"Queen of Chinatown" was heavily promoted by numerous TV performances in 1977 and 1978. The song became Lear's biggest hit up to that point and now remains one of her most memorable songs. It reached number 2 in Germany, which is her highest achievement in that country to date, and number 2 in Italy, where it stayed kept off the top spot for four consecutive weeks in February 1978 by Matia Bazar's singles "Solo tu" and "...E dirsi ciao".
The song was recorded again in 1998 for the Back in Your Arms album. Minor label Mag Music released that re-recording as a promotional only vinyl single. In 2006, German musician DJenetix remixed the track and the new version was released as a single. In 2008, Amanda recorded a dance version of the song for her Amour Toujours album, in fact a re-release of the 2006 album With Love. Hungarian DJ Sterbinszky produced a remix of "Queen of Chinatown", using a sample from the original recording
Queen Of Chinatown
Amanda Lear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Babyface girl from Shanghai never smile and never cry.
She now rules the underworld down in Chinatown
She runs all the opium den down in Chinatown.
Bring her your gold bring her your worries
And when life gets a bit too dreary to stand
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
She'll pick you up when you're feeling down.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
And she'll soon blow your blues away.
It was down in Chinatown
When I met the opium Queen
Babyface girl from Shanghai never smiled and never cried.
When love isn't what it sounds go to Chinatown
When your friends have let you down got to Chinatown.
When life is pain
When love is sorrow
And it gets more than you can possibly stand
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
She'll pick you up when you're feeling down.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
And she will blow your blues away.
It was down in Chinatown
When I met the opium Queen
Babyface girl from Shanghai never smiled and never cried.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
When your life gets a bit dreary
When you're down
When you're feeling low
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown
The lyrics to Amanda Lear's "Queen of Chinatown" appear to describe a woman who has become the dominant figure in the underground world of opium dens in the titular Chinatown. The first verse sets the stage, with the singer meeting the mysterious "opium queen," a "babyface girl from Shanghai." It's not clear what the singer's relationship is to the queen, but it's implied that she has a certain power over those who are seeking escape from their troubles. The second verse expands on this idea, with the queen "ruling the underworld down in Chinatown" and running all of the opium dens.
The chorus is perhaps the most memorable part of the song, with its catchy refrain urging listeners to "go down to the queen of Chinatown" when they're feeling down or blue. The sense of desperation in these lyrics is palpable, as though the queen and her opium dens are the last refuge for those who have hit rock bottom. The final verse repeats much of what's come before, further emphasizing the image of the queen as a savior figure: "When life is pain / When love is sorrow / And it gets more than you can possibly stand / Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown."
Line by Line Meaning
It was down in Chinatown that I met the opium Queen
I encountered the ruler of the underworld that deals with opium down in Chinatown.
Babyface girl from Shanghai never smile and never cry.
Even though she was from Shanghai and appeared young and innocent, she did not show any emotion.
She now rules the underworld down in Chinatown
The Queen of Chinatown is now in control of the criminal underworld that operates in Chinatown.
She runs all the opium den down in Chinatown.
She manages and operates all of the places in Chinatown that serve opium.
Bring her your gold bring her your worries
If you have material wealth or personal problems, give them to the Queen of Chinatown.
And when life gets a bit too dreary to stand
When life becomes too overwhelming to bear,
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown.
Contact the Queen of Chinatown for help and guidance.
Go down
Go down
To the Queen of Chinatown
She'll pick you up when you're feeling down.
Visit the Queen in her domain and she will assist you when you are feeling hopeless or depressed.
And she'll soon blow your blues away.
The Queen will quickly alleviate your sadness and despair.
When love isn't what it sounds go to Chinatown
When your friends have let you down got to Chinatown.
If romance or companionship are disappointing or friends have betrayed you, seek solace in Chinatown.
When life is pain
When love is sorrow
And it gets more than you can possibly stand
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown.
If your existence is full of suffering and love brings grief and it becomes unbearable, turn to the Queen of Chinatown for support.
When your life gets a bit dreary
When you're down
When you're feeling low
Give a ring to the Queen of Chinatown
If you are going through a difficult period, feeling unhappy or depressed, call the Queen of Chinatown for assistance.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMANDA LEAR, ANTON MONN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hansjoachimzuell4507
Ich bin heute noch fasziniert von ihr... Wow Amanda Lear..... Ich liebe diesen Song auch heute noch..... Ich war 1978 Acht Jahre alt und es lief in den Kneipen non - stop..... Bin heute 50 Jahre alt und keiner, der diese Zeit erlebt hat wird jemals dieses Gefühl von Freiheit kennenlernen, wie wir es in den 70er und 80er Jahren hatten.
@vikulya78
Einverstanden!
@sybillconstancedebuer3651
Ich kenne die Lieder von Amanda Lear vom Tanzkurs 1978.
@KurtI2525
What a weird, often wonderful world, we’ve created for ourselves.
@kulturistrexkulturistrex2560
Best comment!
@Keybumpz
Amanda Lear is an international treasure. Protect her at all costs.
@lorofcb3
I could not agree more, a unique gem, a star, a queen.
@dazzlingAndy
She is both material and immaterial cultural patrimony.
@gabriellacapitani2910
Amanda sei bellissima mi piace molto come canti sei un mito ella
@paddy1941
Protect her from what?