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 Andrรฉ 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.
Didn
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
Think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh, hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
Think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Tried to move but I lost my way
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Knew the toll but I would not pay
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
'Cause you never know where the cards may lay
Time to save the world
Where in the world is all the time?
So many things I still don't know
So many times I've changed my mind
Guess I was born to make mistakes
But I ain't scared to take the weight
So when I stumble off the path
I know my heart will guide me back, yeah
Ooh, hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
Think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh, hey, ooh
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
Think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Tried to run but I lost my way
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Through the toll but I would not pay
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
I said you never know how the cards may lay
Love is life, and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
Love is life, and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
Love is life, and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
In "Didn't Cha Know," Erykah Badu sings about the trials and tribulations of life, and the decisions we make that lead us to where we are today. The song expresses her frustration with trying to make the right choices and not always succeeding, as well as the importance of following your heart and finding your own path. In the beginning of the song, she recognizes that she made a mistake somewhere, and is now trying to find her way back to where she needs to be. The chorus repeats the phrase "Didn't cha know," emphasizing the idea that we often ignore our intuition and make bad decisions, when on some level we already knew what the right choice was.
The second verse focuses on the idea of time, and the constant changes we experience throughout life. Badu sings about the many things she still doesn't know, and how many times she's changed her mind, emphasizing the growth and evolution we all go through on our journey. While acknowledging that she's made mistakes in the past, she is not afraid to take responsibility and learn from them. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that we cannot always predict the outcome of our choices, but we must be willing to take risks and be open to all possibilities.
Overall, "Didn't Cha Know" is a song about accepting the uncertainty of life and the ever-changing nature of our experiences. It encourages listeners to follow their hearts, even if it means taking a few wrong turns along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, hey
The artist is starting to express her thoughts.
I'm trying to decide
The artist is unsure of the path she should take.
Which way to go
The artist is trying to determine the right direction to follow in life.
Think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
The artist suspects that she might have made a mistake in the past.
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
The artist is questioning why others did not inform her of these things.
Tried to move but I lost my way
The artist tried to make progress, but she got lost or lost sight of her goals.
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
The artist paused to contemplate her emotions and their influence on her decisions.
Knew the toll but I would not pay
The artist was aware of the consequences of her actions, but she refused to acknowledge them.
'Cause you never know where the cards may lay
Life is unpredictable, and one must be prepared for both good and bad outcomes.
Time to save the world
It is time for people to band together to help others and make the world a better place.
Where in the world is all the time?
The artist wonders why there never seems to be enough time to accomplish everything she wants.
So many things I still don't know
The artist acknowledges that there are things in the world she has yet to understand or learn.
So many times I've changed my mind
The artist has gone through many different opinions and perspectives over time.
Guess I was born to make mistakes
The artist feels that making mistakes is an essential part of the human experience.
But I ain't scared to take the weight
The artist is not afraid to accept the responsibility and consequences of her actions.
So when I stumble off the path
The artist recognizes that she may make mistakes and stray from her goals.
I know my heart will guide me back, yeah
The artist trusts that her internal compass will help her regain her focus and get back on track.
Tried to run but I lost my way
The artist attempted to escape her problems or make progress, but she got sidetracked.
Through the toll but I would not pay
The artist was unwilling to accept the trade-offs inherent in her decisions.
Love is life, and life is free
Love is one of the most critical and enthralling aspects of human existence, and life is full of opportunities and potential.
Take a ride of life with me
The artist invites others to experience life with her.
Free your mind and find your way
The artist encourages others to release their inhibitions and search for their path in life.
There will be a brighter day
Despite life's difficulties, there is always hope for a more promising future.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Erica Wright, James Dewitt Yancey, Philip Eugene Clendeninn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Ari15381
Oh-oh-oh-oh hey, yeah
Ooh-oh
Ahh-ah
Uhh-uh
Ayy-ay
Ooh, hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh, hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Tried to move, but I lost my way
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Knew the toll, but I would not pay
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
That you never know where the cards may lay
Time to save the world
Where in the world is all the time?
So many things I still don't know
So many times I've changed my mind
Guess I was born to make mistakes
But I ain't scared to take the weight
So when I stumble off the path
I know my heart will guide me back
Ooh, hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh, hey, uh-ooh
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Tried to run, but I lost my way
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
Knew the toll, but I would not pay
Didn't cha' know, didn't cha' know
I said ya never know how the cards may lay
Love is life and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
Love is life and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
Love is life and life is free
Take a ride of life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
@7102cc
Olivia Moten It says-
Time to save the world
Where in the world is all the time
So many things I still don't know
So many times I've changed my mind
Guess I was born to make mistakes
But I ain't scared to take the weight
So when I stumble off the path
I know my heart will guide me back
@nikibronson133
Sza, HER, Jhene, Summer, Ella, Kali and all the others like them. They owe everything to this woman
@royalscholars
Donโt forget ari lennox!
@daniellesmith5673
They cant touch her im sorry
@earnestfranks6304
Ji
@michelle-oy4ho
@@royalscholars yesss! ari is like erykahโs child!
@meldsteph
Who does erika owe everything too?
@lifkee
Paul George Anthem right there
@johnnywayneadaptar9530
yes sir
@tp-nm6qk
My goat bro plays like he has AirPods in
@allisondriscoll3280
Fax