Fuck You (Lily Allen song)

"Fuck You" is a song by English singer Lily Allen from her second album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009), as her third international single.[1] The song became a quasi-gay anthem because of its lyrical message.[2] The song failed to chart within the top 100 in Allen's native United Kingdom but proved to be a hit in mainland Europe, topping the chart in Flanders for three weeks and reaching number two in Wallonia and the Netherlands. It became a top-five hit in Finland, Norway, and Switzerland, reached the top 20 in several other European nations, and peaked at number 23 in Australia.

"Fuck You"
Single by Lily Allen
from the album It's Not Me, It's You
Released	10 July 2009
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	3:39
Label	Regal Parlophone
Songwriter(s)	Lily Allen Greg Kurstin
Producer(s)	Greg Kurstin
Lily Allen singles chronology
"Not Fair" (2009) "Fuck You" (2009) "22" (2009)
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Fuck You" on YouTube

Background and content

The song originally appeared on Allen's Myspace page in 2008 alongside the songs "I Could Say" and "I Don't Know" (later released as "The Fear") under the title "Guess Who Batman". The song samples the piano of the theme to the Australian television show Neighbours. The song was written by Allen and Greg Kurstin. Allen wrote: "We are the youth, we can make coolness for our future, it's up to us. Go green and hate hate."[3]

Despite its titular reference to the Caped Crusader, according to NME and Rolling Stone magazines the song is a protest against George W. Bush.[4][5] At a concert of 2 April 2009 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, Allen stated that the song was about Bush.[4] At a concert in São Paulo, Brazil, Allen stated, "It was originally written about this fucking arsehole who used to be the President of the United States of America. His name is George W. Bush."[6]

The Urban Review states that it was originally inspired by the far-right British National Party, adding Allen now "feels the track is relevant everywhere now so has removed a particular target."[7] At the 2009 Glastonbury Festival prior to performing the song, Allen made reference to the elections to the European parliament that had commenced three weeks earlier in which the British National Party gained their first ever representative seats, citing this as a reason to sing the song.[7]

Chart performance

The song made its chart debut at number 37 on the Canadian Top 100 on 28 February 2009 despite not being released as an actual single. The song also entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 68 on the same week, being her third song on entry.[8]

In the United Kingdom the song made its debut on the UK Singles Chart at number 154 on the strength of digital downloads due to the video having a lot of airplay on UK music channels despite not being released as an official single there.[9]

In the Netherlands the song was released as the album's second single and debuted on the Dutch Top 40 on 18 April 2009 at number 23 and has peaked at number three.[8] The song reached number one in Belgium on 6 June 2009.[8] It also peaked at number four in Finland and Norway,[8] number 18 in Sweden,[8] number nine in France, number 23 in Australia[8] and number 16 in Switzerland.

Music video

A music video for the song was posted on the official Parlophone YouTube page on 15 June 2009. EMI hired the French production company Frenzy Paris, who in turn hired the art collective AB/CD/CD and the post-production company "Firm". The video is shot from Allen's point of view (she can be seen using a polaroid she takes of herself). She is seen to be making the journey from her hotel room to a television studio. Throughout the video, Allen warps the shape and size of her surroundings using her hands and her own perspective; for example, by moving her hands apart she stretches the Eiffel Tower and enlarges a man's afro hairstyle.[10]

Track listing

UK CD single (Cardsleeve) "Fuck You" (Explicit) – 3:42 "Fuck You" (Clean) – 3:40 French CD single (Slim Case) "Fuck You" (Explicit) – 3:42 "The Fear" (The Count (aka Hervé) & Lily Face the Fear Remix) – 4:21 American CD single (Standard Case / Cardsleeve) "Fuck You" (Explicit) – 3:42 "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario & Craig J Klub) "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario Dub) "Fuck You" (Rich Morel's Extended Vocal Mix) "Fuck You" (Rich Morel's Official Dub Mix) "Fuck You" (Manhattan Clique Two Fingers Club Mix) "Fuck You" (Manhattan Clique Dub Mix) "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario & Craig J Mixshow) "Fuck You" (The Boy's Crisis Remix) "Fuck You" (Manhattan Clique "Now Watch This" Electropop Radio Edit) "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario & Craig J Radio Mix) "Fuck You" (Rich Morel's Radio Edit)

UK digital download "Fuck You" (Explicit) – 3:42 "Not Fair" (Radio Edit) – 3:03 "Not Fair" (Style of Eye Remix) – 6:19 "The Fear" – 3:26 "The Fear" (The Count (aka Hervé) & Lily Face the Fear Remix) – 4:21 "Why" – 3:16 "Everyone's at It" – 3:22 "Mr Blue Sky" (Acoustic) – 4:18 French digital download "Fuck You" (Explicit) – 3:42 "Why" – 3:16 "Not Fair" (Style of Eye Remix) – 6:19 "The Fear" (The Count (aka Hervé) & Lily Face the Fear Remix) – 4:21 "Not Fair" (radio edit) – 3:03 American digital download "Fuck You" (clean radio edit) – 3:41 "Fag Hag" – 2:55 "Kabul Shit" – 3:45 "Womanizer" (acoustic version) – 3:31 American remix digital download "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario & Craig J Klub) – 7:46 "Fuck You" (Manhattan Clique Two Fingers Club Mix) – 6:21 "Fuck You" (Rich Morel's Extended Vocal Mix) – 5:48 "Fuck You" (Manhattan Clique 'Now Watch This' Electropop Radio) – 3:32 "Fuck You" (Ralphi Rosario Dub) – 9:48

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2009) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 23 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] 2 Brazil (Crowley Charts)[15] 38 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 37 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] 9 European Hot 100[8] 23 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 4 France (SNEP)[19] 14 Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 49 Israel (Media Forest)[21] 6 Italy (FIMI)[22] 9 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[25] 4 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[26] 48 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 18 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 5 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[29] 104 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 68 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[31] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 66 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[34] 12 France (SNEP)[35] 55 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 17 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 27 Italy (FIMI)[38] 66 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[39] 66 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 28 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[41] Gold 35,000^^ Belgium (BEA)[42] Gold 15,000^* Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[43] Gold 5,153[43] France (SNEP)[44] Gold 150,000^* Italy (FIMI)[45] Gold 15,000^* Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] Gold 15,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Gold 400,000 ^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

In popular culture

The song was chosen as the theme song for the TV programme Periodismo para todos (Spanish: Journalism for Everyone) in Argentina. Periodismo para todos is a controversial Argentine television program that has been labelled as investigative journalism.[48] The song was chosen because it had been used in a telenovela of the state-owned TV Pública, in a satirical Spanish lyrics version. The opening of the show features photos of the audience making the "fuck you" sign.[49] The song has a medium rotation on radio stations like La 100, from Buenos Aires (owned by Grupo Clarín, which also belongs Canal 13 who broadcast Periodismo para todos weekly). However, it was the second most popular song of 2012 in the chart show TUS 25 (Spanish: Your 25) of Tu Dial,[50] an Argentinian web radio station based in Mexico.

The song was featured in the pilot of ABC's Suburgatory.[51]

The song was performed by The Sockapellas in the 2012 film Pitch Perfect, singing "Eff You" instead.

The song is featured in the 2014 film Love, Rosie and in the 2016 film Bridget Jones's Baby.

The song is featured in the 2020 video game Watch Dogs: Legion.[52]

References

1. "— • Lily Allen • Whats Happening? • –". Lilyallenmusic.com. 5 May 2010. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
2. Frucki (8 May 2009). "Song: Fuck You by Lily Allen and Stevie Bee Bishop – Anti-Hate Collab Music Video".
3. Leah Collins (23 June 2008). "Lily Allen 'Makes Coolness for our Future' – whatever that means – with New Track". Dose.ca. Archived from the original on 12 May 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
4. "Lily Allen gets political in LA: Singer speaks out against President George W Bush". NME. 3 April 2009.
5. Rolling Stone Album Review. Jody Rosen. 4 February 2009.
6. Lily Allen – Fuck You (Live at Brazil – São Paulo) on YouTube
7. "Lily Allen – Guess Who Batman (Fuck You Very Much)". Urban Review. 26 June 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
8. "Fuck You Chart positions". acharts.us. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
9. "Fuck You UK Chart position". zobbel.de. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
10. Pop Payback:The British star’s caustic clip, made by French filmmakers, goes viral Wall Street Journal 2 July 2009
11. "Australian-charts.com – Lily Allen – Fuck You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
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13. "Ultratop.be – Lily Allen – Fuck You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
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15. "Brazil" (PDF). ABPD. 6 October 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
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17. "ČNS IFPI". www.ifpicr.cz.
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21. "Media Forest: Airplay chart". mediaforest.biz. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015.
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28. "Swisscharts.com – Lily Allen – Fuck You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
29. Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: A – Azzido Da Bass". Zobbel. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
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31. "Lily Allen Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
32. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2009". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
33. "Jaaroverzichten 2009" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
34. "Rapports Annuels 2009" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
35. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 2009" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
36. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2009". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
37. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2009" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
38. "FIMI – Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana – Ricerche e dati di mercato". FIMI. 19 January 2010. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
39. "Årslista Singlar, 2009" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
40. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2009". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
41. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
42. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2009". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
43. "Lily Allen" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
44. "Les Disques d'Or 2009" (PDF) (in French). Disqueenfrance. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
45. "Italian single certifications – Lily Allen – Fuck You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 13 August 2020. Select "2009" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Fuck You" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
46. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Lily Allen; 'Fuck You')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
47. "British single certifications – Lily Allen – F**k You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
48. Schmidt, Esteban (7 May 2012). "Lanata y Periodismo para todos: el último chiste del periodista clown". Rolling Stone (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2013.
49. El "¡Fuck You!" de Lanata (in Spanish)
50. "Tu Dial". tudial.net.
51. "Music Lounge – Suburgatory". ABC.com. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
52. "Watch Dogs: Legion - all songs on the soundtrack". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.