old poem of mine that I think fits:
You have finally faced the music
Cut through the overproduction,
Pushed through the synthesized keys and unlocked your destiny
Swam against the tide of superfluous watered down beats
Escaped the trap of snares…
Came up and breathed in the pure air of lyrics.
Unearthed what lies beneath and between the lines.
Found the treasures of knowledge in each syllable…..
I am trying to get back into the rhythm of writing in general. I think every week I will do some sort of music post about musicians that I see as poets, sometimes more, not putting myself on any sort of schedule, but I just want to expand myself creatively. Enjoy…
sang it girl!
Everyone who knows or semi-knows me, knows that I am a ridiculous, hardcore Erykah Badu fan. The funny thing is I don’t think she is the best vocalist and honestly sometimes I don’t know what the hell she is talking about. However, I love her because you can tell everything that comes out of her mouth is true emotion… she means it.
Then there are those artists who step on stage and Badu-ize the crowd. Those are the ones who come to the stage wearing what they wore all day with bags under their eyes, but by the time they leave the stage they leave your soul overfilled and salivating for more, leaving your inspiration gluttonous. Those that deliver any art form from the inside out, instead of the other way around are the best in my book.
Here are 3 of my favorite Erykah Badu performances where she really exhibits that soul-filled performance that makes me love her:
“Ye Yo”
I think this is my favorite Erykah Badu song ever. Though it does not have many lyrics, the ones it does have are so powerful. This song talks about the connection of mother and child. My favorite lyric being:
“Well see the suns in the east and the moon reflects
Like the knowledge and wisdom I manifest
If you wanna go to heaven lay upon my breast”
Beautiful. (The song makes me sad though because my relationship with my mom right now isn’t great… sigh…)
“Green Eyes”
Another favorite of mine is “Green Eyes”, from the Mama’s Gun CD. Not for the catchy intro of the song, but for the pure, raw emotion of the 2nd and 3rd part. I always view this song as 3 songs, the first part playfully poking fun at oneself for what seems to be just innocent jealousy. However, the next part of the song takes a journey into the deep feelings of jealousy, resentment and insecurity. I think often many people forget about the layers in Badu’s songs. She can take the most playful or seemingly benign concept and show the anatomy of it, not only through the lyrics but through the inflection and tones in her voice. This is definitely a song that displays that.
“I Want You”
Another Badu favorite of mine is “I Want You” from Worldwide Underground. Once again, this is a relatively simple song, but it expresses the depth of love/attraction she feels for her mate, one of my favorite lines is
“got a good book and got all in it
tried a little yoga for a minute
but it won’t let go”
I definitely know that feeling, where you are so enamored with someone (or thing) that you can’t concentrate on anything because the thoughts are so consuming. I know you’ve been there before!
These are just a few of my favorites….. What are your Erykah Badu faves?