The Real Meaning of "Bag Lady" by Erykah Badu

"Bag Lady"

Bag lady you gone hurt your back
Dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you
All you must hold on to
Is you, is you, is you

One day all them bags gone get in your way
One day all them bags gone get in your way
I said one day all them bags gone get in your way
One Day all them bags gone get in your way

So pack light
Pack light
Pack light
Ooh ooh

Bag lady you gone miss your bus
You can't hurry up
Cause you got too much stuff
When they see you comin
Niggas take off runnin
From you it's true oh yes they do

One day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space
I said one day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space

So pack light
Pack light
Pack light
Ooh ooh

Girl I know sometimes it's hard
And we can't let go
Oh when someone hurts you oh so bad inside
You can't deny it you can't stop crying
So oh, oh, oh
If you start breathin
Then you won't believe it
You'll feel so much better
(So much better baby)

Bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Ooh, ooh
Girl you don't need it
I betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(Need someone to love you right)
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, betcha love)
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, betcha love)
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, I betcha love, oh)
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(Oh...)
Betcha love can make it better...

Bag lady, hmm
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Girl you don't need that, hmm



Although I believe most, or at least a lot of , forms of art are not made to be take literally, a lot of people forget that there is meaning behind the lyrics, the paint, the dance, etc and it may not be so obvious.

In the case of this song, Bag Lady, for example, if you asked someone at first listen what this song is about they may have not even considered it has a deep meaning beyond homelessness....

A few meanings I found on the web for this song:

This song means that you shouldn't live in the past because you will only be hurting yourself more and more in the end.

I think this is about shedding our material desires.

this songs about letting go of the things that arent important and holding on to your piece of mind.

So, where my garbage bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
What about the grocery bag lady
Betcha love can make it better
I'm talkin' to my Gucci bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
What about my paper sack lady
Betcha love can make it better
What about my nickle bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go

^thats just sayin people of all classes should relate to this song. let go of the things that hold you down and move on with life. "all you must hold on to is you"

The song is, basically, saying to forget all of the things from the past and look to the future!!! Like it said: "bag lady, you gone miss your bus; you cant hurry up cause you got too much stuff"

It's saying that if you carry on thinking about the past, you can never move forward to have a better future; hence, she misses the bus, she's missing a good future!!! People, keep this in mind. It's a good message that people should take in and think about.

Ms. Badu tells us that in order to be free to have positive things in our lives, we must rid ourselves of the negative.

she's telling women to let go of their baggage. i took it to be specifically baggage from relationships/men/etc... because of the "one day he gon say you crowdin my space" line. She repeats it 4 times, so it seems like a pretty important part of her message. She's saying if your hurt, admit it, think about it, solve it, cry it out, move on. Allow yourself to drop the anger/sadness/resentment/neediness/insecurities/distrust/cynicism that your broken heart is full of because it will weight you down and cause you to miss out on happiness.
looooooooooooove this song. because it truly speaks to ALL women. (gucci bags, garbage bags, nickle bags, baby bags....)


Never heard the song that way?

What does it say to you? What do you think it means?