Trigger Bang
by Lily Allen (featuring Giggs)

Album: No Shame (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lily Allen's first single since her 2014 Sheezus album finds her reminiscing about growing up "attracted to danger."

    When I was young I was blameless, playing with rude boys and trainers
    I had a foot in the rave cause I was attracted to danger, I never got home for Neighbours


    During the chorus Allen addresses cutting out the sort of toxic people that she used to mix with:

    That's why I can't hang with the cool gang
    Everyone's a trigger bang, bang, bang, bang, bang
  • The song starts off with a verse by London rapper Giggs, who is a longterm fan of Lily Allen. She recalled her first encounter with the London rapper during an interview with i-D.

    "We met properly at V Festival in '14. Someone knocked on my portakabin dressing room door and said that a rapper named Giggs was hanging around and asking to meet me. Of course I obliged. We got the introductions and formalities done and took some obligatory pics for the 'gram, which I had assumed was the real reason for his visit. And then he laid into me slightly.

    'I came all this way to see you, you didn't even play my tunes. What about all the first album stuff? That was my album, still'. He ran off a few song titles from my debut Alright, Still, songs that he'd wanted to hear me play, and that I hadn't."
  • The song's tropical beat is courtesy of London producer Fryers, who was first discovered by Mika and co-penned with him three tracks for his 2012 The Origin of Love album - "Celebrate," "Make You Happy" and "Lola". Fryars also contributed to Lily Allen's Sheezus set.
  • Asked by Billboard what inspired the song, Lily Allen replied:

    "It's half about [my partying days] and half about people themselves being a trigger - because of breaking up with my husband, and also I had a stalker. I was in a dark place; I didn't really have anything else to talk about except for my own s--t, and I didn't want to bother [my friends and family. I felt forced] to act like nothing was wrong, and that was the issue, because there was a lot wrong. I had to confront it. Having trivial conversations about things that are quite intense and deep - that in itself is triggering for me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.