Chinese

Album: It's Not Me, It's You (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Allen wrote this song about going back home to her mother. There are also direct songs on It's Not Me, It's You about her older sister ("Go Back to the Start"), and her father ("He Wasn't There"). This completed the set of songs about Lily's immediate family as previously on her 2007 debut Alright, Still she wrote "Alfie" about her younger brother.
  • Lily Allen's mother is the film producer Alison Owen, whose movie production credits include Elizabeth (1998), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Proof (2005) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2007).
  • Allen told MTV News that this song is, "about how, when people go away from home, they just want to be back on the sofa eating (take-out Chinese food), watching TV."

Comments: 1

  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnBeautiful song - the lyrics are so cool.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.