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Top 20 best songs performed by Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu's thoughtful and compelling songs prove why the performer has been called the first lady of neo-soul.

List of the best Erykah Badu songs: Video, Audio, Description

In this selection, we've compiled 20 best songs performed by Erykah Badu at different points in time, from her emergence as an outspoken neo-soul queen to her more recent politically charged songs at the forefront of contemporary R&B. Erykah Badu's multi-coloured and sometimes controversial career has always been fascinating. Combining jazz, soul, funk and hip-hop in equal measure, we've compiled 20 of Erykah Badu's best songs, revealing the depth of her talent.

20: Hello

The highlight of Badu's 2015 mixtape "But You Caint Use My Phone" was a brilliant reworking of the Todd Rundgren/Isley Brothers hit in collaboration with André 3000. The duo were particularly popular in the 90s. The track ends with their voices singing in perfect harmony, which is a testimony the strength of their family bond.

19: Other Side Of The Game

The third single from her debut album 'Baduizm' tells the story of a woman who faces the moral dilemmas of supporting a romantic partner involved in criminal activity. Its subtle, unhurried blend of jazz and R&B, driven with its deepest bass groove, epitomised the childlike sound that made "Baduizm" one of the breakthrough R&B hits of the '90s.

18: Window Seat

Sensual mid-tempo groomer, the lead single "New Amerykah Part Two (Return Of The Ankh)" made famous by spectacular video clip. In the clip, Badu walks through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, slowly removing her clothes before being shot by an unseen sniper - an allusion to the assassination of President Kennedy at the same location.

17: Telephone

Written the day after Erica learned of J. Dilla's passing, "Telephone" is a heartfelt and touching a tribute to her former employee who tragically died young from a rare blood disorder. The song was inspired by a conversation that took place with the producer's mother.

16: Back In The Day

Released in 2003, the track, as a supposed part of the Worldwide Underground record, which was bigger than most artists' full-length albums, is notable for its impeccable production values executed Analogue grooves showcased by the deep bass lines, dreamy keyboards and exquisitely funky guitars of this single, a nostalgic ode to youth.

15: Time's A Wastin'

A highlight of her second album, Mama's Gun, the single "Time's A Wastin'" combines features quirky bass lines with keyboard inserts, which emphasises Bud's cautionary tale to a young black man. The track ends with a delightful allusion to Johnny Hammond's racy song "Can't We Smile".

14: Soldier

In the first part of the record, "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)," you can see that Badu is strongly deviated from her previous work both stylistically and thematically. Her modern hip-hop sound, presented here in the form of an ethereal flute sample complemented by producer Karrim Riggins' edgy minimalist beats, underpinned the singer's incisive reflections on racial inequality and black oppression.

13: Fall In Love (Your Funeral)

Another masterpiece by Karrim Riggins, "Fall In Love" epitomises the warm rhythms that Badu uses on his next album "New Amerykah Part One", "Return Of The Ankh". A juicy blend of R&B and hip hop rhythms.

12: Tyrone (live version)

Encouraged huge the success of her debut album, Badu released a live album - a bold move for someone just starting out in her career. Near the end of her set, released as "Live" in 1997, she tests out the recently written "Tyrone," a caustic response to a curmudgeonly partner.

11: Me

Many of Erykah Badu's best tracks are kind of a practical tips on how to live life at a good pace. Few things are more creative than this work by Sa-Ra Creative Partners producer Shafiq Hussain. Over gorgeous shuffling beats, tense basslines and delicate arrangements, Erica delivers a powerful ode to self-love.

10: Didn't Cha Know

The second single from "Mama's Gun" was created after J Dilla's fateful visit to Detroit in 1998. It bases on a sample from "Dreamflower," a 1977 song by jazz-funk ensemble Tarika Blue, a track she discovered while browsing the producer's giant collection.

9: Gone Baby, Don't Be Long

The third part of a trilogy of songs told from the point of view of a woman in love with a misguided rogue, Badu followed for "Otherside Of The Game" and "Danger" from Worldwide Underground, with a rather sensual denouement. Another brilliant example of her penchant for long grooves. The track gets its soulful reggae sound from the 1979 Wings album track "Arrow Through Me".

8: On & On

Erykah Badu's debut single had a huge impact. impact on the singer's development. Hitting the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, it earned her a Grammy Award, brought the nascent neo-soul movement to a wider audience and made the singer one of music's brightest new stars. His playful fusion of classic jazz and hip-hop still sounds fresh.

7: AD 2000.

The track is dedicated tragic The death of Amadou Diallo, who was shot and killed by NYPD officers in 1999. Created by the stunningly beautiful instrumental arrangement With a Stevie Wonder-esque vibe and the lyrical and vocal parts of soul legend Betty Wright, this is Badu's most heartfelt track yet. Once again, the track has political overtones and acts as a protest.

6: Master Teacher Medley

Badu's duet with Georgia Anne Muldrow allowed set up one of the record's lead tracks, "New Amerykah Part One," had a lasting lyrical impact, introducing the concept of Stay Woke - a call for the black diaspora to remember their origins, and an appeal to the world that they are are forcibly displaced persons.

5: Next Lifetime

This sensual ballad, is one of the best A neo-soul single that comes from a woman with conflicting romantic thoughts. Already attached but with feelings for someone else, this is a bittersweet story with a poetic metaphysical bent:

Well I guess I'll see you next lifetime/Maybe we'll be butterflies.

Which translates to:

Well, I guess I'll see you in the next life / Maybe we'll be butterflies.

4: Honey

As is typical, for playful and a kind of Badu, effectively hiding one of his most effervescent and accessible dancefloor bombs. Appearing at the end of the first instalment of "New Amerykah", the single "Honey" is not mentioned in the list, "Honey" starts off with a reworked RAMP song "The American Promise" before morphing into a life-affirming, heavy P-funk composition.

3: I Want You

The epic ten-minute song was an integral part of the Worldwide Underground record, the sensual A Marvin Gaye-style ode to lust and longing. James Poyser's keyboard rhythms masterfully mimic the rapid heartbeat of lovers.

2: Green Eyes

Badou's break-up with André 3000. inspired the artist to create the ten-minute track that concludes her album Mama's Gun. Taking the form of a three-part suite, "Green Eyes" moves from playful ragtime to smoky jazz and warm soul with brass instruments to reflect the many moods of a crumbling relationship. Badu performs one of his most moving and revealing songs.

1: The Healer

Created by producer Madlib's brilliantly processed sample of Kono Samuarai of The Yamasuki Singers, "The Healer" is an ode to the unifying the power of hip-hop. Badu's lyrics were explained to The New York Post:

There are so many ways to worship, no matter what religion you belong to. And for me, hip-hop is felt in all religions - it has a healing power. I've been to Palestine, Jerusalem, Africa recently... and everyone is listening to hip-hop. There's something about that snare drum sound that people find meaning in.

 

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