On & On

On & On is the debut single by Erykah Badu. It was first released in December 1996 and served as her debut single and lead single to her first album, Baduizm. The track is the 2nd song on the tracklisting of the album.

## Composition

The song was written by Erykah Badu and Jaborn Jamal, and produced by Erykah Badu and Madukwu Chinwah. The song has a length of about 3:46, and is generally considered as neo-soul, as with the rest of the Baduizm album.

## Meaning

On & On consists mainly about the topic of world issues such as money/poverty, religion and weed. The well known chorus describes a cypher, which Erykah described in a song called 'Reprise (Live)' off her album Live:

> "Y’all know what a cypher is? It’s all kinds of cyphers. But a cypher can be represented by a circle, which consists of how many degrees? What? 360 degrees. And my cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone […] my cypher represents myself or the atoms in my body and the rolling stone represents the Earth. The atoms in the body rotate at the same rate on the same axis that the Earth rotates, giving us a direct connection with the place we call Earth; therefore, we can call ourselves Earth."
>
>

## Music Video

The songs music video was directed by Paul Hunter and uploaded to YouTube around June 2009. It portrays Erykah as a maid in a black household, cleaning and doing chores while lip-syncing to the track. As of June 2021, the song has 48 million views and 382,000 likes.

## Chart Performance

On & On became Erykah's first number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, as well as her first top 20 single in both the UK and the USA. The song reached #12 on both the United Kingdom Official Singles Charts and the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached #83 on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart.

## Remixes

* Baduizm (Special Edition)

- On & On (Jazz Mix) - 6:45

- On & On (Da Boom Squad Remix) - 5:17

* 12' Vinyl single

- On & On (Clean Version) - 3:47

- On & On (Acapella) - 3:47

- On & On (Instrumental) - 3:47

- On & On (Club Mix)

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Oh my, my, my, I'm feeling high

My money's gone, I'm all alone

Too much to see

The world keeps turning

Oh what a day, what a day, what a day

Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned

If your knowledge were your wealth, then it would be well-earned

If we were made in his image, then call us by our names

Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same

[Chorus]
Oh, on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

Oh, on and on and on and on

All night 'til the break of dawn

I go on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

Oh on and on and on and on

Goddammit, I'ma sing my song

[Verse 2]
I was born under water

With three dollars and six dimes

Yeah, you might laugh

'Cause you did not do your math

Like one, two, three

(Damn, y'all feel that? Oh)

Like one, two, three

The world keeps turning

Oh what a day, what a day, what a day

The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all

Does it seem colder in your summertime and hotter in your fall?

If we were made in his image, then call us by our names

Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same

[Chorus]
Oh on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

On and on and on and on

All night till the vultures swarm

I go on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

On and on and on and on

Mad props to the God JaBorn

[Verse 3]
I am feeling kinda hungry 'cause my high is coming down

Don't feed me yours 'cause your food does not endure

I think I need a cup of tea, the world keeps burning

Oh what a day, what a day, what a day

You rush into destruction 'cause you don't have nothing left

The mothership can't save you so your ass is gon' get left

If we were made in his image, then call us by our names

Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us just the same

[Chorus]
Oh on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

Oh on and on and on, on, on-on, on, on

You can't fuck with me, so just leave it alone

Ooh, ooh, wait, on and on and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

Oh on and on and on and on

And on and on1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://storyofsong.com/story/on-on/
2. ↑ https://genius.com/1105333
3. ↑ https://music.apple.com/gb/album/baduizm-special-edition/1452803889
4. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Erykah-Badu-On-On/release/871994