MATANGI – English Lyrics

• By: M.I.A.
• Album: Matangi

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the electrifying world of M.I.A. with "MATANGI"! This track is a powerful fusion of alternative hip hop and bhangra, rich with themes of authenticity, identity, and global politics. By engaging with its distinctive lyrics and diverse soundscape, you'll gain insight into M.I.A.'s unique perspective and the cultural tapestry that makes her music so compelling.

[English]

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

Matangi, Matangi

Matangi, Matangi

Somalia, Bosnia

Cuba, Colombia

Ecuador, Mexico

Bhutan, Morocco

Botswana, Ghana

India, Serbia

Libya, Lebanon

Gambia, Nambia

Bali, Mali

Chile, Malawi

Bequai, Saintt vincent

Trinidad and Norway

China, Canada

U.S.A and UK

Nepal, Nigeria

Ethiopia, North K

Myanmar, Panama

Philippines, Nicaragua

Palestine and Greece

Peru and France

It's so simple do the dance

Pretty raw

Get to the floor

Came up listening to war war

Weekend trips to Singapore

Preach like a priest

I sing like a whore

Do you want more?

Do you want more?

Do you know what I got in store?

Do you want more?

Do you want more?

It's so simple get to the floor

...

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

Do you want more?

Do you want more?

Do you know what I got in store?

It's so simple get to the floor

It's so simple get to the floor

Do you want more?

Do you want more?

Do you know what I got in store?

I'm ice cream

You're so bait

They got guns but it points the wrong way

Yeah I'm on it they cirque de soleil

They make big sounds with nothing to say

School of fakeness

I'm school of hard knocks

You're here to fool us

I'm here to take shots

Look-alike, copycat

Doppleganger, fraud

They ain't got nothing on me

Now I'm getting bored

If your gonna be me you need a manifesto

If you ain't got one you better get one presto

Yeah you got money we sell bootlegs only

When the shit counts our numbers way plenty

We started at the bottom but drake gets all the credit

Paper route or life route yeah we be ready

...

Bug spray

Bug spray

Bug spray

Bug spray

Bug spray

Bug spray

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
simple /ˈsɪm.pəl/ A1	adjective - easy to understand or do
floor /flɔːr/ A1	noun - the lower surface of a room on which one stands
dance /dæns/ A1	noun - a series of movements to music verb - to move rhythmically to music
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - armed conflict between nations or groups
preach /priːtʃ/ B1	verb - to speak publicly about religious or moral ideas
whore /hɔːr/ B2	noun - a woman who engages in sexual activity for money
manifesto /ˌmænɪˈfɛstoʊ/ C1	noun - a public declaration of intentions, motives, or views
bootleg /ˈbuːt.lɛɡ/ B2	noun - an illegal copy of a recording or product verb - to make or sell an illegal copy
doppelganger /ˈdɒpəlˌɡæŋər/ C1	noun - a double or look‑alike of a person
fraud /frɔːd/ B2	noun - deception intended to result in financial or personal gain
bored /bɔːrd/ A2	adjective - feeling weary and uninterested
school /skuːl/ A1	noun - an institution for educating children
hard /hɑːrd/ A1	adjective - solid, firm, or difficult
knock /nɒk/ A2	verb - to strike a surface noisily noun - a sharp blow or sound produced by hitting
copycat /ˈkɒpi.kæt/ B2	noun - a person who imitates another’s actions or style
bug /bʌɡ/ A2	noun - an insect; also a defect in software verb - to annoy or irritate
spray /spreɪ/ A2	noun - a liquid that is dispersed in a fine mist verb - to apply a liquid in a fine mist
credit /ˈkrɛdɪt/ B1	noun - recognition for an achievement verb - to attribute something to someone
raw /rɔː/ B1	adjective - uncooked; in a natural, unprocessed state

Key Grammar Structures

• It's so simple, get to the floor

  ➔ Imperative clause after a comment clause (use of a comma to link two independent clauses)

  ➔ The word "get" is an imperative verb telling the listener what to do.

• Do you want more?

  ➔ Yes/No question with auxiliary verb 'do' + subject + base verb

  ➔ The auxiliary "do" forms a question: "Do" + subject "you" + verb "want".

• Do you know what I got in store?

  ➔ Indirect question embedded in a yes/no question; use of 'what' as interrogative pronoun

  ➔ The clause "what I got in store" acts as the object of "know".

• They're got guns but it points the wrong way

  ➔ Use of present simple with 'got' as informal present of 'have'; contrast conjunction 'but'

  ➔ The verb "got" functions like "have" in informal speech: "They "got" guns".

• If you're gonna be me you need a manifesto

  ➔ First conditional with present simple in both clauses; use of informal contraction "gonna" for "going to"

  ➔ The word "gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to": "you "gonna" be me".

• When the shit counts our numbers way plenty

  ➔ Temporal clause introduced by 'when' + present simple; subject‑verb agreement with plural noun "numbers"

  ➔ The verb "counts" is in present simple because the clause refers to a habitual situation.

• We started at the bottom but Drake gets all the credit

  ➔ Past simple in the first clause, present simple in the second; contrast conjunction "but"

  ➔ "started" is past simple indicating a completed action; "gets" is present simple showing a current fact.

• Bug spray

  ➔ Noun phrase used as a chant or refrain; ellipsis of a verb phrase

  ➔ The phrase "Bug spray" stands alone without a verb, creating a rhythmic hook.