"Lollipop" is a song by Mika from his 2007 debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion. When the album was released, "Lollipop" had high numbers of downloads, even before it had been released as a single, charting in the Top 75 UK Singles Chart. In April 2007, it was released to radio in the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Australia. On 31 December 2007, it was released as a double A-side single with "Relax, Take It Easy" in the UK. The single was available for digital download on 24 December 2007. Mika has said in interviews that the song was written as a message to his younger sister. The single performed well in the UK Singles Chart considering that it was released as a fifth single from Life in Cartoon Motion, peaking in the UK Top 20 this time at number 18 as well.
Background and writing
Mika wrote the song as a message to his younger sister, warning her not to have sex too soon as it would "mean something very different to guys than it would to her". The little girl who appears at the beginning saying, "Hey! What's the big idea?" and again saying the "I went walking..." part is Mika's cousin.
Critical reception
The song received mixed reviews from music critics. Alexander Berntsen from Sputnikmusic said that the track is "just funny to listen to. You're bound to be smiling by the end of the song". Craig McLean from The Guardian wrote that the song is "terrific kiddie boogie destined for a slot on CBeebies." However, Mika's voice was criticized by Heather Phares from AllMusic, who wrote that on the song, Mika "straddles the line between adorable and annoying". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine commented that the song "features a sick-sweet falsetto hook that is, perhaps, irony-free". Alex Fletcher from Digital Spy was direct, writing that "with candyfloss-sweet pop melodies and more high-pitched Mika vocal action than should be allowed by Government law, the song is intensely irritating".
The animated music video for "Lollipop" was released in November 2007. It is a parody of Little Red Riding Hood, and is animated such a way that it emulates the Life in Cartoon Motion album art. It features the "Lollipop Girl" walking around a colourful land. The music video was originally set to contain a drawn version of Mika singing, but plans were scrapped. It was released by the name of "Lollipop 16:9 Bunny Action" on the internet. It was directed by Mika's sister.
Chart performance
At the beginning of 2007, the chart rules were changed allowing downloads to be eligible for the chart with or without a physical equivalent. "Lollipop" became on 11 February 2007 the first track from a newly released album to register enough sales to enter the Top 75. It was officially the 62nd best selling "single" in the UK that week despite only being an album track. By 18 April 2008, the single had sold 66,594 copies in the UK.
