Twenty Dollar
M.I.A. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

War war war
Talkin' about y'alls such a bore
I'd rather talk about moi
Like do you know the cost of AK's up in Africa?
20 dollars ain't shit to you
But that's how much they are
So they're gonna use this shit just to get by
Is gold, diamonds helpin' ya?
Don't you like my bandana?
My stains hang low
On my shirts like a-ya-ya
Monkey brains and banana
I'll hit you with my antenna
I put soap in my eye
Make it red so I look raaa ra ra

So I woke up with my holy Qur'an and found out I like Allah-lah
So we shooting til the song is up
Little boys are acting up
Baby mamas are goin crazy
And the leaders all around cracking up
We goat rich, we fry
Price of living in a shanty town just seems very high
We still like T.I.
We still look fly
Dancing as we shooting up
And looting just to get by

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself:
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?

War war war
Who made me like this?
Was it me and God in co-production?
My devil's on speed dial
Everytime I take the wrong direction
All I want is one thing and that is what you got
Sometimes I go lose my mind and then I feel numb

There's 24 hours in a day
I used to split it 8, 8, 8
8 work, 8 sleep, 8 for play
Now I give it all takes

People on the Internet
A new life for the intellect
People judge me so hard
Coz I don't floss my titty set
I was born out of dirt like I'm porn in a skirt
I was a little girl who made good with all that I blurt
I put people on the map that never seen a map
I show 'em something they ain't ever seen
And hope they make it back

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself:
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it




And you'll ask yourself:
Where is my mind?

Overall Meaning

The song "Twenty Dollar" by M.I.A. talks about the price of AKs in Africa and how little 20 dollars mean to the listeners, but it is a significant amount in Africa where people use such products for survival. The song talks about the struggle to get by and the hardships that people face in shanty towns. The line "Is gold, diamonds helping ya?" is a direct reference to the exploitation of African resources, which is making Africa rich but has created a wealth gap. The song also deals with themes of religion and spirituality as the artist talks about waking up with the Quran and discovering Allah.


The lyrics are also a reflection of the artist's persona and are used to challenge the status quo. M.I.A. is known for her unapologetic nature and the lyrics in this song are no different. She addresses the criticism she receives and asserts her individuality through her style and music choices. The lyrics about "not flossing her titty set" and being a "little girl who made good with all that she blurt" showcase her authenticity and confidence.


Overall, "Twenty Dollar" depicts the realities of life in Africa and challenges the listener to reflect on their privilege and the state of global inequality.


Line by Line Meaning

War war war
The constant talk of war is boring and unproductive.


Talkin' about y'alls such a bore
Discussing other people's issues is dull and uninteresting.


I'd rather talk about moi
I prefer to discuss myself.


Like do you know the cost of AK's up in Africa?
Do you realize how expensive it is for African people to acquire AK's?


20 dollars ain't shit to you
Twenty dollars may mean nothing to you.


But that's how much they are
However, for some people, that exact amount is crucial.


So they're gonna use this shit just to get by
These individuals are going to use this particular item just to survive.


Is gold, diamonds helpin' ya?
Are gold and diamonds bringing happiness to your life?


Don't you like my bandana?
Do you not approve of my bandana?


My stains hang low
My clothes are worn and dirty.


On my shirts like a-ya-ya
My shirts are covered in stains.


Monkey brains and banana
Referring to ridiculous things that are not usually associated with each other.


I'll hit you with my antenna
I'll get your attention.


I put soap in my eye
I did something strange and ridiculous.


Make it red so I look raaa ra ra
I did it for attention.


So I woke up with my holy Qur'an and found out I like Allah-lah
I woke up from sleep and realized that I like Allah-lah.


So we shooting til the song is up
We keep shooting until the song is over.


Little boys are acting up
Young boys are misbehaving.


Baby mamas are goin crazy
Mothers of young children in difficult circumstances are struggling.


And the leaders all around cracking up
The people in charge are amused by the chaos.


We goat rich, we fry
Despite our difficult living conditions, we've acquired wealth and are content.


Price of living in a shanty town just seems very high
The cost of living in our shanty town is too expensive.


We still like T.I.
We still appreciate T.I.'s music.


We still look fly
We still maintain our style despite our circumstances.


Dancing as we shooting up
We dance while we're shooting guns.


And looting just to get by
We steal things to survive.


With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Your physical state is unstable and confused.


Try this trick and spin it, yeah
You should try to change your perspective.


Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it
Your mind will break when you have nothing to focus on.


And you'll ask yourself:
You'll wonder


Where is my mind?
Where did my rationality go?


Who made me like this?
What caused me to become what I am now?


Was it me and God in co-production?
Did I and God collaborate to create who I am?


My devil's on speed dial
I am prone to bad influences and decisions.


Everytime I take the wrong direction
Whenever I make a mistake or bad decision.


All I want is one thing and that is what you got
All I want is what you have.


Sometimes I go lose my mind and then I feel numb
Sometimes, I lose control and feel emotionless.


There's 24 hours in a day
Every day has the same amount of hours.


I used to split it 8, 8, 8
I used to divide my day into three equal parts


8 work, 8 sleep, 8 for play
Eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, and eight hours for leisure activities.


Now I give it all takes
Now, I give all I have to survive.


People on the Internet
People who communicate through the internet.


A new life for the intellect
The internet is changing the way people think and interact.


People judge me so hard
People are overly critical of my actions and choices.


Coz I don't floss my titty set
Because my appearance is not traditionally feminine.


I was born out of dirt like I'm porn in a skirt
I came from a difficult background and faced many obstacles.


I was a little girl who made good with all that I blurt
I was a young child who said whatever was on my mind, and that attitude helped me succeed.


I put people on the map that never seen a map
I made people famous who had never been known before.


I show 'em something they ain't ever seen
I present something new and unusual to people.


And hope they make it back
I hope that people are able to come back from experiencing something new.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, PETER HOOK, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, CHARLES THOMPSON, MATHANGI ARULPRAGASAM, DAVID JAMES ANDREW TAYLOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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