22

Lily Allen

About 22

"22" is a song by British recording artist Lily Allen from her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You. Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, the song was released as the fourth international single of the album, but the third in the United Kingdom, after it was decided not to promote "Fuck You" there. It was released to the music market on 24 August 2009 by Regal Recordings, though a different version called "22 (Vingt Deux)" was released in France. Contemporary critics were mixed in their reviews of the song, some complimenting the rousing sound and the lyrics, which hide her maturity. The single peaked inside the top twenty of the charts of the UK Singles Chart, in Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia, giving the singer her third consecutive top twenty hit in both countries. The accompanying music video portrayed a self-reflection theme, Allen taking a view over her past-self in the mirror and realising her life was wasted on superficial matters. The song was performed live as part of Allen's 2009 concert tour. "22" also appears on the international soundtrack to the Brazilian soap opera Viver a Vida. 


Year:
2009
3:06
98 

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When she was 22 the future looked bright
But she's nearly 30 now and she's out every night
I see that look in her face she's got that look in her eye
She's thinking how did I get here and wondering why

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
Til 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

She's got an alright job but it's not a career
Wherever she thinks about it, it brings her to tears
Cause all she wants is a boyfriend
She gets one-night stands
She's thinking how did I get here
I'm doing all that I can

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
Til 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

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
Til 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 easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Lily Allen

Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper (née Allen; born 2 May 1985), well known by her birth name Lily Allen, now professionally known as Lily Rose Cooper, is an English recording artist, actress and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative. Allen abandoned school and concentrated on improving her performing and compositional skills. She created several demo songs, and in 2005, she created a profile on Myspace where she made some of her recordings public. more »

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Written by: LILY ALLEN, GREGORY KURSTIN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Album Release
"22" is a song by the English recording artist Lily Allen from her second studio album, "It's Not Me, It's You."
Song Release
The song was released in the United Kingdom on 24th July 2009 as the album's fourth single.
Song Genre
The genre of the song "22" is Pop.
Music Production
The song was produced by Greg Kurstin who is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter.
Song Composition
“22” is a piano-led pop song and it has disco influences.
Song Theme
The song talks about a woman who's lost her direction in life as she reaches 30, and feels under societal pressure because she's not married and doesn't have kids.
Chart Performance
The song reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, marking Allen's eighth Top 20 single from two albums.
Music Video
The music video for "22" was directed by Jake Scott and premiered in June 2009.
Lyrics Controversy
Many critics found the lyrics ironic because Lily Allen herself was never a 30-year-old single woman when the song was released.
Social Commentary
The song was seen as Lily Allen's social commentary on the expectations and pressures placed upon women as they age.

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