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.
Waste
Lily Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back then when I was pleased to meet you
You were on my team
You were a bobber and a weaver
You're just a pagan now, non believer
You're all about yourself
No one else
Who the fuck are you though?
I should have never ever, ever let you get too close
If the truth be told
I can't wait to see you go
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
Breaking your back
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
Never give back
Big deal, I'm blessed
Keep talking, I'm unimpressed
You're way too out of your depth
My time will not be invested
You've changed
You used to be my friend
But I don't know you
Went too far, can't undo
The things you've done, no, you put me through hell
You only care about yourself
No one else
Who the fuck are you though?
I should have never ever, ever let you too close
If the truth be told
I can't wait to see you go
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
Breaking your back
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
Never give back
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
Breaking your back
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
Never give back
Yo, look pon your face
You're dirty stinking waste
Member dem times when you deh pon my case
Straight chase, me carry pepper-spray mace
You're done for, now you better tie your shoelace
Waste!
You comin last in di race
You're notthin', my lord, you don't even have the ace
Nah, mate
It's just all too late, bruv
Back up, back up, nah bodda come my way
When you check it was all so phoney
Nuf gal yah have ya really tink seh mi lonely?
Whole heap a man I call my homie
Me give dem di wok and keep them moanin'
Who the fuck are you though?
I should have never ever, ever let get you too close
If the truth be told
I can't wait to see you go
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
Breaking your back
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
Never give back
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
Breaking your back
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
Never give back
The lyrics of "Waste" by Lily Allen depict a woman's frustration with a former friend who has become selfish and deceitful. The song details how the friend has changed, becoming a "pagan now, non-believer" who is "all about yourself, no one else." The singer regrets getting too close to the friend and is eagerly anticipating their departure. The chorus repeats the phrase "Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break / Breaking your back / 'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take / Never give back" emphasizing the selfish nature of the friend's behavior.
In the second verse, a male voice enters the song, making derogatory comments about the friend. The man's voice speaks in Jamaican patois, enhancing the song's theme of cultural appropriation and exploitation. The second verse also reveals that the friend has gone beyond just being selfish and crossing into actively causing harm. The friend has put the singer "through hell," and the chorus once again emphasizes the "take, take, take" mentality the friend embodies.
The song's catchy beat and lyrics are a testament to Lily Allen's ability to craft songs that are both fun and meaningful. "Waste" is an excellent example of the artist's musical style, and its themes of betrayal and exploitation are universally relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
You played more than a feature
You had a significant role in my life
Back then when I was pleased to meet you
When I first met you, I was happy to get to know you
You were on my team
We were on the same side
You were a bobber and a weaver
You were crafty and manipulative
You're just a pagan now, non believer
You have changed and lost faith in me and our friendship
You're all about yourself
You only care about yourself
No one else
You don't care about anyone else
Who the fuck are you though?
I don't even recognize you anymore
I should have never ever, ever let you get too close
I regret allowing you to be such a big part of my life
If the truth be told
To be honest
I can't wait to see you go
I'm looking forward to you leaving me alone
Can't wait to see you break, break, break, break, break, break
I'm hoping for your downfall
Breaking your back
Experiencing a lot of difficulty
'Cause all you do is take, take, take, take, take
You never give back
Never give back
You never reciprocate or show appreciation
Big deal, I'm blessed
I don't need you to recognize my worth, I know I am blessed
Keep talking, I'm unimpressed
Your words don't affect me, they don't impress me
You're way too out of your depth
You don't understand the situation or you are overextending yourself
My time will not be invested
I won't waste my time on you and our relationship anymore
You've changed
You are not the same as you used to be
You used to be my friend
We had a friendship in the past
But I don't know you
You have become a stranger to me
Went too far, can't undo
You crossed a line and cannot take it back
The things you've done, no, you put me through hell
You have caused me a lot of pain and stress
Yo, look pon your face
Look at your face
You're dirty stinking waste
You are worthless and have no value
Member dem times when you deh pon my case
Remember when you were bothering me
Straight chase, me carry pepper-spray mace
I had to defend myself from you
You're done for, now you better tie your shoelace
You're in trouble and need to prepare yourself
You comin last in di race
You are failing and will not succeed
You're notthin', my lord, you don't even have the ace
You have nothing and are not even significant
Nah, mate
No, friend
It's just all too late, bruv
It's too late to fix things, brother
Back up, back up, nah bodda come my way
Stay away from me, don't bother me
When you check it was all so phoney
When you think about it, it was all fake
Nuf gal yah have ya really tink seh mi lonely?
Do you really think I'm lonely with all these girls around?
Whole heap a man I call my homie
I have a lot of male friends
Me give dem di wok and keep them moanin'
I satisfy them in bed and they enjoy it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chenelle Williams-Emmanuel, Ellis Cruickshank Taylor, Lily Rose Beatrice Allen, Timothy James Deal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind