Hey again,

after re-watching some of Todd's videos again (yeah, call me fanboy somehow) I stumbled across the song "Who'd have known" (again) by Lily Allen. I remembered that it's quiet beginning caught my attention but somehow I didn't dwell on the song... strange, she sings nicely, I can relate to the theme, the producing isn't bad either... and of course, it got a piano! (which is my favourite instrument, mainly because I play it myself)

So, why didn't I fall for this song, had it replayed until I couldn't stand it anymore, just to discover it some months later again? These among under questions crossed my mind - until the chorus began.

"Are you mine?
Are you mine?
Cause I stay here all the time
Watching telly, drinking wine
Who'da known, who'da known
When you flash up on my phone
I'd no longer feel alone
No longer feel alone"

Wow. WAY to ruin some intense atmosphere. I mean, don't get me wrong: I like positive music, I like clear and direct words, and I have nothing against some kind of psychotic attitude (though Casper's "Can I keep you?" still is a bit too creepy).

No, my problem is the context of this happening: the song starts out with her singing about the end of a long night, about being kinda sleepy, accompanied by the soft piano... lyrically she doesn't spell out what's going on, but still one can feel that there's something happening between this two people... imagine them two lying in bed, he reaches over to her hand, very slowly, because they're not sure, a little smile on her face which he can't see... they talk about what they are going to do, when he suddenly kisses her... AND A BRASS BAND MARCHES IN AND PLAYS A HYMN TO LOVE!

Okay, I know: a) I'm exaggerating and b) under some circumstances a brass band walking in your bed room can be cool (though this occasions are rather rare and this is not one of them) - but lyrically this is what happened to me when I hear this song, every time! This whole ambivalence of the scene vanishes into some (relatively) bland pop chorus, singing about having someone, and oh my, how beautiful, and so on.

As I said: nothing against some simple positivity in today's pop music (ever noticed that many popular songs are in a minor key?), but here a wonderful, original premise was destroyed by doing it the "simple way". A friendship turning into a relationship? Do the involved people want this? Are these feelings just a "flash" because you're lonely, or are they in for the long run? Was one of them two in love all the time? Is it right to risk a good friendship for a relationship, that may end like many others do? Ah, whatever!

From this point on all this interesting aspects of the songs are dropped and it turns into a "Teehee, we're in love"-thing. Sure, it's good for them that for them all these things are clear, less drama, more fun and so on - but then you can start this whole thing like this. Not talking about "Don't know where this is going" but "I've been waiting for this some time" - that's also something I can relate to and it fits with the whole rest of the song.

Right now, I can't decide when to listen to this song: when I'm happy in love? No, too soft in the beginning. When it's late and I'm sentimental? Not really, the chorus destroys this atmosphere for me... It seems like, the first verse was written until the chorus, then Lily Allen got called: "Hey, we need a new radio song!" - "I've got something here, a quiet song, about two friends who come closer, falling in love with each other, but not knowing for sure if it's the right thing..." - "Okay, love it is! Write some catchy chorus, I'll be there in ten minutes!"

Though, judging from the other songs of Lily Allen I may imagine that she herself decided to "spice the song" up as it seems like she wants to be provocative ("Man, you're bad in bed!, "Haha, you're hurt!" or "Fuck you!", which is one of the inofficial hymns against right-wing radicalism in Austria). So she said "Wow, that's touchy right know... let's make it plain and abvious so somebody be annoyed, haha!" Well done, Miss Allen.

So, there you've got it. An angry Austrian rambling about some mediocre song - yeah, it's not bad overall, I can imagine listening to it on a party or something.

To close this off with one of my countryman famous words:

"Raaaah, I will eat you!"