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 André 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.
Gone Baby
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du du du du du
As the the winds blows in passing
Baby I could fall in love with you
Where you go, where you go
Baby, what you do
So gone baby gone, baby don't be long
Gone baby gone, baby don't be long
Where you going why don't you stop
Baby what's the rush
You got me feeling like a girl with the fiendish crush
When you go, when you go boy I miss you much
But I know you gotta get your hustle on
So gone baby gone, baby don't be long
Gone baby gone, baby don't be long
I know you gotta get your hustle on
So gone baby gone, baby don't be long
Gone baby gone, baby don't be long
I know you gotta get your hustle on
I can't wait to see what you do
It's not too much to follow you through
I can't wait to see what you be
Go be here cause I believe
So don't go baby
There is only one thing I'm still asking
Why I feel you masking
If it's love that you feel that is really real
And I know you gotta get your hustle on
You laugh when you ask baby what's the rush
When we touch I wanna know is it love or lust
Cause I feel like a girl with the fiendish crush
And I know you gotta get your hustle on
So gone baby gone, baby don't be long
Gone baby gone, baby don't be long
I can't wait to see how you move
I like to o watch you do what you do
I can't wait to see what you be
Go be here cause I believe
So don't go, baby
Gone baby gone baby don't be long
So, gone baby gone baby, don't be long
Gone baby, don't be long
Don't be long
The lyrics to Erykah Badu's song "Gone Baby Don't Be Long" speaks to a lover who is leaving to pursue their dreams but the singer is hesitant to let them go. The singer acknowledges that their partner has to "get their hustle on" but pleads with them not to be gone for too long. As the winds blow in passing, the singer expresses their feelings of potentially falling in love with their partner as they leave. The singer seems to be conflicted between wanting to be supportive and wanting their partner to stay with them.
The chorus of "Gone Baby Don't Be Long" serves as a mantra of sorts, reminding the partner not to stay away for too long. The singer acknowledges that they can't wait to see what their partner becomes and urges them to go after their dreams, but at the same time, they don't want to be left alone for too long.
Throughout the song, the singer's emotions are raw and they express their feelings of uncertainty and longing. The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship in which both partners are trying to navigate the balance between their dreams and their love for each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh
The intro of the song
Du du du du du
The continuation of the intro
As the the winds blows in passing
I am aware that you may have to leave just like the wind that passes by
Baby I could fall in love with you
I have strong emotions towards you that can lead to love
Where you go, where you go
Wherever you may go
Baby, what you do
What would be your actions?
You know you gotta get your hustle on
You have goals and have to work hard to achieve them
So gone baby gone, baby don't be long
You may leave, but don't stay away too long
Where you going why don't you stop
Please, stop for a moment before leaving
Baby what's the rush
Why are you in such a hurry?
You got me feeling like a girl with the fiendish crush
I have intense feelings for you that are difficult to contain
When you go, when you go boy I miss you much
I miss you so much when you leave
But I know you gotta get your hustle on
I understand your need to work hard to achieve your goals
I know you gotta get your hustle on
I understand your need to work hard to achieve your goals
I can't wait to see what you do
I am excited to see what you will achieve
It's not too much to follow you through
I will be there as your support system
Go be here cause I believe
I have faith in your abilities
So don't go baby
I want you to stay
There is only one thing I'm still asking
I have a question for you
Why I feel you masking
Why do I feel like you're hiding something?
If it's love that you feel that is really real
If your feelings for me are authentic and it's love
And I know you gotta get your hustle on
I understand your need to work hard to achieve your goals
You laugh when you ask baby what's the rush
You find my concern amusing
When we touch I wanna know is it love or lust
When we are intimate, I want to know if it's genuine love or just physical attraction
I can't wait to see how you move
I am excited to see your progress
I like to o watch you do what you do
I enjoy watching you do what you do best
Don't be long
Please don't stay away too long
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Erica Wright, Paul James Mccartney, Shafiq Husayn, Paul Mccartney, Terrell Mcmathis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind