I just love Lily Allen. She's an odd sight, wearing something related to a prom dress, barefoot, stalking the stage, smoking a cigarette, hair blowing in the Brazilian wind. And then the music starts at 1:25, a sexy, almost funky island beat, with warm horns* in the background. She sings about how much she hates the bully who was mean to her in school. Her voice glides up the chorus, ascending to the middle of the phrase -- "you're no friend of" -- and then lilting down the last two words -- "mine, girl." Even when Allen giggles in the middle of the phrase, around 3:40, she lands the last notes.
And I know smoking hasn't been cool in years, but juggling a neon yellow microphone and a cigarette is still impressive.
* At first I thought the solo at the beginning was played on trombone, and I got excited, because I too play trombone. But my excitement deflated when I caught a glimpse of a flugelhorn. Making up for this aural tease, the slide-a-rific bone solo around 4:10 is pretty satisfying in its rip-roaring simplicity.
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