's clothes is a common way to become famous.
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
The singer is confident in their path toward success.
I'm on the right track, yeah, I'm on to a winner
The singer believes that they are on the path to victory.
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
The singer feels uncertain about what is true or correct.
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
The singer is confused about their emotions and how they are supposed to react.
When do you think it will all become clear
The singer wants to know when they will understand their situation better
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
The singer is consumed by fear about their future.
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
The singer believes that society places more value on celebrities than on mothers.
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
The singer thinks that people focus on material possessions and arguments rather than on more important issues.
But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic
The singer is content with having fake material possessions.
And that's what makes my life so fuckin' fantastic
The singer believes that the fake possessions give them a fantastic life.
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
The singer acknowledges that they consume a lot of material goods.
And it's not my fault, it's how I'm programmed to function
The singer believes that their desire for material possessions is not their fault, but is a result of societal programming.
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
The singer does not believe that violence is the answer.
'Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
The singer is succeeding on their own, without violence.
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
The singer does not see themselves as wholly good or bad.
Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner
The singer is satisfied as long as they are losing weight.
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
The singer is still unsure about what is true or correct.
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
The singer is still confused about their emotions and how they should feel.
When do you think it will all become clear
The singer is still hoping for clarity in the future.
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
The fear is still consuming the singer.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lily Rose Allen, Greg Kurstin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hastekulvaati9681
I think this songs works because of the ambiguity. If she was just showing off about her awesome life the song would lose its charm.
I am sure on some level Lily Allen doesn't like the idea of Africans dying so people in the developed world can have cheap diamonds.
But like most of us she isn't exactly losing sleep over it.
I am sure most people feel a bit bad about these things and also a bit bad that they don't feel that bad about it.
It's not right but....
@sarahshaygani7803
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous.
[Pre-chorus:]
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah I'm on to a winner.
[Chorus:]
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fucking fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function
[Pre-chorus]
[Chorus]
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I'm getting thinner
@estefaniaperezhidalgo545
Lyrics:
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah, I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fuckin' fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault, it's how I'm programmed to function
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah, I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear
@ghostboy3551
Lily Allen was wayy ahead of her time..
@apex1615
In what way was she ahead of her time?
@ghostboy3551
@@apex1615she was ahead of her time in this particular song because everything she mentioned about being famous and social media is happening right now I.e insta models etc.....
@apex1615
like it wasnt happening then. no offense. but she isnt ahead of her time, she is just a very talented singer.
@ghostboy3551
@@apex1615 I guess it was happening but it wasn't so visual as to what it is now, but I agree with you.she is a very talented singer.
@marcirwilcox1160
Yes!!!!!!!!!
@Samuel.U
For all you none Brits, "I'll look at The Sun and I'll look in the Mirror" are two British newspapers for anyone who's unaware. One of my favourite lines of the whole song, very clever
@eclipsicallane9179
Oh my gosh all of these years that has been the one line in this song that I didn't think was satirical-- I can't believe that went over my head thank you!
@aredub1847
dont worry, brit culture is such that most internationals will know of these media outlets.
@eclipsicallane9179
Are Dub yeah the funny thing for me is that I am familiar with the sun and the mirror but they are not commonplace enough in my life that it would be something I think of upon hearing those names out of context