Cover art for Lights by M.I.A.

Lights

M.I.A.
Track 13 on Matangi 

Produced by

Nov. 5, 20131 viewer17.5K views

Lights Lyrics

[Intro] x24
Lights they bend and

[Verse 1]
Lights they bend and jump and always move really fast
Colors emerge light box had me in their grasp
We be rocking, we be rocking rocking in the car
Lights in sky goddess bumping a sitar
These lights yeah, these lights yeah
Green colors looking nice yeah
Turn it up too loud all the lights will turn red
If you upstairs you can hear it in the bed
Rainbows in my vision move into the rhythm
Electic shadows in my ear got me dancing spinnin'
Northern lights on my mind all the colors rhyme
Loving me all the time keep that on your timeline
I keep my distance even though I shine
For me to tell you things you need to be the right kind

Even though it’s clear like a street sign
Some people don’t get it so I keep 'em in line
It’s good to take a minute and take it all in
It’s so important sometimes that I blow off steam
Got to get another sweater from my helicopter
Got to get a closer look at what they all stick at
Doesn’t need some lights that I used to trick out
I got them from a Chinese dude I went to check out
People need to get some and put some in your pocket
You might need some later when you finally unlock it
[Hook]

[Verse 2]
Lights on ring cameras and things
Flashing like bling love loving when I sing
Sparkles on the charcoal as a fire lit up
Headlights off a power in the city lit up
All I wanna, all I wanna, all I wanna do
Is roll through the city star gazing with you
Lights a selector, original nutter
I used to be a bad girl now I’m even better
I don’t keep on berreta
I don’t sell like a shotta
I don’t often twitter
They still see me as a threat er
I’m counter to the counter
Put your money on the counter
I’m standing at the counter say, "Hi!" to my hunter
I did as freaking Santa
I eat at benne hanna
I can make em feel good
I’m running youth centers
I’m aiming for the centers
Sending light beams to sender
I think we can make it
So sip a little winner
[Hook]

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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did M.I.A. say about "Lights"?
Genius Answer

Well actually that song was written when I put out Maya and I was touring it in my darkest days. It was literally dark because it was winter, and I was touring Scandinavian countries. You know, there’s no sunlight. I had my one-year-old baby, it was freezing, and like three feet of snow. It was not a happy time for me. And the realities of living out that Maya record were pretty dark. I was touring with Sleigh Bells so we’d be put into, like, Death Metal clubs. You’d go to pee and all the graffiti on the door was like, “Die die die.” And it was just like, “Oh my God, I just want to, like, shoot myself.”
– M.I.A., Complex

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