"Bag Lady" is the first single from singer Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...

's 2000 album Mama's Gun

Mama's Gun

Mama's Gun is the second studio album by American recording artist Erykah Badu, released November 21, 2000, on Motown Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1999 to 2000 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City...

. The song is about a woman trying to begin anew in a relationship, but who has too much emotional "baggage" and can't get close to people. The message of the song is to "pack light" and have hope for the future. The song was a success on the charts, entering the Billboard Top Ten and peaking at number six; it topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...

 Charts for seven weeks. The song featured a music video

Music video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 shot on Mini DV digital video

Digital video

Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...

 — an unusual choice for a mainstream music video production, which gave it an appearance comparable to a home movie

Home movies

A home movie is part of the motion picture filmmaking process made by amateurs, often for viewing by family and friends. When the hobby began, home movies were produced on photographic film, but accessibility of video production with video cameras and low cost data storage devices has made the...

. The remixed version samples the song "Xxplosive" from Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre

Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

's 1999 album 2001.

To date, this is the last single released by Motown Records to reach number-one on the R&B chart under the original banner of the label before merging with Universal.

Lyrics

The song is about a woman carrying "baggage" in a relationship. It uses the metaphor of a "bag lady" walking down the street. In the end of the song she tells these women to "let it go":

What about the garbage bag lady?

Let it go let it go let it go let it go...

Radio Version

The radio version of this single (also known as the Cheeba Sac Mix) samples the instrumental Xxplosive by Dr. Dre's album 2001. This version was also used in the video. The original version (5:49) was featured on the album, and was a major disappointment to several fans considering they wanted the radio version on the album because that was the one they were used to. Badu stated in the CD cover "Brothers & Sisters there was simply not enough room on this CD for "cheeba sac mix". check the website. e.badu". This has caused fans to give low ratings towards the album.

CD single tracklist

1. Bag Lady (Cheeba Sac Radio Edit) (4:04)
2. Bag Lady (Main Radio Edit) (4:06)
3. Bag Lady (Cheeba Sac Instrumental) (4:57)
4. On & On (Live) (5:25)
5. Bag Lady (Remix Radio Edit) (20:14)

12" single tracklist

1. Bag Lady (Cheeba Sac Main) (5:09)
2. Bag Lady (Cheeba Sac Radio) (4:04)
3. Bag Lady (Main Radio Edit) (4:06)
4. Bag Lady (Cheeba Instrumental) (4:57)
5. Bag Lady (Main Instrumental) (5:50)
6. Bag Lady (Main Acapella) (5:40)

Release history

Country	Release date	Format
United States		Compact disc
Worldwide

Charts

Chart (2000)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	1