Bucky Done Underwhelmed

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Ananthan points us to a new music video for M.I.A.’s ‘Bucky Done Gun.’ The mix she uses, the official one from Arular, is so spare that it can hardly sustain a video, leaving me squirming during the long gaps when nothing’s happening musically. The version from Piracy Funds Terrorism is much higher energy.

The video is beautifully filmed, though, black and white recolored in pastels, much higher production values than her early efforts. It’s strange seeing gritty radical chic, itself poseur, turn glossy like a high end photography mag. The video recolors a pair of loudspeakers to match the Palestinian flag, and M.I.A.’s checkered tights evoke the PLO kaffiyeh. Its firebomb-throwing young men are porn for the ultra-left, but the images are carefully sanitized: you see colored Holi smoke streaming from bottles, but you don’t see any actual explosions or maimings. In another bid for hip-hop authenticity, the label surrounds Maya with a swarm of backup dancers who are black.

In M.I.A.’s attitude you can already see the shift from awkward ingénue to sexually confident diva. The video opens with M.I.A. in a boxer’s hood, mike dangling from the ceiling. A clear homage to ‘Mama Said Knock You Out,’ it’s the very definition of aggression. The gaze from beneath the bangs covering half her face is no longer diffident, it’s brassy, painted and unblinkingly heavy-lidded. Her previous videos have been much more playful; this one’s simultaneously more serious and more trashy, with Maya and her main backup dancer pole-writhing against a chain-link fence.

I should cheer for a performer coming into her own, but it feels like a Miltonian loss of innocence. Yeah, I’m already nostalgic for M.I.A. circa 2004 😉

Watch the video.

Update: Here are the lyrics:

They’re comin through the window
They’re comin through the door
They’re bustin down the big wall
And sounding the horn

What you want
The bucky done gun
What you want
The fire done burn
Get crackin, get get crackin

Time to spit new shit
I’m rocking on this new bit
I’m hot now you’ll see
I’ll fight you just to get peace

Heavy weight wrestler
Fight me in your comforter
Let you be superior
I’m filthy with the fury ya

I’ll hard drive your bit
I’m battered by your sumo grip
Lucky I like feeling shit
My stamina can take it

Gymnastics super fit
Muscles on the gun clip
Bite, teeth, nose bleed
Tied up in the scarf piece

Can I get control
Do you like me vulnerable
I’m armed and I’m equal
More fun for the people

Physical, brute force
Steel, iron, you’re the boss
Yeah, you’re so do-able
Grind me down sugar salt

63 thoughts on “Bucky Done Underwhelmed”

  2. don don quiet and i need to make a sound new york quiet and i need to make a sound caston quiet and i need to make a sound wonsdale quiet and i need to make sound they come and pray the window they come and pray the door they bustin down the big one and sound in the four they come and pray the window they come and pray the door they bustin down the big one and sound in the four we won! bucky done gun we won! now by done gun we won! bucky done gun get cracking get get cracking we won! bucky done gun we won! now by done gun we won! bucky done gun get cracking get get cracking time to spair at new shit im rockin on this new bed im hot now you see you hatche just to get P severel way, mussel law fight me in youre comfort A i let you be superior im filth with the furior don don quiet and i need to make a sound new york quiet and i need to make a sound caston quiet and i need to make a sound wonsdale quiet and i need to make sound

  3. Sonia, just ‘mia’ into the sepia search engine and you should find all the links for MIA on here.

  7. what program do I need to watch the video? It’s not opening up.

    “confident diva” indeed. We all knew it would happen…just hoped we were wrong. So much home-grown and home-made. Funny how straightening one’s hair and getting some highlights can be such a slippery slope…

    It’s all over now, Baby Blue.

    off to find a mirror. Must make sure I’m not really a fatuous old man

  11. Thanks Manish and Irene. I have realplayer, so not sure why I can’t open this. Hmm.. will try later.

  12. For some reason MIA reminds me of PJ Harvey, I don’t understand what the hell she’s say either..but I like the music..

  15. I’m using a mac..I think that’s the problem..

    Anyway, I saw a bit via Priya’s link.

    HOLEE SHEEET!

    Mesmerizing.

    Bucky Don Gun is based on a Baile funk sample, so what little I could see also seems to allude to Rio favelas. I like this album version actually. Most Baile funk songs are this stripped down. In an ADD sort of way.

    I say her next album will have a remix of Evita..Can’t you just hear it?

    D-d-d-d-don cwah fer me, ey Sree Laanka

  16. Cheers for that link Manish. I think I know which mix you mean from PFT, although I notice a new glut has recently been added. I’m not so sure I agree the original is inferior, it has its strong points. And most of those mixes are so amateur they’re unpleasant – but one stands out, which is banging – but needs some serious mastering.

    Cicatrix is Baila Funk a concept you just invented or is this real? If so, where do I get some?! My baila collection is looking healthy enough, picked up some random stuff when I was working out there this year, but baila funk…now that sounds good.

    Very interesting to read your take on the vid Manish. As a breaker, I was just happy when I saw some capoeira in there.

  17. The person that wrote those lyrics are wrong.. those arent the lyrics.. i mean do they even make sense to u??? so no one go with those lyrics up there.. cause they are wrong

  19. London! Quiet down, i need to make a sound New York! Quiet down, i need to make a sound Kingston Quiet down, i need to make a sound Brazil Quiet down i need to make a sound

    they’re comin through the window they’re comin through the door they’re bustin down the big wall and sounding the horn

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    time to split the new shit i’m rocking on this new bit i’m hot now you’ll see i’ll fight you just to get peace

    heavy weight wrestler fight me in your comforter let you be superior i’m filthy with the fury ya

    London! Quiet down, i need to make a sound New York! Quiet down, i need to make a sound Kingston Quiet down, i need to make a sound Brazil Quiet down i need to make a sound

    i’ll hard drive your bit i’m battered by your sumo grip lucky i like feeling shit my stamina can take it

    gymnastics super fit muscle on teh gun clip bile, teeth, nose bleed tied up the scarf piece

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    can i get control do you like me vunerable i’m armed and i’m equal more fun for the people

    physical, brute force steel, iron you the boss yeah you’re so doable grind me down sugar salt

    mixed “toto” thing

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    what you want bucky done gun what you want the fire done burn what you want bucky done gun Get cracking, get get cracking

    and thats it!

  20. I made a mistake the second paragraph is said twice.. but other than that i think its good.. not sure tho., cuase i basically listenned thro it like 5 times to get wat she’s saying, lol

  21. Bong Breaker, Baile funk comes from the favelas around Rio de Janeiro. Also called Funk de Moro and Funk Carioca. It’s had many permutations over a 30 yr span, but the current incarnation incorporates Miami Bass. This is the most talked about import. Diplo released another called Favela Booty Blast. There’s not much else available in the US, yet.

    Are you talking about Portugese Baila? Sri Lankan popular music is called Baile too, but it’s a form of the Portugese version, adapted into Sinhalese, and dates back to when the Portugese colonized the island. The Brazillian Baile Funk most likely has the same roots, but it’s morphed into something else entirely… and I’m already way ahead of myself in spouting musicologist jargon.

  22. Taiwo, I copied it from a lyrics website and I didn’t do any quality assurance testing, so don’t get your panties in such a knot. 😛

  23. By the way, the horn blast and drum fills in Bucky Done Gun are typical of Baile funk songs. Diplo sampled a song called “Injeção” by Deis Tigrona for this MIA track. I’m sure wouldn’t do anything like illegal, like download it via limewire, would you?

    (I’m not this much of a music smartass, like, ever. Just a lucky break. I was invited on a trip to Brazil a few months ago, and now I’m supposed to be writing a really over-due article about it.)

  24. I like musicologist jargon, you have educated me. Indeed you are right, I was getting my Baile confused with my Baila.

  25. And you have also put the capoeira into context having explained the Brazilian influence. Nice.

  28. and to add to my corrections: Diplo’s album was Favela On Blast.

    I really hope for MIA’s sake she finds another Diplo. I’m kind of scared of what the second album will sound like without him.

  29. and my last comment before I pass out, slobbering and giggling over my computer : Sluggo, those lyrics are brilliant!

    “they come and pray the window they come and pray the door

    time to spair at new shit im rockin on this new bed

    severel way, mussel law fight me in youre comfort A”

    mopping keyboard How did I miss this!!

  30. “caston quiet and i need to make a sound wonsdale quiet and i need to make sound”

    rolling around, beating fists on the floor It’s genius!!!

  31. Hehe I knew they were off a little, I was just wondering how many people would actually check them out. 🙂

  33. I’m bad at detecting sarcasm on the Internet, but really Abhi – those aren’t the right lyrics. You can listen to acapellas on her site. Oh yeah and they make NO SENSE!

  36. By the way, the horn blast and drum fills in Bucky Done Gun are typical of Baile funk songs. Diplo sampled a song called “Injeção” by Deis Tigrona for this MIA track.

    I always thought it was the Rocky theme sample that they used..hence, my version of the lyrics are “..time to split the new shit/i’m Rocky on this new bit..” and here i was thinking i was da hot shit..o well..i’ll just crawl back into my FOB shell..

  37. “The mix she uses, the official one from Arular, is so spare that it can hardly sustain a video, leaving me squirming during the long gaps when nothingÂ’s happening musically”

    This is the first song Ive heard from M.I.A. and I think its pure class! It blew my mind, Ive been dancing around my room like crazy every so often during the day.

    I think the video is really cool. She looks dam sexy too.

  38. This is one of the best songs I ever heard and the video is tight, I can’t wait to get the album

  39. does anyone know who or what “bucky done gun” really is, other than the title and part of her song.

  41. This song is very nice!!! I can’t stop listening it! And this song has samples from the song “Injeção” da Deise Tigrona. That strange horn is present in many Funk Carioca’s songs. But it’s very funny listening you talking about Funk Carioca! I’m Brazilian and I thought no one from other countries could ever like this kind of songs.

    You know, even here in Brazil most of people dislike Funk do Morro. It’s considered music of a low level, from slams, favelas… And also because there’s too much violence in Bailes Funk, many deaths and women getting pregnant in the middle of the party. Usually women go without panties in these Bailes Funk.

    The songs talk about sex in their majority, homeowners that have sex for fun and sing about it shamelessly. Tranvestites that stand by the corners waiting for their men and this kind of stuff. All the lyrics are very funny and are about the reality of the Brazilian poverty. That’s why is odd to see people talking about Funk Carioca around the world… Despite of everything I also like it!

  42. I love M.I.A, and I’ve heard too many versionsof Bucky DOne Gun where you think she is sayin one thing…kinda confusing. ANyways, my favs are Sunshowers, hombre and 10 dollar on the album. SUper Jam-out music. cant wait till wen she comes to Canada to open for Gwen stefani!

  43. First of all… KANBLE, u were soooo funny trying to describe a BAILE FUNK! DonŽt be so exaggerated! Those things still happen, but if u talk like that, people will think that that happens everywhere in Brazil. U know how they are, right?

    Uhmmm I like this singer, but I think she ISNŽT VERY ORIGINAL. I thought funk carioca had only influenced her music but when I listened to Bucky Done Gun I could see that she TOTALLY COPIED BRAZILIAN FUNK! I donŽt think thatŽs cool… people think sheŽs creative (and all those “sweet” adjectives lol) but everything she did was pressing a button!

    Oh yeah!!! IŽm not only talking about Bucky Done but also Hombre… again, sheŽs copying latin music! lol

  44. Yeah, Carolin is totally right. She copied brazilian funk beat by beat.

    Sorry to break it to you but it is the truth.

    Plus in my opinion her fake caribean accent is pretty wack too.

  45. Plus in my opinion her fake caribean accent is pretty wack too.

    hmmm. perhaps because it’s NOT “caribean”? also, because it isn’t even Caribbean?

  46. “hmmm. perhaps because it’s NOT “caribean”? also, because it isn’t even Caribbean?”

    Whatever it is, it’s a fake accent and it sux arse, (fart)

  48. What exactly do you mean by “fake”?

    We know she sampled Baile Funk. Deis Tigrona for Bucky Done Gun, for sure. Read the discussion here. She’s not saying that SHE’S Carioca, she just likes the music and sampled it in some of the songs…isn’t that what all the Funk Carioca songs do to American music from Michael Jackson to that “Who Let The Dogs Out” song?

    MIA’s (legally) sampling the (illegal) samplers… Her Piracy Funds Terrorism album was free because she made it like a Carioca album, full of illegal samples, and as a result couldn’t sell it.

    But if DJ Marlboro thinks she’s good enough that he did funk carioca remix for the Bucky…what the hell do you have to complain about?

  50. Cica-molay,

    Didn’t akka admonish you about mocking tards? If not, consider yourself told. You should only debate sentient beings.