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.
Stay
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you let me go
I'll make it somehow
I got to let you know
That I'll make it
Somehow, some way
Though I wait on the day
What I'm doing's got to pay
My baby, when he cries
It's 'cause something's on his mind
This world is full of lies
You and me are one of a kind
The good lord will stand behind every step
We are blind to fate, that's life, that's life
Stay, stay, stay, stay (Won't you please)
Stay, stay, stay, stay
It fits, but you can't make it work
Where there's pain, there's got to be hurt
And the green grass grows from the dirt
Yeah, that's a fact of life alright
The good lord stands behind every step
We are blind to fate, that's life, that's life
Stay, oh won't you please
Stay, stay (Won't you)
Stay, stay, stay, stay
Stay, stay, stay, stay
Stay, stay (Right here)
Stay, stay (Don't you go, no no)
Stay, stay (Oh no no)
Stay, stay (Stay baby baby please stay)
Stay, stay (Right here, right here, right here)
Stay, stay (I want you to stay right here)
Stay, stay (We can stay here, together, together yeah)
Stay, stay (Don't listen to what people say)
Stay, stay (Stay, stay, listen now yeah)
Stay, stay (Stay, yeah yeah now)
The song "Stay" by Erykah Badu is a plea for emotional connection and commitment. The lyrics encourage the listener to stay with the singer, urging them not to leave and letting them know that things will work out somehow. The singer acknowledges that there will be pain and hurt, but reminds the listener that growth and beauty can come from those struggles. As they face the challenges of life, the singer implores the listener to stay with them, believing that their love is unique and that the good lord is watching over them.
Throughout the song, there are recurring themes of faith, trust, and perseverance. The singer believes that they can overcome any obstacles as long as they have the support of the listener. They also suggest that they are both on a similar journey, as they face the ups and downs of life together. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they could be seen as a conversation between two people in a romantic relationship, or as an appeal to a friend or family member to stay by the singer's side.
Overall, "Stay" is a heartfelt and soulful song that showcases Erykah Badu's unique voice and musical style. The lyrics explore themes of love, loyalty, and spirituality, inviting the listener to share in the singer's journey through life.
Line by Line Meaning
Please stay with me now
I am begging you to not leave me alone in this moment
Don't you let me go
I need you to stick around and be with me
I'll make it somehow
I don't know how, but I will find a way to overcome this situation
I got to let you know
I need to express my feelings to you
That I'll make it
I am confident in my ability to succeed
Somehow, some way
Even if I don't know how, I will still find a way
Though I wait on the day
I am waiting for an opportunity to prove myself
What I'm doing's got to pay
I am working hard and expect to be rewarded for my efforts
Someway, somehow
I know that I will eventually succeed
My baby, when he cries
My partner expresses his emotions when something is bothering him
It's 'cause something's on his mind
He is troubled by something and needs to talk about it
This world is full of lies
The world is filled with deceit and people who are not truthful
You and me are one of a kind
We are unique and special in our own way
The good lord will stand behind every step
I have faith that God will support me and guide me through my journey
We are blind to fate, that's life, that's life
We do not know our destiny and must accept life's unpredictable nature
Stay, stay, stay, stay (Won't you please)
I am desperately asking for you to stay with me
It fits, but you can't make it work
Even though everything seems to make sense, it still may not work out
Where there's pain, there's got to be hurt
Suffering is part of the human experience
And the green grass grows from the dirt
Something good can come from a difficult and unpleasant situation
Yeah, that's a fact of life alright
This is just how life is, and we have to accept it
Stay, oh won't you please
I am making a heartfelt plea for you to stay
Stay, stay (Won't you)
I am asking again for you to stay with me
Stay, stay, stay, stay
I am repeating my request for you to stay by my side
Stay, stay (Right here)
I want you to stay in this moment with me
Stay, stay (Don't you go, no no)
I am urging you to not leave me alone
Stay, stay (Oh no no)
I am worried about the prospect of being alone
Stay, stay (Stay baby baby please stay)
I am using affectionate language to implore you to stay
Stay, stay (Right here, right here, right here)
I want you to stay in this place with me
Stay, stay (I want you to stay right here)
I am emphatically asking you to remain here with me
Stay, stay (We can stay here, together, together yeah)
I am suggesting that we stay together in this moment
Stay, stay (Don't listen to what people say)
I am encouraging my partner to ignore others and stay with me
Stay, stay (Stay, stay, listen now yeah)
I am repeating my request for my partner to stay and pay attention to me
Stay, stay (Stay, yeah yeah now)
I am reiterating my desire for my partner to stay with me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAKA KHAN, MOON CALHOUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind