The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Ladies up in here tonight
No fighting
We got the refugees up in here (no fighting)
No fighting
Shakira, Shakira
I never really knew that she could dance like this (hey)
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body (uno, dos, tres, cuatro)
I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie (no fighting)
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see, baby, this is perfection?
Hey, girl, I can see your body moving
And it's driving me crazy
And I didn't have the slightest idea
Until I saw you dancing (yeah)
And when you walk up on the dance floor
Nobody cannot ignore the way you move your body, girl (just move)
And everything so unexpected, the way you right and left it
So you can keep on shaking it (let's go)
I never really knew that she could dance like this
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body (no fighting)
I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie (no fighting)
And I'm starting to feel you, boy
Come on, let's go, real slow
Don't you see, baby, así es perfecto?
Babe, I know I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see, baby, this is perfection? (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, boy, I can see your body moving
Half animal, half man
I don't, don't really know what I'm doing
But you seem to have a plan
My will and self-restraint
Have come to fail now, fail now
See, I'm doing what I can, but I can't so you know
That's a bit too hard to explain (uno, dos, tres, cuatro)
Baila en la calle de noche (yeah)
Baila en la calle de día (let's go)
Baila en la calle de noche
Baila en la calle de día
I never really knew that she could dance like this
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You know you got me hypnotized
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body
Señorita, feel the conga
Let me see you move like you come from Colombia
(Yeah, oh)
Yeah (ladies sí) (yeah yeah)
(Hey, yeah)
¡Mira en Barranquilla se baila así, say it! (yeah)
En Barranquilla se baila así (yeah)
Hey, brra
Yeah, she's so sexy, every man's fantasy
A refugee like me back with the Fugees from a third world country
I go back like when 'Pac carried crates for Humpty Humpty
We leave the whole club dizzy
Why the CIA wanna watch us?
Colombians and Haitians
I ain't guilty, it's a musical transaction
Bo bop so bop, no more do we snatch ropes
Refugees run the seas 'cause we own our own boats (no fighting)
I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel you, boy
Come on, let's go, real slow
Baby, like this is perfecto (no fighting)
Oh, you know I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
The attraction, the tension
Baby, like this is perfection
No fighting
No fighting
No fighting
We got the refugees up in here (no fighting)
No fighting
Shakira, Shakira
I never really knew that she could dance like this (hey)
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body (uno, dos, tres, cuatro)
I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie (no fighting)
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see, baby, this is perfection?
Hey, girl, I can see your body moving
And it's driving me crazy
And I didn't have the slightest idea
Until I saw you dancing (yeah)
And when you walk up on the dance floor
Nobody cannot ignore the way you move your body, girl (just move)
And everything so unexpected, the way you right and left it
So you can keep on shaking it (let's go)
I never really knew that she could dance like this
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body (no fighting)
I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie (no fighting)
And I'm starting to feel you, boy
Come on, let's go, real slow
Don't you see, baby, así es perfecto?
Babe, I know I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see, baby, this is perfection? (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, boy, I can see your body moving
Half animal, half man
I don't, don't really know what I'm doing
But you seem to have a plan
My will and self-restraint
Have come to fail now, fail now
See, I'm doing what I can, but I can't so you know
That's a bit too hard to explain (uno, dos, tres, cuatro)
Baila en la calle de noche (yeah)
Baila en la calle de día (let's go)
Baila en la calle de noche
Baila en la calle de día
I never really knew that she could dance like this
She make a man wanna speak Spanish
¿Cómo se llama? (Sí), bonita (sí)
Mi casa, su casa (Shakira, Shakira)
Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You know you got me hypnotized
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body
Señorita, feel the conga
Let me see you move like you come from Colombia
(Yeah, oh)
Yeah (ladies sí) (yeah yeah)
(Hey, yeah)
¡Mira en Barranquilla se baila así, say it! (yeah)
En Barranquilla se baila así (yeah)
Hey, brra
Yeah, she's so sexy, every man's fantasy
A refugee like me back with the Fugees from a third world country
I go back like when 'Pac carried crates for Humpty Humpty
We leave the whole club dizzy
Why the CIA wanna watch us?
Colombians and Haitians
I ain't guilty, it's a musical transaction
Bo bop so bop, no more do we snatch ropes
Refugees run the seas 'cause we own our own boats (no fighting)
I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel you, boy
Come on, let's go, real slow
Baby, like this is perfecto (no fighting)
Oh, you know I'm on tonight, my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
The attraction, the tension
Baby, like this is perfection
No fighting
No fighting
Lyrics submitted by xox_pandie_xox, edited by mamadiano
Hips Don't Lie Lyrics as written by Wyclef Jean Shakira Mebarak
Lyrics © LANFRANCO MUSIC, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Yeah, I consulted my Mexican friend about the lyircs, llioop is right. I also agree with alphachimera, although the main theme of the song is dancing, I believe its is also about cultural tensions. I love the part when they both say "why the CIA wanna watch us?" I think it sounds really good.