On & on
Joey Bada$$ Lyrics


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My mind just booked a first class ticket to my destiny by the way
Yeah

Maybe I'mma fly away
Maybe I'mma fly away, some day

So gullible just like my first love
Stay humble, but I knew that I was first up
Picked up the pen and that's when I drew my first blood
Spit my heart again, cause the pain'll never end
Happiness is temporary, always has been
I just lost one, but sometimes I win
I always spread love, but sometimes I sin
I only trust some, that's why I keep a few friends
Funny cause I used to see my circle never end
Always kept like 47 friends in my circle of friends
All that's left now is the radiance
They still here, trying to find love on this atmosphere
Things get severe for everybody, everywhere
This is my moment of truth, right here
Swear I ain't scared of no man
I see the omens
I pick 'em up and keep it rollin'
The omnipresence is omnipotent
But I keep going, 'til it's all said and done
I show all my soul purpose but I'm pretty sure there's one
There's a reason why I've come, new season's just begun
This the death of a psychopomp but a birth of God's son

Don't mourn me when I'm gone, celebrate my travels
Whenever you need me, just take a plane to the astral zone
I'm headed home, I've been hurting too long
Time don't stand still, so you gotta move on

On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on
On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on, on and on

I had a dream I seen my name on the gravel stone
And read here lies a G followed by a poem
I couldn't see the words but I'm sure what's in his own
Funny that I write most when I know my feeling's wrong
With both shoulders that my head is always on
I trudge through harm's way with heavy boulders on my arm
I feel strong as I walk through the many storms that
Rain on my parade, seen the dust cry for days
I'm feeling like a young prince, I'm drinking today
My name ring bells all the way to heaven's gate
Though STEEZy told about me, yo I know he always watching
I guess there really is a heaven for us hip hoppers
I really miss my partner
But I know he with Big Poppa, 2 Pacs, and the big L rolled proper
And that's a big pun, know that I'mma join him
When my time come, but the story just begun, so

Don't mourn me when I'm gone, celebrate my travels
Whenever you need me, just take a plane to the astral zone
I'm headed home, I've been hurting too long
Time don't stand still, so you gotta move on

On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on
On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on, on and on

One day I'mma fly away
One day I'mma fly away (fly away, fly away)
One day you will fly away (fly away, fly away)
One day we will fly away (fly away, fly away)

My clouds grey, I hope my pain don't show
Looking in the sky I wonder where them rainbows go
They say that if we reign, them pot-of-gold's will show
Even skating down the block don't feel the same no more
If I ain't looking, I still see it all
My vision's jaded, too much bitches rubbed the crystal balls
They stay scheming, y'all like the sheep to the shepherd
The trees to the leaves, you needed but not needed
So I work alone, lone wolf, stay creeping
I'd rather hunt on my own then be owned and not eating
I'm not eatin', not blamin', I'm just sayin'
Go to bed with hunger pains while these other niggas caking, they too fake
No rappers rapping for years waiting 'round for that big break
Break a arm, break a bond before I go break the bank
Break a hundred, that's fifty-fifty
Long as rolling and Whitney's seen different cities, different titties
I bring no money with me, I'm on my grind man, no regrets when I die man
'Til we fly man, 'til we fly man, 'til we fly man
You gon' miss us when we fly man

Don't mourn me when I'm gone, celebrate my travels
Whenever you need me, just take a plane to the astral zone
I'm headed home, I've been hurting too long
Time don't stand still, so you gotta move on

On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on, on and on
On and on, on and on, on and on, on and on, on and on

One day I'mma fly away
One day I'mma fly away (fly away, fly away)




One day you will fly away (fly away, fly away)
One day we will fly away (fly away, fly away)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joey Bada$$'s "On & On" offer a meditation on the fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitability of change. The rapper reflects on his own journey as an artist, revealing how he found his calling in writing and the difficult sacrifices he's made to pursue his passion. Throughout the song, he seems to grapple with the realization that everything we hold dear in life will one day disappear, and that the only way to move forward is to keep pushing ahead, even when the future seems uncertain. In the end, his message is a hopeful one: that we must celebrate the good times while we have them, and that one day we will all fly away to our final destination.


In the verses that open the song, Joey describes his own artistic journey, starting with the realization that he was meant to write. He acknowledges that his path has not always been easy, and that he has struggled to reconcile his love of music with the pressures of the industry. However, he also recognizes that his art has given his life meaning, and that it has allowed him to connect with others in a profound way. In the chorus, he speaks to the idea of moving on, acknowledging that we must all accept the transience of life and find a way to stay positive in spite of it. Finally, in the second verse, Joey reflects on the importance of self-reliance and perseverance, arguing that the only way to achieve success is to stay true to oneself and keep pushing forward.


Overall, "On & On" is a powerful meditation on the journey of life and the importance of living in the moment. Through his lyrics, Joey Bada$$ reminds us that all things must come to an end, but that doesn't mean we should give up hope for the future. Instead, we should celebrate the good times while we have them and keep striving for our dreams, one day at a time.


Line by Line Meaning

My mind just booked a first class ticket to my destiny by the way
I am confident that I am on my way towards my destiny


Maybe I'mma fly away
I might leave this place one day to pursue my dreams


So gullible just like my first love
I used to be naive like when I first fell in love


Stay humble, but I knew that I was first up
I remain grounded but I knew I was the one who would make it first


Picked up the pen and that's when I drew my first blood
I started writing and that's when I released my first true emotions


Spit my heart again, cause the pain'll never end
I poured out my heart again, knowing that the pain would never go away


Happiness is temporary, always has been
I have come to accept that happiness is fleeting and doesn't last forever


I just lost one, but sometimes I win
I have recently experienced a loss, but I know that I will win sometimes


I always spread love, but sometimes I sin
Although I try to always spread love, I am not exempt from making mistakes


I only trust some, that's why I keep a few friends
I only trust a select few, which is why I only keep a small circle of friends


Funny cause I used to see my circle never end
It is ironic because I used to think my circle of friends would never end


All that's left now is the radiance
Only brightness and positive energy remain in my life now


They still here, trying to find love on this atmosphere
My friends are still here, trying to find love and happiness in this world


Things get severe for everybody, everywhere
Everyone experiences difficult times, no matter where they are from


This is my moment of truth, right here
This is the moment where I need to be honest with myself and face the truth


Swear I ain't scared of no man
I am not afraid of any person


I see the omens
I notice the signs that the universe is sending me


I pick 'em up and keep it rollin'
I pick myself up and keep moving forward


The omnipresence is omnipotent
The universe's presence is all-powerful


But I keep going, 'til it's all said and done
I will keep pushing forward until the end


I show all my soul purpose but I'm pretty sure there's one
I have shown all of my purpose, but I am certain that there is still one to be discovered


There's a reason why I've come, new season's just begun
I have a purpose for being here, and a new chapter of my life has just started


This the death of a psychopomp but a birth of God's son
I am transitioning from one phase of my life to another, like a dark to light transformation


Don't mourn me when I'm gone, celebrate my travels
Instead of mourning me when I die, celebrate the journey that I experienced in life


Whenever you need me, just take a plane to the astral zone
When you need me, go to a higher state of consciousness to find me


I'm headed home, I've been hurting too long
I am going back to my true home and ending my pain


Time don't stand still, so you gotta move on
Time moves forward, so you have to keep moving forward too


I had a dream I seen my name on the gravel stone
I had a dream where I saw my own gravestone


And read here lies a G followed by a poem
The gravestone read 'here lies a G,' followed by a poem or message


I couldn't see the words but I'm sure what's in his own
I couldn't see what the poem said, but I knew it was important


Funny that I write most when I know my feeling's wrong
It's ironic that I write the most when I am feeling down or upset


With both shoulders that my head is always on
I always carry the weight of the world on my shoulders


I trudge through harm's way with heavy boulders on my arm
I overcome obstacles even when it is difficult and heavy


I feel strong as I walk through the many storms that
I feel empowered as I walk through the many obstacles that come my way


Rain on my parade, seen the dust cry for days
Negative situations or people try to ruin my happiness, but I persevere through it all


I'm feeling like a young prince, I'm drinking today
I feel like I am on top of the world and enjoying myself


My name ring bells all the way to heaven's gate
My name is famous and well-known, even in heaven


Though STEEZy told about me, yo I know he always watching
My friend STEEZy talked about me to others, and I believe he is watching over me from the afterlife


I guess there really is a heaven for us hip hoppers
Maybe there really is a place in heaven for people in the hip hop community


I really miss my partner
I deeply miss my friend and partner


But I know he with Big Poppa, 2 Pacs, and the big L rolled proper
I believe my friend is in heaven with other legendary hip hop artists who have passed away


And that's a big pun, know that I'mma join him
I know that when it is my time, I will be with them too


When my time come, but the story just begun, so
Although my time will come, my story is not over yet


My clouds grey, I hope my pain don't show
I'm feeling down, but I hope that others don't see my pain


Looking in the sky I wonder where them rainbows go
I am contemplating the originality and joy that rainbows bring


They say that if we reign, them pot-of-gold's will show
People say that if we are successful, our rewards will appear


Even skating down the block don't feel the same no more
Even things that used to bring me joy don't feel the same anymore


If I ain't looking, I still see it all
Even if I am not actively looking, I am still aware of my surroundings


My vision's jaded, too much bitches rubbed the crystal balls
My perception is clouded, as too many people have tried to tell me what my future holds


They stay scheming, y'all like the sheep to the shepherd
People are always scheming and following others blindly


The trees to the leaves, you needed but not needed
People are like leaves on a tree, necessary but not always the most important part


So I work alone, lone wolf, stay creeping
I prefer to work alone and be independent


I'd rather hunt on my own then be owned and not eating
I'd rather take care of myself and be free, than be controlled by others and struggling to make ends meet


I'm not eatin', not blamin', I'm just sayin'
I'm not trying to blame anyone for my problems, I'm just stating the facts


Go to bed with hunger pains while these other niggas caking, they too fake
While others are successful but fake, I am going to bed hungry and struggling


No rappers rapping for years waiting 'round for that big break
Many rappers have been waiting for years for their big break, but it hasn't come


Break a arm, break a bond before I go break the bank
I am willing to sacrifice relationships or physical harm to avoid financial hardship


Break a hundred, that's fifty-fifty
I am willing to spend some money if it means having a 50% chance of succeeding


Long as rolling and Whitney's seen different cities, different titties
As long as I am able to experience different things and meet new people, I am happy


I bring no money with me, I'm on my grind man, no regrets when I die man
I am focused on my career and achieving my goals, and I won't regret how I lived when I die


'Til we fly man, 'til we fly man, 'til we fly man
We will keep working hard and pushing forward until we achieve our dreams


You gon' miss us when we fly man
People will realize what they lost when we reach our goals and leave them behind




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Diamond Lewis, Freddie Joachim, Guy Wood, Jo-Vaughn Virginie, Michael Stafford, Robert Mellin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Munkiification1

"I really miss my partner, but I know he with Big Poppa, 2pacs, and the Big L rolled proper, and that's a Big Pun"

Remember hearing this when it first come out. Still one of the hardest bars

@jacknapier6668

When b4.da.$$ dropped shit was so hard. Those tracks by Preemo. Whole album bar 1 tune on repeat.

Joey is mad underated. Bad Summer Knights, 1999 and b4.da.$$ are serious tapes hip hop and musically wise.

@bigarj2

FACTS! That’s an instant classic bar.

@Munkiification1

@@jacknapier6668 100% Preemo doesn't miss. Not to mention getting a production by the late and great MF Doom on his album 1999. Quality. Summer Knights was a whole sleeper mixtape. And what put me on to Joey.

EDIT: Must admit I haven't heard an album after B4.DA.$$.

@jacktoledo8786

This line had me bamboozled. One of my favorite bars in all of hip hop

@douubleu6669

“Funny cause im used to see my circle never end always kept like 47 friends in my circumference”

This is next level lyricism

@nemo2327

Circle-friends, cir-cum-ference

@yoboidraymond8177

I deadass started crying when he said "I really miss my partner" RIP STEEZ

@Flyyuhh

Yo boi Draymond now imagine how Joey felt

@lukamagicc

BUT I KNOW HE WITH BIG POPPA. Best part of the song

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