China Girl is a little girl
From a town
That's all ya need to know

Lolita was a man-eater
Clocked him like a taxi meter

Fuck gold, she was platinum digger
Shakin'-ass-making moves on a mover

Visa, then a plane ride to ya
Peace out, she'll kill you like Uma

She skipped away to the shop
She found she didn't have enough
She clocked him looking right at her
And sucked on a lollipop

China Girl grew up to be a big girl
Had her sights set on a bigger world

Dial-a-Bride from Sri lanka
Found herself a Yorkshire banker

Need a Visa?
Got with a geezer
Need some money?
Paid him with a knees-up
Year later, started to ease-up
Got her own way, shouted out "see ya"

She skipped away to the shop
She found she didn't have enough
She clocked him looking right at her
And sucked on a lollipop

What can I get fo' 10 dollar?
Everything you want
And what can I get fo' 10 dollar?
Anything you want
Yeah what can I get fo' 10 dollar?



Lyrics submitted by Maraja

Track duration: 03:59

"10 Dollar" as written by Richard/arulpragasam X

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


10 Dollar song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Kubrick FMJ ref....wicked :D
    Flag lauralestrangeon November 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Oh and I danced on stage with M.I.A. to this song :D
    Flag shanbalabuchon October 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about a tough chick who needs her visa and ends up gettin an old man and takin' his money. When it says "year later started to ease up" it shows that she was with this man for a while so I'm assuming she took his money. The moral of the story is, you can get by with good looks.
    Flag shanbalabuchon October 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"The bit about the China girl is making reference to the "webcam girls" of southeastern Asia."


    No it's not. Chinna means little in tamil. She's talking about a sri-lankan girl in the song.
    Flag doggydooon July 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The bit about the China girl is making reference to the "webcam girls" of southeastern Asia. It's noted that these girls will marry individuals of larger wealthier countries for a visa and citizenship. This is seen alot in legal venues
    Flag foutdavidon September 17, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Yeah, duodenum and PenguinBoy got it. Sure, there are elements of child prostitution here--no question--but think about why it's prostitution. She could be doing a song about a kid in a sweat shop. The point is that she's using "chinna girl" to show you how kids who have no choice are forced to operate in this ridiculously unfair and exploitative relationship.

    As to zombiewakeup's point, the reason that you THINK it's widely known that it costs $10 to have sex with a child prostitute is exactly PenguinBoys point, and it's what MIA is trying to point out to everyone listening to this song. Unless you've done any shopping, I assume you know how much that a child prostitute costs $10 from what you've seen or heard in the media. People know that this exists, but unless the system that's in place to keep poor people poor changes, nothing's going to change.

    That's my two cents, anyway.
    Flag jackmacon August 20, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think PenguinBoy pretty much has it right.

    (...assuming MIA has read the book and knows what it's about.)
    Humbert as the narrator in Lolita describes his obsession with the young girl and how she knowingly seduces him. But if you read the book with a more critical mind, it's really about how selfish, self-deceiving, cruel, and vain Humbert is, how he manipulates Lolita, and how his obsession destroys her.

    From his point of view, Lolita is a man eater, a sexual object. But anyone else with common sense would see that she is the victim of his obsessions.
    Flag duodenumon July 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:IT'S ABOUT CHILD PROSTITUTION.

    It is wildly known that it costs $10 to have sex with a child prostitute in 3rd world countries. HINT HINT the title of the song.
    Flag zombiewakeupon April 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:does seem like shes satirizing this
    Flag ayawginawaon March 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:yeah, it is about prostitution in 3rd world countries. youd see it all the time where i came from. 60+ white guys with 16-20 yr old girls
    Flag ayawginawaon March 06, 2008   Link

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