M.I.A. – Bad Girls (2012)

“Bad Girls” is a song by British recording artist M.I.A. for her fourth studio album, Matangi (2013). The song is written by Maya “M.I.A.” Arulpragasam, Marcella Araica and Floyd Nathaniel “Danja” Hills, and produced by Danja. The song, Arulpragasam’s first release following her departure from the UK’s XL Recordings in 2011, was self-released worldwide under exclusive license to Interscope Records in the US on 31 January 2012. A shorter version of the song appeared on Vicki Leekx, a mixtape released for free online on 31 December 2010. “Bad Girls” was released as a digital download a day after its world premiere on radio and online.

An accompanying music video for the song was shot in Ouarzazate, Morocco in solidarity with the Women To Drive movement, premiering on 3 February 2012. Directed by Romain Gavras, the video garnered universal acclaim and accolades. The song charted in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Korea, Switzerland, the UK and the US, solely on downloads, and was distributed in physical format on 12 March 2012.

The Women to Drive Movement (Arabic: قيادة المرأة في السعودية qiyāda al-marʾa fī as-Suʿūdiyya) was a campaign by Saudi women, whom the government denies many rights to which men are entitled, for the right to drive motor vehicles on public roads.

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

My chain hits my chest When I’m banging on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m banging on the radio

Get back, get down Pull me closer if you think you can hang Hands up, hands tied Don’t go screamin’ if I blow you with a bang

Suki suki I’m comin’ in the Cherokee Gasoline There’s steam on the window screen Take it, take it World’s bouncin’ like a trampoline When I get to where I’m goin’, gonna have you tremblin’

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the radio

Yeah, back it, back it Yeah, pull up to the bumper game Read the signal Cover me, ’cause I’m changin’ lanes

Had a handle on it My life, I broke it When I get to where I’m goin’, gonna have you sayin’ it

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the radio chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’

Get back, get down Pull me closer if you think you can hang Hands up, hands tied Don’t go screamin’ if I blow you with a bang

Goin’ nought to bitch, I’ll see four million Accelerating fast I can do this in a second Lookin’ in the rearview, swaggin’ goin’ swell Leavin’ boys behind ’cause it’s legal just to kill Shift gear, automatic, damned if I do Who’s gonna stop me when I’m comin’ through? What we got left is just me and you But if I go to bed, baby, can I take you?

Get back, get down Pull me closer if you think you can hang Hands up, hands tied Don’t go screamin’ if I blow you with a bang

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well Live fast, die young Bad girls do it well

Chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the radio

Chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’ on the dashboard My chain hits my chest When I’m bangin’