The Fear (Lily Allen song)

"The Fear"
Song
B-side	"Fag Hag" "Kabul Shit"

"The Fear" (also known as its working title, "I Don't Know") is the UK Number 1-lead single from British singer-songwriter Lily Allen's second album It's Not Me, It's You. Originally, "Everyone's at It" was to be the lead single, but it was replaced instead with "The Fear". The song was released digitally on January 23, 2009. The Wideboys and StoneBridge have both remixed this track.

On December 1, 2008, "The Fear" was played exclusively for the first time via The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1.

The video was scheduled to premiere on Channel 4 at 11:05pm on Thursday December 4, 2008, but was leaked onto YouTube a few hours before. The video was offered as a free download for one day only on January 1, 2009 as part of iTunes 12 Days of Christmas promotion in the UK and France.

Song information

Written by Lily Allen and Greg Kurstin, and produced by the latter, the song discusses Allen's fears of the world becoming a superficial, sterile place where everything is sponsored, while also offering commentary on life as a celebrity and society today.

The style of the song differs from the pop/ska sound on her debut album, and instead explores a more electro-pop sound which is used throughout her sophomore effort. Her lyrics, however, retain her usual dry wit and social commentary.

Allen released the song on her MySpace page in April 2008, and was subsequently leaked to YouTube. The song was released for legal download on the European iTunes Music Store on December 5, 2008 and on the United States store on December 9, 2008. The EP version of the single was then released on iTunes on January 23, 2009, featuring the B-Sides "Kabul Shit" and "Fag Hag", as well as a censored version of the album track "Fuck You". In episode 4 of series 3 of Skins the single is heard to be playing in the background, added post-production.

Chart performance

"The Fear" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at 168, despite the single only being available for a few hours through her nearly release EP. On February 1, 2009, the song climbed 167 places to reach number 1, where it remained for a very impressive four weeks until it was knocked off by Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" on March 1, 2009. In Ireland, the song made its debut on the chart at number 39. It has so far peaked at number 5.

In the US, the song has managed to peak at number 80. In Canada, "The Fear" has peaked at number 33 meaning it's Allen's most successful single to date there.

In Europe, the song has reached the top 20 in many European countries on downloads alone including Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. It also reached the top three in the European Hot 100.

In Australia, "The Fear" debuted at 46 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and has peaked at number three, making it her highest charting single and first top ten hit there to date. In New Zealand, "The Fear" debuted at number thirty-seven on March 2, 2009, becoming Allen's fourth top forty hit there. The song then moved up to number twenty-three the following week, and has so far peaked at number fourteen.

Music video

File:Lily Allen Video The Fear.jpg

Lily Allen in her music video for "The Fear".

The video is directed by Nez. It begins with Allen singing from inside a caravan with a washing strew on the right with underwear and a teddybear. She exits, however upon returning, the interior of the mobile home transforms into the hall of a country house. She then wanders throughout the ornate house, which contains colourful and expensive-looking rooms. The music video includes dancing butlers, giant dancing presents, dancing balloons, coloured smoke and confetti located around different rooms of the house. The last scene is shot from an aerial view; the camera moves upwards through grey, miserable clouds contrasting with the colourful "party" that Allen was attending throughout the rest of the song.

It was filmed at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, England.

MTV's Making the Video documented the production of the video, filming behind the scenes of the shoot and included an interview with Lily. During filming, Lily openly criticised her own presenting skills. When struggling to discuss a particular scene to the camera, she laughed: "See, I'm not good at this kind of stuff! Did you see "Lily Allen and Friends?".

The dress she is wearing in the video is entitled the "Bow Dress" and was designed by PPQ.

Track listing

Digital download

1. "The Fear" — 3:26
2. "Fag Hag" — 2:57
3. "Kabul Shit" — 3:45
4. "F**k You" — 3:40 (Clean) (Available on iTunes EP only)
5. "Always" (Clarke/Bell) Erasure cover version

UK CD single

1. "The Fear" — 3:26
2. "Fag Hag" — 2:57

7" vinyl

A. "The Fear" — 3:26

B. "Kabul Shit" — 3:45

Remix CD

1. "The Fear" (Original Mix) — 3:26
2. "The Fear" (StoneBridge Radio Edit) — 3:26
3. "The Fear" (Wideboys Prime Time Radio Edit) — 3:56
4. "The Fear" (Dresden & Johnston Radio Edit) — 3:35

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	3
Austrian Singles Chart	22
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart	6
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart	5
Canadian Hot 100	33
Chilean Singles Chart	38
Danish Singles Chart	20
Dutch Top 40	30
European Hot 100	3
Finnish Singles Chart	14
French Singles Chart	15
German Singles Chart	11
Irish Singles Chart	5
Israeli Singles Chart	3
Japan Hot 100 Singles	9
New Zealand Singles Chart	14
Swedish Singles Chart	30
Swiss Singles Chart	14
Turkey Singles Chart	15
UK Singles Chart	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	80
U.S. Billboard Pop 100	54
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1

Certifications

Country	Certification	Sales
Australia	Platinum	70,000+
UK	Gold	400,000+