china girl
John Couger Lyrics
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I met you on the sea sand.
You touched me with your cool hand.
Your perfume's in the wind.
China girl,
Your daddy tells you white lies
To keep you from by blue eyes.
And I won't break you, China girl,
If you take me into your world.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
China girl.
Stolen flowers are sweetest in the mornin'.
The Eastern sun is dawnin'.
Your silk's against my skin.
China girl,
Take me to your jasmine place.
Cool me with your subtle grace.
To know me is no sin.
And I won't break you, China girl,
If you take me into your world.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
China girl.
And I won't break you, China girl,
If you take me into your world.
It's been my good fortune to...
Find you, China girl,
If you take me into your world.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
China girl.
"China Girl" is a song by John Cougar (later known as John Mellencamp) that tells a story of a white man who falls in love with an Asian woman, or China girl, that he meets on the sea sand. He is drawn to her cool touch and subtle grace, and he experiences the sweetest stolen moments with her in the morning light. However, her father is trying to keep them apart, telling her white lies about the man to protect her from his blue eyes, which may be a reference to the man being a foreigner. Despite this, the man declares that knowing him is no sin, and he promises not to break her if she takes him into her world.
The lyrics of "China Girl" have been interpreted in different ways over the years. Some see it as a love song with an exotic twist, while others see it as a comment on cultural differences and the challenges of interracial relationships. Some also point out that the title "China Girl" may be a racial stereotype or fetishization of Asian women, and that Mellencamp's use of it may be problematic.
Line by Line Meaning
China girl
The singer is addressing the girl, calling her 'China girl'.
I met you on the sea sand.
The singer met the girl on the beach.
You touched me with your cool hand.
The girl touched the singer's hand and it was cold.
Your perfume's in the wind.
The girl's scent is in the air.
Your daddy tells you white lies
The girl's father lies to her.
To keep you from by blue eyes.
Her father wants her to avoid the singer's blue eyes.
To know me is no sin.
The singer is telling the girl that getting to know him is not a sin.
And I won't break you, China girl,
The singer promises not to hurt the girl.
If you take me into your world.
If the girl lets the singer into her life, he won't hurt her.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
The singer is lucky to have met the girl.
Stolen flowers are sweetest in the mornin'.
The flowers the singer stole are the sweetest in the morning.
The Eastern sun is dawnin'.
The sun is rising in the East.
Your silk's against my skin.
The girl's silk cloth is touching the singer's skin.
Take me to your jasmine place.
The singer wants the girl to take him to her 'jasmine place', presumably a place where jasmine flowers grow.
Cool me with your subtle grace.
The singer wants the girl to calm him with her subtle grace.
And I won't break you, China girl,
The singer reiterates that he won't hurt the girl.
If you take me into your world.
If the girl lets the singer into her life, he won't hurt her.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
The singer is again expressing his luck at meeting the girl.
Find you, China girl,
The singer is again referencing the girl.
If you take me into your world.
If the girl lets the singer into her life, he won't hurt her.
It's been my good fortune to find you,
The singer once more expresses his luck at meeting the girl.
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.