The Fear (Lily Allen song)
"The Fear" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009). Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, the song was released as the lead single from the album. Initially, "Everyone's at It" was announced to be the first single from the album. However, it was ultimately decided on "The Fear" to be released on 26 January 2009 by Regal Recordings, while Allen posted the demo (which was then titled "I Don't Know") onto her MySpace account in April 2008. The song incorporates electropop music as the lyrics articulate problems with celebrity lifestyles and include metaphors for recognised tabloid national newspapers such as The Sun and the Daily Mirror.
"The Fear"
- "Fag Hag"
- "Kabul Shit"
9 December 2008
2007
Home studio (Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, England)
3:27
- Lily Allen
- Greg Kurstin
Greg Kurstin
Contemporary critics complimented the song and its themes of consumerism and the postmodern condition. "The Fear" topped the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks, thus becoming the longest running number 1 in the UK of 2009, while peaking inside the top 10 in Australia and Ireland and the top 20 in several European countries. It is also Allen's second entry on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it reached number 80.
The accompanying music video portrayed a fantasy theme, with Allen dancing with giant wrapped gifts and balloons. It was shot at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire and also featured dancers dressed as butlers; the locations were initially in a caravan in a park, and then in a giant colourful mansion, surrounded by contrasting grey clouds. The song was performed live for the first time via The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1 and during Allen's 2009 concert tour. "The Fear" was awarded with Best Track prize at the 2009 Q Awards,[1] and also won Allen two Ivor Novello Awards in 2010, for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, and Most Performed Work.[2]
Commercial performance[edit]
"The Fear" debuted at number 168 on the UK Singles Chart on 25 January 2009―for the week ending dated 31 January 2009. The following week, the song climbed 167 places to the top of the chart, thwarting Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" from the summit.[22] Gaga commented on this, saying, "I'm very familiar with Lily's music and good job Lily for knocking me off. There always deserves to be a female on top and I don't want to be the only one to do it. I think generally that pop music is making an enormous comeback and I'm actually very pleased with Lily Allen's new record as it's decidedly pop".[23] The song managed to remain on top for four weeks, throughout the whole of February,[24] until it was dethroned by Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You".[25] It thus earned Allen's second chart-topper, since her debut single, "Smile", achieved the feat in July 2006.[22] "The Fear" also became the single which spent more weeks atop the chart of 2009 in the UK. On the single's third week stay at number one, its parent album, It's Not Me, It's You topped the UK Albums Chart, having a chart double, to which Allen said: "It's great being at the top of both charts, especially in the same week as the Brit Awards are once again celebrating the best of British music."[26]
The song shared similar success in Australia, where it peaked at number three on the ARIA Singles Chart and stayed eight consecutive weeks in the top 10,[27] and was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association.[28] In Ireland, "The Fear" entered at number 29 on the Irish Singles Chart, making a slow rise to number five, where it remained for one week after descending the chart.[29]
The song became a success in Europe, having entered the top 20 in most of its countries,[30] which resulted in a peak of number three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[31] Also, in New Zealand, Allen scored her fourth top 40 entry with the song placing itself at a peak of number 14 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[32]
In North America, "The Fear" shared moderate success, charting at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Allen's only second entry in the United States.[33] Despite low positions on the main chart, the single managed to become the singer's first Hot Dance Club Play number one, topping it for one week.[34] In Canada, it debuted at 57 in late 2008, afterwards leaving the chart for seven weeks; it returned in 2009, peaking at 33.[35] It was certified Gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipments of over 20,000 copies.
Live performances[edit]
While being invited to the BBC show hosted by Scott Mills, Allen talked about her struggles with the paparazzi and also premiered the song by performing it live.[37] Other live performances of the song include the Sound on BBC 2 with Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac,[38] Friday Night with Jonathan Ross,[38] the Orange unsignedAct,[38] and The Sunday Night Project.[38] In February 2009, she was invited at The Today Show with Matt Lauer, where she performed the song after an interview.[39] The same month, she made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and while she was singing, DeGeneres freely dispensed copies of It's Not Me, It's You to the audience.[40] Afterwards, both Allen and DeGeneres performed a rendition of the song "Womanizer" by American singer Britney Spears.[40] Allen included the song on her 2009 concert tour setlist, as part of the encore. "The Fear" was also performed at the 2010 BRIT Awards, as the opening song. Allen arrived on stage sitting on a rocket hoisted in the air, while wearing a black corset dress. She was later joined on stage by paratroopers dressed in pink military camouflage and women with Silver Cross prams.[41][42]
Media appearances[edit]
The song was featured in the fourth episode of series three of the TV drama Skins,[43] and, also, an instrumental version is used as accompanying music by Match of the Day 2 during the review segment showing the goals.[44] "The Fear" was parodied by the character playing Kevin Rudd on the TV show Double Take, in which the lyrics are altered to deal with the voting campaign for Prime Minister in Australia.[45] The song was covered by JLS for BBC Radio 1's "Live Lounge" segment of Jo Whiley's show on 15 September 2009, featuring an interpolation of the Beyoncé's "Halo". In the 2021 Channel 4 film Help, the main character Sarah (played by Jodie Comer) quotes the first verse of the song.
Credits adapted from the liner notes of It's Not Me, It's You.[52]