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Matangi
M.I.A. Lyrics


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It's so simple get to the floor (x10)

Immina immina thana thana
Ingana ingana giiina giiina
Matangi, matangi
Immina immina thana thana
Ingana ingana giiina giiina
Matangi, matangi

Somalia Bosnia
Cuba Colombia
Equador Mexico
Butane Morocco
Botswana Ghana
India Serbia
Libya Lebanon
Gambia Namibia
Bali Mali
Chile Malawi
Bequai St Vincent
Trinidad and Norway
China Canada
U.S.A. and U.K
Nepal Nigeria
Ethiopia North Myanmar Panama
Philippines Nicaragua
Palestine and Greece
Peru and France

It's so simple do the dance

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Pretty raw
Get to the floor
Came up listening to war war
Weekend breaks in Singapore
Preach like a priest
And sing like a whore
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
It's so simple get to the floor

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

It's so simple get to the floor
It's so simple get to the floor
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

It's so simple get to the floor
It's so simple get to the floor
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

I'm ice cream
And you're sorbet
They got guns but it points the wrong way
Yeah I'm on it they Cirque De Soleil
They make big sounds with nothing to say

School of fakeness
I'm school of hard knocks
You're here to fool us
I'm here to take shots
Look-alike, copycat
Doppelgänger, fraud
They ain't got nothing on me
Now I'm getting bored

If you're gonna be me you need a manifesto
If you ain't got one you better get one presto
Yeah you got money we sell bootlegs only
When the shit counts our numbers way plenty
We started at the bottom but Drake gets all the credit
Paper route or life route yeah we be ready

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to M.I.A.'s "Matangi" are a combination of simple, repetitive lines and complex references to a range of countries around the world. The chorus, "It's so simple get to the floor," acts as a command to the listener to dance and let go. The verses, however, are where the complexity lies. The names of countries roll off M.I.A.'s tongue in rapid-fire succession, making the song feel like a global call to action. From Somalia to France to Palestine, M.I.A. highlights the diversity of cultures but also the shared sense of rhythm and movement that connects us all. The verses also reference M.I.A.'s own background as an artist who has always skirted the edges of commercial music. She drops lines like "School of fakeness / I'm school of hard knocks" and "If you're gonna be me you need a manifesto" to assert her own authenticity and independent spirit.


The song is an ode to Matangi, the Hindu goddess of music and speech, and by extension, a celebration of the ability of music to bring people together across cultures and borders. The repeated refrain of "Matangi" itself feels like an invocation or chant, one that draws on the spiritual power of music.


Line by Line Meaning

It's so simple get to the floor (x10)
The artist encourages her listeners to dance and enjoy themselves.


Immina immina thana thana Ingana ingana giiina giiina Matangi, matangi Immina immina thana thana Ingana ingana giiina giiina Matangi, matangi
Repetitive vocalizations convey the energy and excitement of the music.


Somalia Bosnia Cuba Colombia Equador Mexico Butane Morocco Botswana Ghana India Serbia Libya Lebanon Gambia Namibia Bali Mali Chile Malawi Bequai St Vincent Trinidad and Norway China Canada U.S.A. and U.K Nepal Nigeria Ethiopia North Myanmar Panama Philippines Nicaragua Palestine and Greece Peru and France
Listing a variety of countries suggests the universality of dance music and the artist's global perspective.


Pretty raw Get to the floor Came up listening to war war Weekend breaks in Singapore Preach like a priest And sing like a whore Do you want more? Do you want more? Do you know what I got in store? Do you want more? Do you want more? It's so simple get to the floor
The artist has a gritty, edgy style derived from her experiences listening to war music and traveling the world. She is confident and wants to provide more music for people to dance to.


I'm ice cream And you're sorbet They got guns but it points the wrong way Yeah I'm on it they Cirque De Soleil They make big sounds with nothing to say
The artist compares herself to ice cream and her competition to sorbet, suggesting the quality of her music surpasses others. She also references the absurdity of her critics' weapons pointing in the wrong direction and that they make a lot noise without saying anything meaningful.


School of fakeness I'm school of hard knocks You're here to fool us I'm here to take shots Look-alike, copycat Doppelgänger, fraud They ain't got nothing on me Now I'm getting bored
The artist emphasizes that she is authentic and has earned her success through real-world experience. Her detractors are fakers, imitators, and frauds with no substance.


If you're gonna be me you need a manifesto If you ain't got one you better get one presto Yeah you got money we sell bootlegs only When the shit counts our numbers way plenty We started at the bottom but Drake gets all the credit Paper route or life route yeah we be ready
The artist urges would-be imitators to create their own vision and let their work stand on its own merits. She values authenticity over commercial success and recognizes the hard work and struggle behind artistic achievement.


Immina immina Immina immina Immina immina
Repetition of vocalizations continues to emphasize the energy and intensity of the music.




Lyrics © KYLE EDWARDS PUBLISHING, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JAMES ANDREW TAYLOR, KYLE COURCEY, MATHANGI ARULPRAGASAM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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TAMILAN

CACOPHONY !

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@HassanAbbas-hv5sz

M.I.A.
It's so simple get to the floor (x10)

Immina immina thana thana
Ingana ingana giiina giiina
Matangi, matangi
Immina immina thana thana
Ingana ingana giiina giiina
Matangi, matangi

Somalia Bosnia
Cuba Colombia
Equador Mexico
Butane Morocco
Botswana Ghana
India Serbia
Libya Lebanon
Gambia Namibia
Bali Mali
Chile Malawi
Bequai St Vincent
Trinidad and Norway
China Canada
U.S.A. and U.K
Nepal Nigeria
Ethiopia North Myanmar Panama
Philippines Nicaragua
Palestine and Greece
Peru and France

It's so simple do the dance

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Pretty raw
Get to the floor
Came up listening to war war
Weekend breaks in Singapore
Preach like a priest
And sing like a whore
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
It's so simple get to the floor

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

It's so simple get to the floor
It's so simple get to the floor
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

It's so simple get to the floor
It's so simple get to the floor
Do you want more?
Do you want more?
Do you know what I got in store?

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

I'm ice cream
And you're sorbet
They got guns but it points the wrong way
Yeah I'm on it they Cirque De Soleil
They make big sounds with nothing to say

School of fakeness
I'm school of hard knocks
You're here to fool us
I'm here to take shots
Look-alike, copycat
Doppelgänger, fraud
They ain't got nothing on me
Now I'm getting bored

If you're gonna be me you need a manifesto
If you ain't got one you better get one presto
Yeah you got money we sell bootlegs only
When the shit counts our numbers way plenty
We started at the bottom but Drake gets all the credit
Paper route or life route yeah we be ready

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina

Immina immina
Immina immina
Immina immina



All comments from YouTube:

@dioneypintor3998

M.I.A. Is like the björk of rap... every song is unique and so different from the other

@luigiiodice3517

YESS! And Bjork herself is a big fan of M.I.A.'s music, so there's that!

@mkshnv831

Her cultural background might help her a bit😂

@stephanieb663

nailed it!

@roasty80

thanks to switch who makes her beats

@reefread1234

shushh. that's disrespectful

5 More Replies...

@rainia2977

This song is just so tamil! I approve :) It's cool how MIA manages to take the sound of traditional tamil music/culture and create modern music out of it. I've always wanted to see her throw in a couple sentences of her speaking Tamil in one of her songs though.

@gsisir8478

Try listening to 10 dollar. The song begins with her reciting a Tamil poem

@---fv2kz

Agrrreeeeee

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