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Paper Planes
M.I.A.
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- Album
- Kala
- Released
- 2007
- Genres
- Length
- 3:24
- Tempo
- 172 BPM
- Label
- Interscope
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About this song
Paper Planes is the penultimate track on M.I.A.'s album Kala. It samples the 1982 Clash song "Straight to Hell". The song climbed into the top 10 of the US Hot 100 in mid-2008 after being featured in the trailer for the film Pineapple Express, and was later used on the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire.
What it's about
The song is built around a story of tourist-murdering passport counterfeiters and thieves. It can be read as a story about immigrants or about the owner of an arms business. The title alludes to transit visas, drawing on the Latin phrase for "paper that has been seen".
Fun facts
- Samples “Hey Ma by Cam'ron (Ft. Freekey Zekey, Juelz Santana & Toya)” and “Straight to Hell by The Clash”.
- Sampled in 72 other songs, like “Paper Planes by JID”.
- Covered 9 times, including “Paper Planes by Black Dresses”.
- Written by M.I.A., Diplo, Topper Headon, Paul Simonon, Mick Jones and Joe Strummer.
- Produced by M.I.A., Switch and Diplo.