She is best known for her singles You Got Me her collaboration with The Roots, as well as her own songs Tyrone, Love of My Life, On & On, Bag Lady, The Healer, Honey and Soldier. Her lyrics are highly personal urban philosophy which throw emotional challenges in the face of the listener. She weaves unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound.
Some music journalists have labeled her Nu soul, nouvelle-soul or neo soul, often comparing her to Billie Holiday in lyrical delivery and grouping her with Maxwell and D'Angelo in musical genre.
Baduizm, Badu's highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Lead single On & On reached #12 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and UK. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgeoning neo soul genre. Her sophisticated style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. Baduizm eventually went triple platinum and, along with On & On, won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.
During that year, Badu became involved with rapper AndrΓ© 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had a child, Seven, who was born in 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in the late 90s. Badu recorded her first live album, Live, while pregnant with Seven, and the release of the recording coincided with the birth to her child. Live reached #4 on the Billboard charts, selling double platinum, and spawned another R&B hit single in Tyrone a song chiding a selfish, cheap, and inattentive boyfriend. Badu also collaborated with The Roots (who had previously handled production duties on a number of tracks on Baduizm) on their breakthrough 1999 release, Things Fall Apart. She was featured on the song You Got Me co-written by Jill Scott, which hit the top 40 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
After taking some time off to raise her child, Badu returned in 2000 with Mama's Gun, an album more organic in sound than her previous studio album, and primarily produced by the Soulquarians and noted bassist Pino Palladino. A remix of one of the album's songs, Bag Lady was issued as the first single and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. The album was well-received, with the lyrical content winning notices from many publications who found some of her lyrics hard to decipher on her initial releases. Despite not charting as high as her first two albums, Mama's Gun was another platinum-selling success, and Bag Lady was nominated for a Grammy.
By 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common, and Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) was released as a collaboration between the two on the Brown Sugar soundtrack. Love of My Life hit #9 on the pop charts, topped the R&B listings, and Badu was awarded her fourth Grammy for the song in 2003.
After the release of Mama's Gun and Love of My Life, Badu went through a period of writer's block. She hit the road throughout 2002 and much of 2003 on what she dubbed the "Frustrated Artist Tour," in search of inspiration to write and perform new material. The conclusion of the tour saw Badu head back to the studio with new material, and in September of 2003, the Worldwide Underground was released. More jam-oriented than any of her prior releases, Badu was quoted as saying that the release was designed to serve as one continuous groove. Worldwide Underground reached #3 on the Billboard charts and was certified gold not long after its release, and Badu received four further Grammy nominations for the EP.
After almost four years and the birth of a daughter, Puma, it was revealed in 2007 that Badu had three albums in the works over the course of 2007 and 2008. Honey, a new single produced by 9th Wonder, was leaked online in November 2007, and the new album, titled New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), was released on February 26, 2008.
On August 23, 2008, Badu joined the rock band My Morning Jacket on stage at their show in Dallas, Texas to perform her song Tyrone. Her surprise appearance was met with an enthusiastic reaction from the audience.
On February 1, 2009 Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba with her boyfriend Jay Electronica.
Her album New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) was released on March 30, 2010.
Bag Lady
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you
All you must hold onto, is you, is you, is you
One day all them bags gon' get in your way
One day all them bags gon' get in your way
I said one day all them bags gon' get in your way
Pack light, mm, pack light, pack light, oh ooh
Bag lady you gon' miss your bus
You can't hurry up, 'cause you got too much stuff
When they see you coming, niggas take off running
From you it's true, oh yes they do
One day he gon' say you crowding my space
One day he gon' say you crowding my space
I said one day he gon' say you crowding my space
One day he gon' say you crowding my space so, pack light
Pack light, mm, pack light, pack light, ooh ooh
Girl I know, sometimes it's hard and we can't let go
Oh when someone hurts you oh so bad inside
You can't deny it you can't stop crying
So oh, oh, oh, if you start breathin' babe
You won't believe it, it feels so much better, so much better baby
Bag lady, let it go let it go let it go let it go oh
Girl you don't need it
Bet ya love could make it better
Bet ya love can make it better
Bet ya love can make it better, need someone to love you right
Bet ya love can make it better
Bet ya love I bet ya love I bet ya
Bet ya love can make it better, baby baby
Bet ya love can make it better
Bet ya love can make it better, hey hey
Bet ya love can make it better,
I bet ya love I bet you love
Bet ya love can make it better
I bet ya love I bet you love, oh oh oh (Bet ya love can make it better)
Bet ya love can make it better (oh oh oh oh)
Bet ya love can make it better
Bag lady, let it go let it go let it go let it go oh
Yeah you don't need it
The song Bag Lady by Erykah Badu is a powerful message about the emotional baggage that people carry around with them throughout their lives. In this song, the Bag Lady is symbolic of a woman who has accumulated a great deal of emotional baggage from past relationships and is now carrying it all around with her. Badu's message is that in order to be truly free and happy, we need to let go of this baggage and move on with our lives.
The lyrics suggest that these bags are a burden that the Bag Lady has been carrying for far too long, to the point where they are interfering with her ability to live her life fully. The repetition of the phrase "one day all them bags gon' get in your way" emphasizes this point, suggesting that there will come a time when the baggage we carry will become a hindrance to our daily lives. The chorus emphasizes the need to "pack light," both literally and metaphorically, suggesting that we need to let go of the things that are weighing us down in order to move forward.
In the second verse, Badu suggests that this emotional baggage can also impact our relationships with others. People may be put off by the emotional weight that we carry, and it can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. The line "niggas take off running from you" highlights the idea that this baggage can even push potential partners away. The chorus once again emphasizes the need to "pack light" in order to avoid conflicts in our relationships.
The song ends with the message that love can help us to let go of our emotional baggage and move forward in our lives. "Bet ya love can make it better" suggests that when we open ourselves up to love, we can find the strength to let go of the things that are holding us back. The final refrain of "let it go" emphasizes this message and encourages listeners to embrace the freedom that comes with letting go of their emotional baggage.
Overall, Bag Lady is a powerful message about the importance of letting go of our emotional baggage in order to move forward in our lives and relationships. As the chorus says, "pack light" and let go of the things that are holding you back.
Line by Line Meaning
Bag lady you gone hurt your back
You are carrying too much emotional baggage that is affecting you physically
Dragging all them bags like that
You are holding on to past hurt and trauma, and it's dragging you down
I guess nobody ever told you
Perhaps you have never been told that you should focus on yourself
All you must hold onto, is you, is you, is you
The only thing you need to hold onto is yourself, your own worth and value
One day all them bags gon' get in your way
Someday, the emotional baggage you are carrying will prevent you from moving forward in life
So pack light, Pack light, mm, pack light, pack light, oh ooh
It's important to let go of the unnecessary emotional weight and focus on only what is truly important
Bag lady you gon' miss your bus
You might miss out on opportunities because you are carrying too much baggage
You can't hurry up, 'cause you got too much stuff
You might not be able to act quickly because you are weighed down by emotional baggage
When they see you coming, niggas take off running
People might avoid you because they can sense that you have too much emotional baggage
From you it's true, oh yes they do
It is true that people might avoid you because of the emotional baggage you carry
One day he gon' say you crowding my space
In a relationship, your emotional baggage might become too much for your partner to handle
Pack light, mm, pack light, pack light, ooh ooh
To avoid imposing on your partner or holding back your own growth, you must let go of unnecessary emotional baggage
Girl I know, sometimes it's hard and we can't let go
It can be difficult to let go of past hurt and trauma
Oh when someone hurts you oh so bad inside
Emotional pain can be very deep and hard to shake off
You can't deny it you can't stop crying
It can be hard to ignore or suppress the deep emotions that come with past hurt
So oh, oh, oh, if you start breathin' babe
If you start to prioritize your own well-being and let go of emotional baggage, you will feel better
You won't believe it, it feels so much better, so much better baby
Letting go of emotional baggage can be liberating and make a big difference in your life
Girl you don't need it
You do not benefit from holding on to past hurt or emotional baggage
Bet ya love could make it better
Love and healthy relationships can help heal emotional wounds
Need someone to love you right
You deserve to be loved in a healthy and positive way that helps you grow
Bet ya love can make it better
Love and positive relationships can help you overcome past hurt and move forward in a positive way
Bet ya love I bet ya love I bet ya
Love is a powerful force that can make a big difference
Hey hey
An expression of encouragement or motivation
I bet ya love can make it better
Again, love is emphasized as a powerful tool for healing and growth
Yeah you don't need it
Emotional baggage is not helpful or necessary in your life
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Isaac Hayes, Erica Wright, Shaun Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Caro L.Milo
i keep running this song in loops. You're the one who uploaded the best version, best photo, best title (i hate uploaders who mention the year; to me She's eternal haha) THANKS. PEACE.
John Harris
The BEST VERSION of Bag Lady
Marimar
nods will jamming along π
Marimar
Jamming along in my living room, surrounded by grocery bags from todayβs haul. Chuckled at the unrelated yet literal reference of my present surroundings. π
J
the GOAT of NEO SOUL!!!!!!
Vinicius Stifler
Brasil ama essa
Cherrelle
Thank you! I want to play this song for my class and I been searching for this version with this beat without the N-word π₯°π
Alpha Lax
Lmao
Lee China
π.
Candice Johnson
2020 still bumpin