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.
On And On
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feelin' high
My money's gone
I'm all alone
Too much to see, the world keeps turnin'
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in God
But they fear us just the same
Oh On and On and on &on
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
Woo on and on and on and on
All night till the break of dawn
I go on and on and on and on
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
Oh on and on and on and on
Goddammit I'm a sing my song
I was born under water with three dollars and six dimes
Yeah, you may laugh cause you did not do your math
Like one, two, three
Damn, y'all feel that
Like one, two, three
The world keeps turnin'
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
The man that knows somethin' knows that he knows nothin' at all
Does it seem colder in your summer time and hotter in your fall
If we were made in his image then call us by our names.
Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same
Oh on and on and on and on
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
On and on and On and& on
All night till the vultures swarm
I go on and on and on and on
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
Oh on and on and on and on
Mad props to the God Ja Born
I'm feelin' kind of hungry cause my high is comin' down
Don't feed me yours cause food does not endure
I think I need a cup of tea The world keeps burnin'
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
You rush into destruction cause you don't have nothin' left
The mothership can't save you so your ass is gone get left
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same
Oh on and on and on and on
My cipher keeps moving like a rollin' stone
Oh on and on and on and on
You cannot fuck wit me, so just leave me alone
Oh on and on and on and on
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
Oh on and on and on and on
And On and on
The lyrics of Erykah Badu’s song On and On explore deep themes of peace, blessings, knowledge, God, and intellect. In the first verse, the artist expresses feelings of being high, alone, and broke, but still aware of the world’s constant movement. This is followed by a powerful thought on how peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned, equating knowledge as wealth that deserves to be earned. Additionally, the song insinuates the well-known concept that those who possess intellect and power do not necessarily believe in God but still fear the force of the divine.
As the verse moves on, the repetition of ‘On and On’ suggests that day to day, we keep moving forward no matter what life throws our way. The artist speaks of their personal journey of being born in water with little money, yet striving forward like a “rolling stone.” The second verse has a more serious tone, highlighting the idea that those who claim they know something, in fact, know nothing at all. Furthermore, the song plays with the paradox that summer is colder, and fall is hotter, urging that we should all be called by our names if made in God’s image.
The third and final verse speaks of hunger and the concept that food does not endure. The artist suggests that rushing into destruction because one has nothing left is pointless, and questioning the belief of intellects and their fear of God. The song rounds off with the artist reiterating that their cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone and calling on listeners to respect their distinct power.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my,my,my
Expressing surprise or admiration.
I'm feelin' high
Feeling euphoric or intoxicated.
My money's gone
Having spent all one's money.
I'm all alone
Being lonely or isolated.
Too much to see, the world keeps turnin'
Feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of the world and its constant change.
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
Expressing exasperation or disbelief about the events of the day.
Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned
Finding inner peace and joy through the process of learning and personal growth.
If your knowledge were your wealth then it would be well earned
Suggesting the value and importance of knowledge and education over material wealth.
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Asserting one's identity and individuality as a creation of a higher power or divine being.
Most intellects do not believe in God
But they fear us just the same
Reflecting on the fear and mistrust that some people hold for those who believe in a higher power or religion, despite their own lack of belief.
My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone
Asserting one's ongoing, fluid existence and evolution in the world.
Woo on and on and on and on
All night till the break of dawn
Describing a never-ending cycle of movement, energy, and activity throughout the night.
Goddammit I'm a sing my song
Asserting one's right to express oneself and be heard.
I was born under water with three dollars and six dimes
Yeah, you may laugh cause you did not do your math
Like one, two, three
Damn, y'all feel that
The world keeps turnin'
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
Reflecting on one's humble beginnings and recognizing the challenges and uncertainties of the world.
The man that knows somethin' knows that he knows nothin' at all
Does it seem colder in your summer time and hotter in your fall
If we were made in his image then call us by our names.
Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same
Acknowledging the limits of human knowledge and understanding, and the paradox of the world's unpredictable nature compared to one's own identity and relationship to a higher power.
On and on and On and& on
All night till the vultures swarm
Continuing to move and engage in activities despite potential dangers or obstacles.
Mad props to the God Ja Born
Showing respect and appreciation to a higher power or divine being.
I'm feelin' kind of hungry cause my high is comin' down
Don't feed me yours cause food does not endure
I think I need a cup of tea The world keeps burnin'
Oh what a day, what a day, what a day
Feeling the effects of one's euphoria wearing off, and recognizing the limitations of temporary pleasures in the face of ongoing challenges and difficulties in the world.
You rush into destruction cause you don't have nothin' left
The mothership can't save you so your ass is gone get left
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same
Reflecting on the consequences of recklessness and lack of resources or support, and the struggle to maintain one's identity and beliefs in a world that often opposes them.
You cannot fuck wit me, so just leave me alone
Asserting one's strength, independence, and unwillingness to be intimidated or controlled by others.
And On and on
Continuing to persevere in the face of challenges and obstacles.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GREG KURSTIN, SHAZNAY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind