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Lily Allen’s sophomore album It’s Not Me, It’s You was released on February 9, 2009. The debut single was The Fear, and the next single is confirmed to be Not Fair.

It's Not Me, It's You

I had been looking forward to the release of It’s Not Me, It’s You for months, and I was so disappointed when the release date was pushed back, but I knew that in the end, the wait would be worth it. Lily Allen is one of my favorite artists, and as I loved her first album, I knew that her second album would not disappoint. And I was right! It’s Not Me, It’s You is a fantastic album, filled with sharp, witty lyrics and great tunes. Lily’s album has received positive reviews since its release, and I’ve been listening to it on repeat ever since I got a copy of it. My favorite tracks are Back to the Start, Him, Chinese, and Not Fair. It’s a fantastic album, and it’s made me an even bigger fan of Lily’s work as an artist, so I highly recommend giving this album a listen!

Here is a track-by-track review of It’s Not Me, It’s You:

• Everyone’s At It
  Why can’t we all/All just be honest/Admit to ourselves/That everyone’s on it/The kids are in danger/They’re all getting habits/Because from what I can see/Everyone’s at it
  I like the chorus of Everyone’s At It best, and I really like the message of the song. Like I’ve said before, we live in a pill-popping culture, and it’s becoming a bigger and bigger issue.
• The Fear
  I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore/I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore/When we think it will all become clear/Cause I’m being taken over by the fear
  I like the verses of this song, and how the music from the verse builds up to this chorus. This song is about media image and the pressure/desire to be rich and famous, and everyone can identify with that in some way.
• Not Fair
  It’s not fair and I think you’re really mean/I think you’re really mean, I think you’re really mean/Oh you’re supposed to care but you never make me scream
  Even if a girl hasn’t been disappointed and/or dissatisfied by a guy sexually, there are still parts of this song that are relateable, such as the overarching theme of giving more than what you are receiving in a relationship. The chorus is incredibly catchy, too.
• 22
  It’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/Till the man of her dreams comes along picks her up and puts her over his shoulder/It seems so unlikely in this day and age
  The pressure to grow up fast is more and more noticeable the older you get, and 22 is all about the opportunities of a lifetime being over before they even begin because of what society says and dictates, and how a woman’s future revolves around a man, particularly in the chorus.
• I Could Say
  Since you’ve gone I’ve lost a chip on my shoulder/Since you’ve gone I feel like I’ve gotten older/And now you’ve gone it feels as if the whole wide world is my stage/And now you’ve gone it’s like I’ve been let out of my cage
  The entire tune of this song reminds me of nostalgia with a mix of bittersweet longing when recalling a first love. I remember the first boy I thought I was in love with¹. I thought he was perfect and he wasn’t, but I learned a lot about myself from that relationship, just like in I Could Say.
• Back to the Start
  I don’t know why I felt the need to keep it up for oh so long/It’s all my fault I’m sorry you did absolutely nothing wrong/I don’t know why I felt the need to drag it out for all these years/All the pain I’ve caused you/The constant flow of all the tears
  I’ve been guilty of disliking people irrationally and holding grudges against them for so long that I can’t even remember why I’m holding a grudge against them. Unattractive, I know, but that’s what Back to the Start is about. I love the music to this song as well the increased tempo of the chorus. It’s as if there’s so much Lily wants to say to the person the song is directed at that she needs to make sure she can get it all out and so that the person understands why she acted the way she did and accepts her apology.
• Never Gonna Happen
  I don’t wanna hurt you cause I don’t think it’s a virtue/But you and I have come to our end/Believe me when I tell you that I never want to see you again
  The tune for Never Gonna Happen reminds me of one of those dances that starts off slowly in a circle, and then progresses to go faster and faster but the dance itself never changes. In the end you’re just orbiting each other, without progress being made either forwards or backwards, which is the perfect description for the relationship that is ending in Never Gonna Happen.
• Fuck You
  Fuck you, fuck you very, very much/Cause we hate what you do/And we hate your whole crew/So please don’t stay in touch
  This song feels light and carefree, but as the working titles for Fuck You were Get With the Brogram and Guess Who Batman, it’s safe to say that it can be interpreted as being directed at former US president George W. Bush, although Lily says that it wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. And personally, it’s quite pleasing to listen to a song that is badmouthing Bush, or other similar counterparts, in a song that’s pleasing to listen to.
• Who’d Have Known
  Said tomorrow would be fun/We could watch a place in the sun/I didn’t know where this was going/When you kissed me
  I love the tentative pace of this song, the unsure tone at the beginning, and how the lyrics talk about the gradual progression from a friendship to a relationship. I love how there’s a connection at the beginning of the song and then the first uncertain steps that occur at the start of any relationship, and how it develops into a comfortable boyfriend/girlfriend routine.
• Chinese
  I don’t want anything more/Than to see your face when you open the door/You’ll make me beans on toast and a nice cup of tea/And we’ll get a Chinese and watch TV
  I love, love, love the chorus of this song. It’s catchy and works so well with the song, with each verse “returning” to the chorus, it really fits the story of how the person in the song is always returning to that special someone at the end of the day, no matter what hurdles they have to overcome.
• Him
  Ever since he can remember people have died in his good name/Long before that September/Long before hijacking planes/He’s lost the will he can’t decide/He doesn’t know who’s right or wrong/But there’s one thing that he’s sure of this has been going on too long
  The chorus of this song is haunting, as it should be. It’s about how God would view the world and all of the wrongs that have been going on for far too long, and the sharp verses make great statements about society and the chorus is just fantastic.
• He Wasn’t There
  I’m so pleased I never gave up on him/And well you wouldn’t believe some of the things that he did/And everyone said you have to give him some time/And I’m glad that I gave it to him ’cause now everything’s fine
  While I like the overall tune of this song, I think this might be my least favorite song on the album. I like the chorus, but something about the verses put me off. Overall, it is a good song, but I think it’s the weakest in the album.

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

1. I wasn’t, in the end. I just thought I was, and I ended up falling for someone else somewhere along the line, but that’s another story. [↩]