china girl
Iggy Pop Lyrics


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I couldn't escape this feeling
With my China Girl
I'm just a wreck without
My little China Girl
I'd hear her heart beating
Loud as thunder
Saw the stars crashing
I'm a mess without
My China Girl
Wake up mornings, there's
No China Girl
I'd hear hearts beating
Loud as thunder
I'd see stars crashing down

I'd feel tragic, like I
Was Marlon Brando
When I'd look at my China Girl
I could pretend that nothing
Really meant too much
When I'd look at my China Girl

I'd stumble into town
Just like a sacred cow
Visions of swastikas in my head
And plans for everyone
It's in the white of my eyes

My little China Girl
You shouldn't mess with me
I'll ruin everything you are
I'll give you television
I'll give you eyes of blue
I'll give you men who want to rule the world

And when I get excited
My little China Girl says




"Oh Jimmy, just you shut your mouth"
She says "shhhh..."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Iggy Pop's song China Girl reveal a story of a love-struck man who is completely smitten by his partner, the "China Girl." The lyrics depict a man who is emotionally dependent on his China Girl and cannot function without her. He compares missing her to a feeling of being a wreck and a tragic Marlon Brando. The China Girl seems to be his savior, and he believes his life would be lost without them. In the mornings, he is lost without his China Girl, and he can hear her heartbeat as loud as thunder, and see the stars crashing down. Iggy Pop wants to give everything to his China Girl, even to the point of ruining everything she is. When he becomes excited and starts talking about his plans, the China girl simply responds by asking him to quiet himself.


Line by Line Meaning

I couldn't escape this feeling With my China Girl
My attachment to my China Girl is so strong that I am unable to escape this feeling.


I'm just a wreck without My little China Girl
Without my China Girl, I am completely broken and distraught.


I'd hear her heart beating Loud as thunder Saw the stars crashing
My connection with my China Girl is so intense that I could hear her heartbeats like it is thunder and see stars crashing.


I'm a mess without My China Girl Wake up mornings, there's No China Girl
I am a mess and lost without my China Girl, and waking up without her every morning makes me feel incomplete.


I'd hear hearts beating Loud as thunder I'd see stars crashing down
My feeling of being so deeply in love with my China Girl is so powerful that I could hear hearts beating like thunder and see stars crashing down.


I'd feel tragic, like I Was Marlon Brando When I'd look at my China Girl I could pretend that nothing Really meant too much When I'd look at my China Girl
My love for my China Girl is so huge that looking at her, I feel like a tragic figure and as if nothing else matters.


I'd stumble into town Just like a sacred cow Visions of swastikas in my head And plans for everyone It's in the white of my eyes
I move around like a lost soul and have disturbing visions with ambitions to change the world. These overwhelming feelings are written all over my face.


My little China Girl You shouldn't mess with me I'll ruin everything you are I'll give you television I'll give you eyes of blue I'll give you men who want to rule the world
I am a dangerous and destructive person, and I may ruin you altogether. I can manipulate and control you with power games and superficial desires.


And when I get excited My little China Girl says "Oh Jimmy, just you shut your mouth" She says "shhhh..."
When I get aroused, my China Girl wants me to keep quiet and tells me to calm down by saying, "Shhhh...".




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Bowie, James Osterberg

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

オリーブ

I love the Bowie version but this OG recording really is something else. You really get the sense of desperation as he's singing and through the outro instrumental, like the cover reads as almost hopeful/wistful to me whereas this one is just raw despair. Very powerful

Marcos Ruiz

both are versions of David Bowie xD

Luis M G

Love both versions. Iggy's is more heartfelt, Bowie's is more sexy. They're just different.

Jimmy Williamson

+Luis M G perfect description of the differences between the two

shawn hapney

Bowie's version has Stevie Ray Vaughn and Omar Hakim which was an interesting choice of musicians. I like both versions a lot.

XxSTACKxX

tbf. bowies was recorded way later and to help iggy

Timbo

@shawn hapney Great choice of musicians.

Jam Fuse

Iggy's version is heavy and devastating, Bowie's version is a commercial pop song. Iggy for the win.

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efan2011

Both versions of this song are great, I just prefer Iggy's. I love the rock style of the song, and the instrumental solo at the end of the song is the best, epic stuff. Plus, I love how Iggy gets into the song, he was and still is really passionate about his music.

enialrev1

I love the crazy sonics of Iggy's version...the over-loud kick drum (straight from the "low" sessions) just drives everything along. It sounds like they were deliberately trying to get as far away as they could from the conventions of what each traditional rock instrument should sound like and what it should do within the finished track. Just love it.....

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