A Listen to Lilly Allen

Last week, we looked at one of the queens of British music, and to do so, we went “old school” to gab about Vera Lynn. Fast forward a good 50+ years, and we find ourselves this week looking at Lilly Allen, a recent alt-pop phenom to come out England. Sure, most new Brit acts have been swept under the Amy Winehouse carpet, especially given Winehouse’s recent Grammy sweep, but for some of us, there are still others out there who may need just as much “rehab” as Miss Amy … and whose music offers us a little “rehab” from the flotsam and jetsam we get from much of America’s pop.

This week, we’re showcasing Lilly Allen’s third release from her first album, Alright, Still: “Littlest Things”. “Littlest Things” offers a look at the after-effects of a bad relationship … we’ve all been there, of course.

[audio:lillyallen_littlestthings.mp3]

But if you’re feeling a bit more upbeat, be sure to sample Allen’s “Knock ‘Em Out“, which says exactly what many of us have wanted to say to some wanker who comes up to us in a bar:

[audio:lillyallen_knockemout.mp3]

There’s also “LDN“. Who knows what it’s really about, but it’s peppy, fairly vapid at times, and contains one of the worst rhymes imaginable:

There was a little old lady, who was walking down the road
She was struggling with bags from Tesco
There were people from the city having lunch in the park
I believe that it’s called al fresco

[audio:lillyallen_ldn.mp3]

In a few weeks, we’ll come back Lilly Allen’s song about her brother as we look at the impact Equus is having on the London stage.

Music: Vera Lynn

There are few artists more respected in British musical history and culture than Vera Lynn, who was first admitted to Order of the British Empire in the 1960s and later given the honor of “Dame Commander” in 1975. Lynn is most famous for two songs, one of which is featured here: “The White Cliffs of Dover“.

This particular song spoke to a nation wracked by war and fearful that the “London Blitz” would put them under German rule. The nation looked for hope, and a song like “White Cliffs of Dover” underscored that hope, noting that one day “Jimmy will go to sleep / In his own little room again”.

[audio:veralynn_whitecliffs.mp3]