M.I.A. - A.I.M. Album Lyrics

---

Borders

Freedom, 'I'dom, 'Me'dom
Where's your 'We'dom?
This world needs a brand new 'Re'dom
We'dom - the key
We'dom the key'dom to life!
Let's be 'dem
We'dom smart phones
Don't be dumb!

Borders (What's up with that?)
Politics (What's up with that?)
Police shots (What's up with that?)
Identities (What's up with that?)
Your privilege (What's up with that?)
Broke people (What's up with that?)
Boat people (What's up with that?)
The realness (What's up with that?)
The new world (What's up with that?)
Am gonna keep up on all that

Guns blow doors to the system
Yeah f*ck 'em when we say we're not with them
We're solid and we don't need to kick them
This is North, South, East and Western
[x2]

Queen (What's up with that?)
Killing it (What's up with that?)
Slaying it (What's up with that?)
Your goals (What's up with that?)
Being bae (What's up with that?)
Making money (What's up with that?)
Breaking internet (What's up with that?)
Love wins (What's up with that?)
Living it (What's up with that?)
Being real (What's up with that?)

Guns blow doors to the system
Yeah f*ck 'em when we say we're not with them
We're solid and we don't need to kick them
This is North, South, East and Western
[x2]

We representing peeps, they don't play us on the FM
We talkin' in our sleep, they still listen on a system
We sittin' on a stoop
Where we get a scoop
This is how we keep it cool
This is how we do
[x2]

Egos (What's up with that?)
Your values (What's up with that?)
Your beliefs (What's up with that?)
Your families (What's up with that?)
Histories (What's up with that?)
Your future (What's up with that?)
My boys (What's up with that?)
My girls (What's up with that?)
Freedom (What's up with that?)
Your power (What's up with that?)

Guns blow doors to the system
Yeah f*ck 'em when we say we're not with them
We're solid and we don't need to kick them
This is North, South, East and Western
[x2]

We representing peeps, they don't play us on the FM
We talkin' in our sleep, they still listen on a system
We sittin' on a stoop
Where we get a scoop
This is how we keep it cool
This is how we do
[x2]

Gonna keep up on all that
Gonna be doing it like that

---

Go Off

No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong

People love position
So I stay way up on a level
Like my name is Neymar and you know I'm not normal
There is no competition
I'm gonna talk and you gonna listen
I'm on ten like men, even better than them
Yeah I don't lose focus like a German called Sven
My third eye's open and my focus ain't joking
Yeah You got it wrong, cause my focus is so strong

Run-pama pama pa-pama pama pama
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
Go off on em
Go off on em
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong

Yeah I'm pressing buttons
Dropping pins on positions
Cause my words go far
And this rain is so foreign
You blow the place I live in while
Watch I could keep it going
Go off on em
Go off on em
So check up on your messages
Know what the message is
Like aliens in villages
We're here for all ages
Fans back home
Got my tracks bang on
Yeah you got it wrong
Cause my focus is so strong

Run pama pama pa-pama pama pama
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
Go off on em
Go off on em
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
Go off on em
Go off on em
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong

At least you tell your children I came from London
Start talking about me long time like she was random
When I was in your life fella, I was hella bomb
But I had to go off just to stay strong

Run pama pama pa-pama pama pama
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
Go off on em
Go off on em
No focus lost, I concentrate
And now you got it wrong
Go off on em
Go off on em

---

Bird Song (Blaqstarr Remix)

I'm a parrot
I'm robin this joint
Not a lyre bird
Sure ain't a vulture
Don't swallow that cause I make the culture
I'm not a lyre bird
Staying staying rich like an ostrich

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Staying staying rich like an ostrich

Drop down get your eagle on
Like a falcon
Fly phenomena
Humming higher than a drone
Doves cry
Are you going home alone?
Squad flock
Migrate for the summer
Duck out for some hot weather
Birds of prey and I'm shaking off my feather
I believe like R. Kelly, we can fly
But toucan fly together
Staying staying rich like an ostrich

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Staying staying rich like an ostrich

Now watch the sky, watch the sky
Keep watching
Wa-watch the sky, watch the sky
Keep watching
Wa-wa-watch the sky, watch the sky
Keep watching
Wa-watch the sky, watch the sky
Wa-watch

Is that a crow on a crane?
Is that you or a plane?
Where's your chicken at?
I'm watching like a hawk
I need more birds!
Gully like a seagull
Gully like a seagull
I'm coo coo for you, let's talk

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Staying staying rich like an ostrich

---

Jump In

Jump in, ju...
Jump in, jump in...

Zip up my jacket
Put my phone in my pocket
Keep my mind open
I'm tryna not to lock it
I make a plan
Put it in god's hand
And jump in to that van

Jump in, ju...

Wake up wake up
Your life on take up
Go thank that maker
Get your life on fleek and take off
You got to keep that shit fine

I gon' make you mine
When I see that border I gon' cross the line
When I see that dream I gon' make it mine
We go we go take off take off
Go hit the sea hit the sea like...
Noah's ark illegal

Jump in, ju...

---

Freedun

I'm a swagger man
Rolling in my swagger van
From the People's Republic Of Swagistan
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
I'm M.I.A., ay

I don't need any audition
I just got my own little mission
A crew bigger than a politician
Yeah, history is just a competition
Do you wanna sign my petition?
It's for the people with dedication
Some people f*ck it up, technications
Refugee lands about patience
Sometimes I have many visions
I don't even need a religion
I'm a new frontier, horizons
Yeah, I sell this shit to the thousands
Even aliens see the presentation
Yeah, tune up the dial on the station
And think of me sort of like Tarzan
And I'm swinging this beat, salvation

[Zayn:]
All the stars are still shining
But you're the only one I see
I can feel when your heart beats, yeah
But you can't keep your eyes off me

Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom
Free-de-de-dum, free-dom

Download it on the DVD, download it on the phone
If you don't catch them, then baby I'm gone
Send me your money, and I will send you my song
What you get is perfect to turn me life-long
Lara Croft is soft when it comes my stuff
She's made up, I'm real, that's enough
Dinosaurs died and I'm still strong
A little bit of fun, yeah, I don't see the wrong
This song is so good, yeah I waited too long
I rape that button just to play this song
Whose world is this?
The world is mine so bring it on

[Zayn:]
All the stars are still shining
But you're the only one I see
I can feel when your heart beats, yeah
But you can't keep your eyes off me

---

Foreign Friend

[Dexta Daps:]
I'ma treat you like my best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
I'ma treat you like my best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Yeah!

[M.I.A.:]
There ain't nothing to it
With the friend I keep it cool with
Love it, we been through it
Stick it like glue, now chew it
Bad girls, hands up
Ride or die how we feel it
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
If you can't then screw it

Gonna be your best friend
Gonna make that shit trend
I'm gonna be your foreign friend all the way to the end

[Dexta Daps:]
I'ma treat you like my best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
I'ma need you like your best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
I'ma treat you like my best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
I'ma squeeze you like my best friend
(Go best friend, go best friend)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Yeah!

[M.I.A.:]
You can be my best friend
You know too much to be a foe
You were there from before
In the days when I had no dough
Break bread, watch Breaking Bad
Always there when I break up bad
In bed, feeling so sad
You were always there as a comrade
I know you think like me
Life ain't easy for the people like we
Say life's a box of chocolates
We say who packed it, do you feel me?
What you do's none of my business
But I want you to make me a witness
Wanna witness the greatness
Cause we best friends through health and sickness

Gonna be your best friend
Gonna make that shit trend
I'm gonna be your foreign friend all the way to the end

[Dexta Daps:]
I'ma treat you like my best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
I'ma treat you like your best friend
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

---

Finally

What haters say about me don't worry me
I keep it moving forward to what's ahead of me
You gonna see I'm not gonna waste energy

Cause I'm free and I'm a freak
All the people I love I try to keep
We get deep
Keep it street
And we're never gonna stay asleep
Finally
What haters say about me don't worry me
I keep it moving forward to what's ahead of me
You gonna see I'm gonna be
And you're gonna remember me

I'm someone's shot of whiskey
Not everyone's tea

Cause I'm free and I'm a freak
All the people I love I try to keep
We get deep
Keep it street
And we're never gonna stay asleep
Finally
What haters say about me don't worry me
I keep it moving forward to what's ahead of me
You gonna see I'm gonna be
And you're gonna remember me

Underneath my trouble
I'm gonna find me the treble
And underneath my case
I'm gonna find me the bass
You get through
You get truth
And that's how it's gonna be

Cause I'm free I'm a freak
I can see what's real and fantasy
What you believe you gotta see
Life on the planet's university

Underneath my trouble
I'm gonna find me the treble
And underneath my case
I'm gonna find me the bass
You get through
You get truth
And that's how it's gonna be
Finally

I'm free and I'm a freak
All the people I love I try to keep
We get deep
Keep it street
And we're never gonna stay asleep
Finally what haters say about me don't worry me
I keep it moving forward to what's ahead of me
You gonna see I'm gonna be
And you're gonna remember me

There's nothing in this life that's guaranteed
That's why we get high on reality
Memories and families
Work and money and stay happy
Finally

Life on the planet's university
You get stronger in adversity
What you mean it's easy
Life's just a bitter sweet symphony

---

A.M.P. (All My People)

It's M I A yeah!
Hey!

Don't bring your gun there
Don't bother bother me
You can't take me
You want me, pay me
You can't 2Pac me
You can't Biggie me
I've got a pikini with a bikini in Bequia
They wanna stop me
Galliano sack me
I'll keep on coming back
Like your freaking acne
I am pro active
Brand new perspective
Back on a mac tip with matching red lipstick

Baby got back, I got front
You got a stack, I got a trunk
You got some junk, throw it in the bank
You think you get this but this ain't what you think

All my people say
All my people say

I'm not on seven, I'm on eleven
The difference is kinda like Devon and Yemen
When I go Oman I say "Yeah Man"
I open up a club and fill it strictly full of woman
My mama go to church she says "Amen"
She also says "Why are men teaming up with Demon?"
I love all men they all take me heaven
I can't keep myself in check like a mormon

Baby got back, I got front
You got a stack, I got a trunk
You got some junk, throw it in the bank
You think you get this but this ain't what you think

All my people say
All my people say

Can't be got, I'm a Cyber dog
I fight the bots, I free up a lot like
Like Chinese a chop chop
Put it in your hip hop pop
Encrypt and code it and I put it on your laptop
Bubble up poc poc
In my new bop bop
E'd up head up and I gon' beat a body up
This is immediate
We don't need no media
Feel it, reel it, pull it
We gon' light the city up
(We gon' light the city up)
We gon' light the city up

All my people say
All my people say
All my people say
All my people say

All my people say

---

Ali R U OK?

Money money money
Work work work work

Hey, are you ok?
Tell em you're not ok
Tell em you're taking off work today

Are you ok?
Ali are you ok?
Tell em you're not gonna be working late

It's been ages
Since you spent a day just
Don't ignore your doctor's orders
Now come here
Show me how you're loving me

All work and no play
I think we need a holiday
All work and no play
Tell em it's your birthday

All your best days are given to your boss way
Tell em you're working on us today
Do you wanna be running after money
Or be home hanging with your honey
Now come here, show me how you're loving me

All work and no play
I think we need a holiday
All work and no play
Tell em it's your birthday

Ali I haven't even seen you since we left Calais
You've been so busy
It's driving me crazy

You know I gotta be grinding
Sorry if I'm flaking
All this money that I be taking
I'm just shaking what I'm making
I'm sending bread and bacon
Back home so they can
Fix what's broken
So baby don't be hating
If you need vacation
Please be patient
I'm thinking generation
Coz it's my obligation

All work and no play
I think we need a holiday

---

Visa

They call me a ruler, trend setter, makin' life feel better
Breaking order like a leader now follow
Poppin' a collar, yea hustle a dollar
You can't touch us like MC Hammer
Eat my mum's string hoppers, jump in the chopper
Yea, chop up a mango with salt and pepper
Holla, holla, holla, true scholar with the nona
And I'm here to shine the light on the matter

At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Creeping in my socks and slipper
Mexicans say "hola!"
At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Hiding in my Toyota Corolla, everybody say "Y.A.L.A.!"

Baller, a baller, got a friend called Burma
And he looks at Obama when we burner
Turtleneck and bomber
It's a Bamboo Banga
And you know I'm comin' back with power
Yea '64 Impala, Hummer or Toyota
When I drive in I'm a winner
Whatever I'mma rap got fuel in the burner
Off the grid, staying off the radar

At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Creeping in my socks and slipper
Mexicans say "hola!"
At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Hiding in my Toyota Corolla, everybody say "Y.A.L.A.!"

Yea, shoot at a shooter, yea shoot a computer
Pour yourself a shot of teqkilla
Time for a banger, throw up your middle finger
I'm a writer competition we gon' murder
I'm a fighter and a lover like winter and summer
I ain't really looking for no drama

At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Creeping in my socks and slipper
Mexicans say "hola!"
At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car
Hiding in my Toyota Corolla, everybody say "Y.A.L.A.!"

---

Fly Pirate

Flip all that
I don't' need the clicks on the chicks
That sell me the bullshit
Like this is where the cool's at
Hit things that brings me to link the
People on the brink cos that's where my heart's at

Kick all that habit it like a hobbit keeps me down to the ground
And just drop that...

Fly fly pirate...

Fly pirate coming to you direct
Drop pin on the map
Navigate like a pilot
See the sky
See the birds
See the sky
See the birds

Fly fly pirate...

Every step
Every blow
Every door
Every floor

Fly fly pirate...

See the sea
Do the boat
Do the jump
Jump rope

Fly fly pirate...

Every step
Every blow
Every door
Every floor

Fly fly pirate...

---

Survivor

Survivor, survivor
It starts when you ready
It starts when you ready

It starts when I'm heading over
Getting blessings in the shower
Looking in the mirror (mood emoji fire)
Trying not to remember
My time in the fire
Cause ain't gonna tell ya
This war is never over
I ride through the sea like a pirate
Just to float in the water
Can't carry feelings
Like basket can't carry water
Ain't gonna tell ya
That I live strictly for the paper
Men are good, men are bad
And the war is never over

Survivor, survivor
Who said it was easy?
Survivor, survivor
They can never stop we

G.O.D
Gold and oil and dollars
Stars come and go
Just like every empire
I stay fly focus
I'm staying higher
Now power up your lighter
For you know you are a survivor

Survivor, survivor
Who said it was easy?
They can never stop we
Survivor, survivor
Who said it was easy?

Watch yourself heading over
Heading over
Watch yourself heading over

It starts when you ready
It starts when you ready

Survivor, survivor
Who said it was easy?
They can never stop we
Survivor, survivor...

---

Bird Song (Diplo Remix)

(Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

I'm a parrot
I'm robin this joint
Not a lyre bird
Sure ain't a vulture
Don't swallow that cause I make the culture
I'm not a lyre bird, I'm not a lyre bird
Staying, staying rich like an ostrich
Love ain't a albatross hanging 'round ya neck
Drink a sparrow, love is food, take a peck
Let's go to Turkey, swift like a rail
Can't pigeon hole, I'm epic like a Zeus tail

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love

Doves cry
Are you going home alone?
Squad flock
Migrate for the summer
Duck out for, for some hot weather
Birds of prey and I'm shaking off my feather
See the water foul, swing on a creeper
Like starlin dictating love on my speaker
Hot flamingo, go bird emoji yo
Monogamous like a swan going with the flow

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love

Watch the sky, watch the sky
Watching, watching the sky
Watch the sky, watch
Watch the sky
Watch the sky
Watching, watching the sky
Watch the sky, watch, watch

Is that a crow on a crain?
Is that you or a plane?
Where's your chicken at?
I'm watching like a hawk
Aye, I need more birds!
Gully like a seagull
Gully like a, gully like a seagull
Gully like a seagull
I'm cuckoo for you, let's talk!

Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Free up my love
Staying, staying rich like ostrich

Drop down get your eagle on
Drop down, drop down like a falcon
Drop down get your eagle on
Drop down, drop down get your eagle on
Drop down get your eagle on
Drop down, drop down like a falcon
Drop down, fly phenomena
Humming higher than a drone
Free up my love

---

The New International Sound, Pt. 2

(Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

M.I.A. you can wiki me
I don't be no dummenee
Dumbing me is killing me
Like it can be that enemy
They come at me
They gonna meet my
People gonna cover me
The ones that govern me
Ain't the ones that can power me
It's the sun and moon
That's turning me
If I get high it's burning me
You can kill my privacy
But you can't kill that love in me

It's a game can't be tamed
Keep your fame and I'll keep my faith
(Oh yeah you can keep it)
Store my name, say my name
Know my name, and I'll keep my faith
(I'm gonna keep it)
Light it up, turn em on
That's when my powers gone
(gonna keep it)
I take em off, turn em off, and my powers on

Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em...

It's a game can't be tamed
Keep your fame and I'll keep my faith
(Oh yeah you can keep it)
Store my name, say my name
Know my name, and I'll keep my faith
(I'm gonna keep it)
Light it up, turn em on
That's when my powers gone
(gonna keep it)
I take em off, turn em off, and my powers on

Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em...

It's a game can't be tamed
Keep your fame and I'll keep my faith
Store my name, say my name
Know my name, and I'll keep my faith
Light it up, turn em on
That's when my powers gone
I take em off, turn em off, and my powers on

Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em off
Pan 'em off, pan 'em, pan 'em...

---

Swords

(Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

You say you love the coco (Hey)
They say they love their boko (M.I.A.)
Some say f*ck all (Hey)
But I'm here to take all

Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
I'm here to take you there because you act like you forgot

Highly explosive, ready and raw
Everything banging like we're in Bangalore
Sounds of swords cutting edge like woah
Toyota truck, pick us up, let's go!

Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
I'm here to take you there because you act like you forgot

Loads of guys can't handle this ride
When would they know we're best by their side
They keep us down and we take it in stride
Throw up your head if you've still got light
What we know because we just can't hide
[?] would know, cut the money we find
Yeah it's time, we better get behind
Pass the stars and you can't hit rewind

We them girls, say holla holla holla
We hold the world, say holla holla holla

Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
Hands up
If you hear a knock on the door
I'm here to take you there because you act like you forgot

---

Talk

(Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

Big event million spent
What you stand for that's relevant
Tweet tweet read read watch again
Me me me is what you vent
Nothing really changed since you been top ten
All in the streets are hungry, man
You don't give us what we need then
We gonna get hot and hit the bend
This you send
Click again
Kick me down and I'm back again
Gonna fight pen with my pen
I fire that round till you stop the trend

I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk talk talk talk
[x2]

This system has to come
With way better shit than racism
Hatism or Hate Islam
Better check up on the baptism
If you don't give a f*ck that's skepticism
If you do give a shit that's whack to some
If you got a brain let's practice em
Is it tic for tac
Getting back at em
Here we come here we come
Dance on the street like I hit a drum
Here we come here we come
Dance on the street like I hit a drum

I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk talk talk talk
[x2]

Year to year I say yeah yeah
In warrior mode there nothing to fear
Ebola scare or a bomb scare
It's the same shit just hit and share

I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk and talk until I piss em off
I talk talk talk talk

---

Platforms

(Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

Neon lights on the dust, on the ground, on the bus
Dirty road makes that scarf wrap a must
Rolling by scrolling for the future on the app
Data mine my mind like a diamond in the rough

A platform, here's a train of thought
Getting to the bright side of me is why I fought
I'm gonna say what else have I got
Maybe there's glory in all the things I'm not

Guns keep it fun, keeping men keeping on the run [x4]

If oil is the god then the cranes all pray
The crude is so rude cause it makes the people pay
On the side of the road men make money
A flower for a dollar man, he wants a family

If I rose to power, it'd be a bouquet
Emoji a smiley and say I'm okay
The tech dudes are the only ones having a good day
Coz talking is cheap cause they make it easy

A platform, here's a train of thought
Getting to the bright side of me is why I fought
I'm gonna say what else have I got
Maybe there's glory in all the things I'm not

Guns keep it fun, keeping men on the run
Those who love heat, yeah, here comes the sun
Power to the people, yeah, the light is never done
Switch on for the bitches, yeah electric city fun

A platform, here's a train of thought
Getting to the bright side of me is why I fought
I'm gonna say what else have I got
Maybe there's glory in all the things I'm not

Guns keep it fun, keeping men keeping on the run [x4]