Littlest Things

Last updated

"Littlest Things"
Lily Allen-Littlest Things.jpg
Single by Lily Allen
from the album Alright, Still
B-side
Released11 December 2006 (2006-12-11)
Studio
Genre R&B [1]
Length3:02
Label Regal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Mark Ronson
Lily Allen singles chronology
"LDN"
(2006)		"Littlest Things"
(2006)		"Alfie" / "Shame for You"
(2007)
Music video
"Littlest Things" on YouTube

"Littlest Things" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). Written by Allen and Mark Ronson, the song was released as the third single of the album on 11 December 2006 by Regal Recordings. It incorporates a piano sample from Pierre Bachelet and Hervé Roy's music from the softcore pornography film Emmanuelle , for which they were credited as co-writers, as the lyrics tackle the singer dealing with the departure of her boyfriend, while reminiscing about their time together. The song was created in a New York studio, after Allen had met Ronson, who was impressed by her previous work and offered her different samples.

Contents

Contemporary critics gave the song mostly positive reviews, with some stating that it contained Allen's sweetest lyrical moments. The single peaked at number twenty-one on the UK Singles Chart, being her first single not to reach the top twenty in the United Kingdom. The accompanying music video portrayed a view over the mundane moments of a dying relationship, with Allen watching herself and her ex-boyfriend together. It was directed by Nima Nourizadeh and was mainly shot in black and white. The song was performed live during her 2007 concert tour [2] and also during her 2009 concert tour.

Background

After obtaining commercial success with first two singles, "Smile" and "LDN", Allen decided to promote the album by releasing "Littlest Things". The song was composed in New York, where Allen travelled after she had met producer Mark Ronson when at lunch with her then boyfriend, Seb. There, she told him she was a singer and gave him a copy of her demo CD. He was impressed by her song "Smile" and asked her to work together. [3] Regarding the process of composing the song, Ronson stated:

We spent a day together and worked on a couple of things, and went to record shops where I played samples to her. Then I wrote the piano and guitar bit to "Littlest Things", and she sat down and scribbled for about an hour and finished the lyrics. We went into the booth to record the song. She originally wanted to do a Mike Skinner thing, rapping the verse and singing the chorus. But I asked her to sing it all, and she just made up the whole melody on the spot, and sang this amazing solo. At that moment I realised that this girl has a really special gift. [3]

In regards to composing the song and its lyrical meaning, Allen noted that,

Mark's got a very good ear. He's very relaxed in the studio and very thoughtful. There's not really any pressure working there, because he's got his own studio so he doesn't have time constraints.

The song was called "Littlest Things" and was about having broken up with my boyfriend, because Seb and I had split up for a few months. We've since got back together. It must have been quite awkward for Mark because Seb was his friend, but being fresh out of a relationship I wanted to write about what was on my mind.

Mark came up with the music first, then I came up with the words and we fitted it all together into a melody. That's the way I normally make songs – I write everything in the studio – and it obviously means that producers are very important to me. It's a complete joint effort. [3]

In 2007, a Taiwanese singer Tarcy Su recorded a version in Mandarin titled Bye Bye Baby for her 15th studio album in Mandarin, Tarcy. Left-Hander．Revolving Door, which was the second and last album under her label Universal Music Taiwan before moving to her new music label B'in Music.

Music structure and lyrics

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
Lily Allen "Littlest Things" (2006)
A sample of "Littlest Things" where the chorus is sung.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Musically, the song is written in the time signature of common time and set in the key of E minor, [4] having a metronome of 82 beats per minute. [5] It has a basic sequence of Em—Am—D7—G—Em—Am—F#7—B as its chord progression, while the piano and guitar are used for the background music. [5] "Littlest Things" samples elements from "Emmanuelle in the Mirror" and the "Theme from Emmanuelle (Instrumental)", which are written by Pierre Bachelet and Hervé Roy for the 1974 French softcore pornographic film Emmanuelle . [6] [7] It does not, though, sample "Karma Police" by Radiohead, contrary to popular misinterpretations. [7] The lyrics describe a post-relationship overview and the way one reminiscences about it. [3] Alex Petridis from The Guardian describes them as dealing with "misery and sex in equal measure", while reporting that Ronson asked Allen to sing in her London accent. [6]

Critical reception

"Littlest Things" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Heather Phares from AllMusic complimented the song, saying the ballad softens Allen's rough image and celebrates "the mundane moments of a dying relationship", [8] whereas Blender reporter Jon Dolan considers it a "forlorn single", where the singer writes about the terror of being in a relationship "with white-knuckled worry over a snip of florid piano from a ’70s soft-core porn flick". [9] While analysing Alright, Still, The Guardian reviewer, Sophie Heawood, described the lyrics as the "perfect description of missing someone: 'We'd spend the whole weekend lying in our own dirt / I was just so happy in your boxers and your T-shirt'." [10] Mark Pytlik from Pitchfork gave a positive review, saying that "'Littlest Things' is a supple piano-tickler that provides one of Allen's sweetest lyrical moments while simultaneously leaving Ms. Dynamite in the dust on the R&B balladeering front". He believed that the song is made out of Allen's "comfort zone" of songs such as "Smile", the result being of "high order, if not a bit more erratic". [1] IGN reviewer Todd Gilchrist named the song as the album's "most affecting tune", while thought it "compiles a sad and beautiful checklist of the intimate moments she no longer shares with her dearly departed boyfriend". [11]

Commercial reception

The single debuted at number fifty-three in the singer's home country and later rose to twenty-one, which became its peak. [12] [13] It was Allen's lowest position on the UK Singles Chart at that time, being the only song to miss the top twenty, until "Who'd Have Known" peaked at thirty-nine in 2009. [14] Though it did not enter the main chart in the Flanders region of Belgium, the single obtained position thirteen on Ultratip, a continuation of the chart. [15]

Music video

A monochrome shot of Allen watching her former self with her boyfriend in the official music video for "Littlest Things". Littlestthingsvideo.PNG
A monochrome shot of Allen watching her former self with her boyfriend in the official music video for "Littlest Things".

The music video was directed by Nima Nourizadeh [16] and released on 11 December 2006. [17] It opens with an aerial shot of a piano which begins to play by itself, and then moves to reveal a film set. Allen stands on a lamppost, wearing a raincoat, with lights, a camera and directors surrounding her. The image zooms into the camera from the studio and turns the video black-and-white, with the story coming to life, as the singer begins the first verse. From the lamppost she is able to see her former self walking down the street with her boyfriend. [17] While they enter a building, a light comes out in one of the windows, revealing their silhouettes kissing. The caption changes, with the two of them dancing, while a man plays the piano in the background; as he dips her and holds this position, she continues to sing. The camera zooms out to see a heart shaped window surrounding the two that opens and changes to a picture on Allen's wall. She is alone in a room, staring at a mirror. Her hair is let down and she is wearing a white nightgown. [17] The piano is seen again playing itself, as the image shifts to the window, where Allen is again portrayed leaning against the lamppost in the street, as in the beginning of the video. She again looks at the silhouettes in the window of the building, as it collapses on her, once again changing the scene. This time, the singer is looking through another window, and then turns around to a mirror which captures a door. The former Allen with the raincoat walks through with her boyfriend, as their shadows are seen kissing. The image changes to Allen from the film set, zooming out from the camera's viewing piece, making the video in colour again. [17]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Alright, Still . [19]

Charts

Chart (2006–07)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) [15] 13
Denmark Airplay (Tracklisten) [20] 5
South Korea International Singles (Gaon) [21] 136
UK Singles (OCC) [22] 21

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh My God (Kaiser Chiefs song)</span> 2005 single by Kaiser Chiefs

"Oh My God" is the debut single of English indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. It was initially released by the Drowned in Sound label on 17 May 2004, reaching number 66 on the UK Singles Chart. It was re-released on 21 February 2005, two weeks before the release of their debut album, Employment. This time, it peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, which earned the band their first top-10 hit as well as their highest-charting single at the time until it was succeeded by UK chart-topper "Ruby" on 25 February 2007. The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the video game Driver: Parallel Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Ronson</span> British musician (born 1975)

Mark Daniel Ronson is a British-American musician, DJ, and producer. He has won eight Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year for Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black (2006), as well as two for Record of the Year with her 2006 single "Rehab" and his own 2014 single "Uptown Funk". He has also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Golden Globe and a Grammy Award for co-writing "Shallow" for the film A Star Is Born (2018). Ronson served as lead and executive producer for the soundtrack to the 2023 fantasy comedy film Barbie, on which he also composed and co-wrote several of its songs with his production partner Andrew Wyatt. The soundtrack won three Grammy Awards—"What Was I Made For?" won Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media, while the parent album won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media—from 11 nominations, as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song from two nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Allen</span> English singer-songwriter (born 1985)

Lily Rose Beatrice Allen is an English singer-songwriter and actress. Her musical career began in 2005 when she was signed to Regal Recordings and began publishing her vocal recordings on the social networking site Myspace. Their popularity resulted in airplay on BBC Radio 1. Her 2006 debut commercial single, "Smile" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart by July of that year and received double platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Allen's debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006) explored ska and reggae. It was met with positive critical reception, peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, and sold over 2.6 million copies worldwide. The album also yielded a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Music Album and spawned the follow up singles "LDN" and "Alfie".

<i>Alright, Still</i> 2006 studio album by Lily Allen

Alright, Still is the debut studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 13 July 2006 by Regal Recordings. After being rejected by several record labels, Allen signed to London Records, who eventually lost interest in her, leading her to meet production duo Future Cut and sign to Regal Recordings. Recording for the album began in 2004 with sessions between Allen and Future Cut, and Allen's work garnered publicity on the internet as she posted demos to her MySpace account before they were officially released. Allen later travelled to the United States to work with Greg Kurstin and Mark Ronson, to complete the final half of the album in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smile (Lily Allen song)</span> 2006 single by Lily Allen

"Smile" is the debut single by British recording singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album Alright, Still (2006). It was written by Allen, Iyiola Babalola and Darren Lewis, while sampling the Soul Brothers' "Free Soul". The song was released as the lead mainstream single of the album in July 2006. After signing a contract deal with Regal Recordings and gaining popularity on the social network website Myspace with demo songs, Allen released a limited edition of "LDN" to promote her work and afterwards announced the release of "Smile".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LDN (song)</span> 2006 single by Lily Allen

"LDN" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen. It was co-written by Future Cut, and features a Colombian porro from the country's Caribbean coast. The song was originally released on limited-edition 7-inch vinyl in the UK on 24 April 2006, accompanied by album track "Knock 'Em Out". It was reissued in September 2006 following the huge success of Allen's first mainstream single "Smile". The re-release peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. "LDN" was ranked number 30 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Best Songs of 2007".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfie (Lily Allen song)</span> 2007 single by Lily Allen

"Alfie" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, the song was released as the fourth and final single from the album, on 5 March 2007, by Regal Recordings. In the United Kingdom, it was marketed as a double A-side single, along with "Shame for You". While the melody incorporates a sample of Sandie Shaw's "Puppet on a String", the lyrics directly describe Allen's real life younger brother, actor Alfie Allen, criticising him for laziness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shame for You</span> 2007 single by Lily Allen

"Shame for You" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still. Written by Allen and Blair MacKichan, while sampling Jackie Mittoo's "Loving You" melody, the song was released as the A-Side to her fourth single, "Alfie", exclusively in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2007, by Regal Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Allen discography</span>

English singer and songwriter Lily Allen has released four studio albums, two extended plays, 23 singles, two promotional singles and 21 music videos. Allen's range of musical genres incorporates styles such as pop, ska, electropop and reggae fusion. She became well known through her Myspace account, on which she started posting demo songs in 2005. The increase of popularity led to a contract with Regal Recordings. Her debut single, "Smile", was released in 2006 and topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. Allen's first studio album, Alright, Still (2006), was released shortly after. The album was commercially successful, earning a three times platinum certification in the United Kingdom, and gold in the United States. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 50th Grammy Awards. Follow-up singles "LDN", "Littlest Things" and "Alfie" did not repeat her early success, although they still sold well; "LDN" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Its Not Me, Its You</i> 2009 studio album by Lily Allen

It's Not Me, It's You is the second studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 4 February 2009 by Regal Recordings and Parlophone. It was produced and co-written by Greg Kurstin, with whom Allen had previously worked on her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). The album represents a departure from the ska and reggae influences of its predecessor, incorporating electropop with elements of jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22 (Lily Allen song)</span> 2009 single by Lily Allen

"22" ("Twenty-Two") 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. It was released to the music market on 24 August 2009 by Regal Recordings, though a different version called "22 " was released in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who'd Have Known</span> 2009 single by Lily Allen

"Who'd Have Known" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You. Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, while interpolating Take That's single "Shine", the song was released as the fifth and final single from the album on 30 November 2009 by Regal Recordings. Contemporary critics complimented the song and Allen's warm vocals, while the music video portrays her as a groupie of Elton John.

Nima Nourizadeh is a British-Iranian film, music video, and commercials director. Nourizadeh is the son of political activist Alireza Nourizadeh and his siblings are electronic music producers Omid 16B and Navid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard out Here</span> 2013 single by Lily Allen

"Hard out Here" is a song by English singer Lily Allen, released on 17 November 2013 as the lead single from her third studio album, Sheezus (2014). Allen co-wrote the song with its producer, Greg Kurstin. Musically, "Hard out Here" is a synth-pop song with lyrics revolving around "body image pressures and misogyny in the entertainment industry".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Balloon (song)</span> 2014 single by Lily Allen

"Air Balloon" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen. The song was premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 13 January 2014 and was released on 2 March 2014, as the second single from Allen's third studio album, Sheezus (2014). Allen wrote the song in collaboration with Shellback, who has also worked for Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift and One Direction.

<i>Sheezus</i> 2014 studio album by Lily Allen

Sheezus is the third studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 2 May 2014 by Parlophone. The album was Allen's first work after a five year hiatus since the release of her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009). Sheezus features production from longtime collaborator Greg Kurstin, along with the likes of Shellback, DJ Dahi and Fraser T. Smith. Upon release, Sheezus received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Allen's second consecutive number-one album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Time (Lily Allen song)</span> 2014 single by Lily Allen

"Our Time" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen. The song was released on 10 March 2014, as the third single from Allen's third studio album, Sheezus. The song is prominently featured on the OW Version of the Theme Park Playlist. With its increased popularity however, newer versions of the regular Theme Park Playlist contain the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheezus (song)</span> 2014 promotional single by Lily Allen

"Sheezus" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen, released as a promotional single from her third studio album of the same name (2014). It was released alongside its music video on 23 April 2014 ahead of its planned release date of 28 April due to it being leaked. Parlophone later announced that "Sheezus" would not be released as an official single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">URL Badman</span> 2014 single by Lily Allen

"URL Badman" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen, released on 13 July 2014 as the fourth single from her third studio album, Sheezus (2014). The B-side to the single, "Bass Like Home", is an unofficial World Cup song for England.

<i>No Shame</i> (Lily Allen album) 2018 studio album by Lily Allen

No Shame is the fourth studio album by English singer Lily Allen. It was released on 8 June 2018 by Parlophone. Following the release of Sheezus (2014), Allen suffered from an identity crisis and did not connect with the music she had been creating. This was followed by a breakdown in Allen's marriage. Following Allen's divorce, she began working on new music which saw her writing about things that she had been affected by including the relationship with herself, her children, her ex-husband and substance abuse. Recording for the album began in Los Angeles in 2015 before Allen set up her own studio in London and continued recording through until 2018. The sessions featured contributions from producers such as Fryars and Mark Ronson, whilst the final track listing featured guest appearances from artists including Giggs, Burna Boy and Lady Chann.

References

  1. 1 2 Pytlik, Mark. "Album Review: Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Pitchfork . Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  2. ↑ "Lily Allen 'Knocks Em Out' at First US Tour". Billboard . Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Adams, Guy (22 July 2007). "How We Met: Lily Allen & Mark Ronson". The Independent . London. Archived from the original on 16 November 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  4. ↑ Littlest Things Chords by Lily Allen @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com
  5. 1 2 "Lily Allen - Littlest Things Sheet Music". Music Notes. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  6. 1 2 Petridis, Alex (6 October 2007). "Alex Petridis meets Mark Ronson". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  7. 1 2 McLean, Craig (17 February 2007). "Mixing it with Robbie, Lily and Amy". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  8. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Alright, Still - Lily Allen". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  9. ↑ Dolan, Jon (30 January 2007). "Alright, Still Review". Blender . Retrieved 7 November 2009.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ Heawood, Sophie (4 July 2006). "CD: Lily Allen, Alright, Still". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  11. ↑ Gilchrist, Todd. "Lily Allen - Alright, Still. Allen achieves pop perfection with her domestic debut". IGN . Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  12. ↑ "Littlest Things by Lily Allen". aCharts.co. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Lily Allen - Littlest Things". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  14. ↑ "Who'd Have Known by Lily Allen". aCharts.co. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  15. 1 2 "Lily Allen - Littlest Things (Nummer)". Ultratop . Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  16. ↑ "Music Videos - Nima Nourizadeh". Partizan. Archived from the original on 10 January 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Lily Allen Littlest Things video". Virgin Media . Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Littlest Things – Tracklisting". LilyAllenMusic.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  19. ↑ Alright, Still (liner notes). Lily Allen. Regal Recordings. 2006. 094636702827.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ↑ "Lily Allen – Littlest Things" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
  21. ↑ "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: January 15, 2012 to January 21, 2012)". Gaon Chart. 15 December 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  22. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.