Galang

"Galang" is the first single from M.I.A.'s album Arular. It is written by Maya Arulpragasam (a.k.a. M.I.A.), Justine Frischmann, Ross Orton and Steve Mackey. The word 'galang' comes from the Jamaican patois for 'go on'. The first time Arulpragasam released "Galang", in 2003, it was released on an indie label, Showbiz Records, who only pressed 500 vinyl copies of the single. As a result of her fame, it was re-released in November 2004 when she signed to XL Records and was re-released for a third time as "Galang '05" in 2005. "Galang" was the second song Arulpragasam wrote on her Roland MC-505.

[Refrain] London callin' Speak the slang now Boys say, "Wha gwan?" Girls say, "Wha, what?" London callin' Speak the slang now Boys say, "Wha gwan?" Girls say, "Wha, what?" [Pre-Chorus] Slam! Galang, galang, galang Ga-la, ga-la, ga-la Lang-ga-lang, galang Shotgun, get down Get down, get down, get down Ge-d-, ge-d-, ge-d-down, g-down, g-down Too late, you down D-down, d-down, d-down Ta-na, ta-na, ta-na Ta-na, ta-na-ta [Chorus] Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-ang-lang [Verse 1] Who the hell is huntin' you In the BMW? How the hell he find you? 147'd you Feds gon' get you Pull the strings on the hood One paranoid youth Blazin' through the hood Who the hell is huntin' you In the BMW? How the hell he find you? 147'd you Feds gon' get you Pull the strings on the hood One paranoid youth Blazin' through the hood [Chorus] Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-ang-lang [Refrain] London callin' Speak the slang now Boys say, "Wha gwan?" Girls say, "Wha, what?" London callin' Speak the slang now Boys say, "Wha gwan?" Girls say, "Wha, what?" [Verse 2] They say Rivers gonna run though Work is gonna save you Pray and you will pull through Suck a dick'll help you Don't let 'em get to you If he's got one, you get two Backstab your crew Sell it, I could sell you They say Rivers gonna run though Work is gonna save you Pray and you will pull through Suck a dick'll help you Don't let 'em get to you If he's got one, you get two Backstab your crew Sell it I could sell you [Chorus] Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-ang-lang Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Blaze a blaze, galang-a-lang-a-lang-lang Purple haze, galang-a-lang-a-ang-lang [Outro] Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay Ya-ya hey Woah eh-oh-eh-oh-oh-oh Ya-ya yay