As unexpected and illogical as it may seem, I am loving Lily Allen's new album "It's Not Me, It's You" from the very warmest depths of my feminist heart. I listen to a wide variety of music, and though I appreciate pop for its ability to be catchy and its use of fun turns of phrase, it is rare that I ever consider it to be socially redeeming or empowering - and I consider "It's Not Me, It's You" just that.
Lily Allen is known for her innovation and creativity, as well as being contrary and contradictory. I didn't have much of an impression of her before the release of her latest album - or much of an interest. I knew she was popular on celebrity blogs because of her lack of decorum (such as her disinterest in wearing underwear) and her vocal lack of respect for artists such as Girls Aloud and Katy Perry. She has been a media sensation and with all that publicity, and she has garnered a lot of criticism - both for the quality of her music and her physical person. Celeb gossip outlets were all abuzz when she blogged about her hatred of her body and lack of self-worth, writing, "I am not strong and have fallen victim to the evil machine... I have spent the past hour researching gastric bypass surgery, and laser lipo suction." Never mind that she is far from fat - one can see that Lily Allen has lived the epitome of a woman's experience, suffering intense personal scrutiny in the public sphere.
She has allegedly gotten a trainer, but if her album is anything to judge by, her feelings of self-worth seem to come from other means than external validation of her physical attributes. Everyone has their own take, and I know there are many different interpretations of her latest work, but all that aside, I think many songs are quite powerful and quite empowering. And even better, they're popular - not only has her single release, "The Fear" become number one in the UK, but the whole album tops the charts.
"The Fear" shows she isn't afraid to subvert the norm, put some perspective on her life, and offer something of substance to those that listen. The song is fun to listen to in terms of its sound, but the words are what I find so exciting, as she starts off running, pointing to the superficiality of the world she is now privilege;
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 f**k loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
She continues from this point to more serious social double standards: she does not so much explain as she highlights through sarcasm and problematizes through highlighting in "22," my favorite feminist-flavored song on the album;
When she was 22 the future looked bright
But she's nearly 30 now and she's out every night
I see that look in her face she's got that look in her eye
She's thinking how did I get here and wondering whyIt's sad but it's true how society says
Her life is already over
There's nothing to do and there's nothing to say
Til the man of her dreams comes along picks her up and puts her over his shoulder...
Only a few reviews of her latest work seem to address the messages in her songs, and they often manage to misconstrue what I have come to appreciate so much - making the album seem exclusive towards men, rather than critical of a patriarchal system that harbors double standards that exclude women. I am not trying to claim that Lily Allen is a feminist, or that her new album is of a "post-feminist feminism" construct as some have, but if you look at the world with a feminist lens her new music is a pleasure to listen to on more than one level.
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I love Lilly Allen and love the new album!
I quite like the song about her lover who doesn't make her scream and doesn't care. Can't remember the name but it's a good one, and quite feminist to boot.
This entire album just plain makes me happy. There were a couple songs off her previous album (which I think was entitled "alright still") that I really enjoyed such as "Not Big" and "Smile" but I think the new album is full of songs that I will listen to over and over.
Honeybee, the song is Not Fair. So fun!
I think that the song F**k You is also really very good. I tend to get turned off of such blatant swearing in my music because I have a lot of friends who can't handle it but this is so wonderful...
Look inside, look inside your tiny mind, then look a bit harder
Cause we're so uninspired, so sick and tired, of all the hatred you harbour
So you say it's not OK to be gay, well I think you're just evil
You're just some racist, who can't tie my laces
Your point of view is medieval
I have recently discovered her as well and love her. I also love the song "Fuck You" (which is about George Bush in case you didn't know). Both of her albums are great.
I just listened to this song after reading about it here - wow, I love it. Yes, that's pretty much what everyone I know here in the UK thinks of George Bush...
The U.K and the rest of world. Including about 80% of Americans. He's got the worst approval of all U.S presidents since Nixon I believe, maybe more so.
and yet he managed to get a second term in office? I think it's more like half and half really.
Well back then his approval ratings were much higher.
Ah I love Lily Allen! That is all.
I love Lilly Allen, too! I've been a fan since Alright, Still came out and I love her because she says whatever's on her mind.
Ditto, ditto. Love Lily Allen...I listen to her when I'm feeling down or want to reminisce a little about my former life in the London pub scene...
I recognise this guy's way of thinking
As he walks over her face starts sinking,
She's like,
"oh here we go.."
it's a routine check that she already knows
She's thinking
"they're all the same"
"yer you alright baby, you look alright, still, yer what's your name?"
She looks in her bag, takes out a fag
Tries to get away from the guy on the blag
can't find a light,
"here use mine"
"you see the thing is I just don't have the time."
I love Lily Allen and I have done since her debut album which I still think is brilliant. It's always good (as a british female) to see a british female artist doing well in the charts.
But more importantly, her music is great, I love her style, she's had a lot to deal with, what with her miscarriage being in the press and them constantly talking crap about her body, which is beautiful. She's not even big, she's just not a fucking emaciated clone with hair extensions and fake tan, thank god. And her music is very personal, but also something we can all relate to I think.
I just think she's awesome.
I do like Lily Allen and what she represents, but I do feel somewhat let down by her appearance of the cover of Q magazine wearing only hotpants and tights (no top). It seemed a bit rich coming from a girl who sung the lines 'I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless, cos everyone knows that's how you get famous' with such heavy sarcasm, and who has often spoken out against how tacky and sexist media representations of women tend to be in this country. I just can't help but feel 'another one bites the dust'...
Thank you for introducing me to this album! I heard of it a while back but never heard anything else and forgot about it - now I am headed out to buy it! : D
i heard the fear one day and the next day i fell in love with fuck you..
FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU VERY VERY MUCH
CUZ WE HATE WHAT YOU DO AND WE HATE YOUR WHOLE CREW SO PLEASE DONT STAY IN TOUCH ..
its so cheerful. and i love it.
I have to say I'm personally most disturbed not by the desire to stay at home, but how they feel one of their major roles is to please men sexually, and that they have this "confirmed" by boyfriends or SO's. To me, that's INCREDIBLY degrading- not only in that you're giving your view of your self-worth entirely to another person, but especially as a victim of child sexual abuse, where my abuser viewed my purpose in life bedroom furniture to be sexually gratifying him.
I don't know, maybe that's just how I see it, but that just struck me as... ew.
Thank you for writing about her. I just watched the video for/listened to "Not Fair." I like it.
What I don't like, however, is the comments under the video. I should have known.