The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later spawned the Ramones, Blondie, Television and Talking Heads."
Bad Girl
The New York Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gave her my key, I said don't bother to knock
I said c'mon, ya got what I need
I said come on, don't make my heart bleed
I'm beggin', whoa bad girl, whatcha tryin' to do?
What is the matter with you, bad girl?
What are you tryin' to do?
'Cause I'm early in the mornin', not too late at night
You're tryin' to tell me everything is alright
Then you're gonna ask am I gonna take it slow
I said don't you worry there's no place to go
My bad girl
I'm walkin' to the corner, to go in the cafe
That's when I seen her, a'walkin' my way
And all dolled up, in her waitress' skirt
I said c'mon, don't make my heart hurt
I'm beggin', whoa bad girl, whatcha tryin' to do?
Wontcha tell me, what is the matter with you, bad girl?
What are you tryin' to do?
With my last twenty-dollar bills
And you can keep the change
All you gotta do is get down in my range
If you're gonna ask me am I gonna take it slow
I said don't you worry there's no place I gotta go
You're bad, bad, so bad
I'm beggin', whoah bad girl
Whatcha tryin' to do?
What is the matter with you, bad girl?
What are you tryin' to do?
I'm beggin', please little lover, stop this carryin' on
Gotta get some love before the planet is gone
If you're gonna ask me, am I gonna take ya home
I says dontcha worry, there's no place I gotta go
My bad
Hey bad girl, I know why you're bad
But don't ya know, it just make me glad
When everybodys gonna put you down
Lookin' for your last friends, I'll be around
I'm beggin', whoa bad girl, whatcha tryin' to do?
Won't you tell me, what is the matter with you, bad girl?
What are you tryin' to do?
I'm beggin', please little darlin', stop this carryin' on
Gotta get some lovin' before the planet is gone
One nuclear bomb, they're gonna blow it all away
Come on bad girl give me some lovin' today
Right here, right now bad girl
The New York Dolls’ “Bad Girl” is a song about a girl that the singer is infatuated with, even though she is bad news. He gave her the key to his block and wants her to come over, but he knows she isn’t good for him. Despite this, he begs her to stop messing around because he needs some love before the planet is destroyed by a nuclear bomb. The singer is attracted to the girl's rebellious nature and her willingness to defy society's expectations. The lyrics suggest that even though the girl is bad, she is still desirable and capable of making the singer's heart bleed.
The song is a classic example of the glam rock genre, which emerged in the early 1970s and was characterized by its theatricality, outrageous fashion, and sexually charged lyrics. Through their music, the New York Dolls were able to explore themes of gender and sexuality, which were largely taboo at the time. The song’s use of rhyming lyrics and catchy guitar riffs make it an upbeat and memorable tune that has stood the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Bad girl, a new bad girl, who get on my block
There's a new girl on my block, and she's got a 'bad' reputation
I gave her my key, I said don't bother to knock
I trust her enough to let her have access to my home
I said c'mon, ya got what I need
I find her appealing and want her
I said come on, don't make my heart bleed
I don't want to be rejected by her
I'm beggin', whoa bad girl, whatcha tryin' to do?
I'm pleading with her to not do something wrong
What is the matter with you, bad girl?
Why are you behaving badly?
'Cause I'm early in the mornin', not too late at night
I'm available for her at a certain time
You're tryin' to tell me everything is alright
She's giving me the impression that everything is fine
Then you're gonna ask am I gonna take it slow
She's asking me if I want to move slowly
I said don't you worry there's no place to go
I reassure her that we don't need to rush
I'm walkin' to the corner, to go in the cafe
I'm on my way to a cafe and see her on the street
That's when I seen her, a'walkin' my way
I notice her walking towards me
And all dolled up, in her waitress' skirt
She's wearing an attractive outfit for her job as a waitress
I said c'mon, don't make my heart hurt
I find her so appealing that it hurts me
With my last twenty-dollar bills
I have only twenty dollars left
And you can keep the change
She can keep the extra money
All you gotta do is get down in my range
All she needs to do is come within reach of me
If you're gonna ask me am I gonna take it slow
She's asking if I want to move slowly
I said don't you worry there's no place I gotta go
I tell her that we don't need to rush
Hey bad girl, I know why you're bad
I understand why she has a 'bad' reputation
But don't ya know, it just make me glad
But it actually attracts me to her
When everybodys gonna put you down
When everyone else criticizes her
Lookin' for your last friends, I'll be around
I'll be there to support her in tough times
I'm beggin', please little lover, stop this carryin' on
I'm asking her to stop behaving badly
Gotta get some love before the planet is gone
We need to enjoy life while we can
One nuclear bomb, they're gonna blow it all away
A single nuclear bomb can destroy everything
Come on bad girl give me some lovin' today
I want her to show me affection right now
Right here, right now bad girl
I want her to give me affection immediately
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JOHANSEN, JOHNNY THUNDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind