February 17, 2010

Erykah Badu Goes Nude in 'Window Seat' [Video / Lyrics]

I love me some Erykah Badu ... her music and her message is always strong. Her current single, Window Seat, is no different. Frankly, I enjoy the flow from the music even without the video ... however, Sis. Badu decided to go all out with the video.

She filmed the 'Window Seat' video in one take at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Tex., the site where John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Once Badu gets fully nude, a gunshot rings out and her body collapses on to the sidewalk, as blue blood spills out to form the word "groupthink."

Then Badu says in a voiceover, "They play it safe, are quick to assassinate what they do not understand...they are us. This is what we have become. Afraid to respect the individual. A single person within a circumstance can move one to change. To love ourself. To evolve."
Badu challenges all of us to evolve. I hope that you enjoy the music, the lyrics and the video:





so, presently I'm standing
here right now
you're so demanding
tell me what you want from me
concluding
concentrating on my music, lover and my babies
makes me wanna ask the lady for a ticket outta town...

so can I get a window seat
don't want nobody next to me
I just want a ticket outta town
a look around
and a safe touch down
can I get a window seat
don't want nobody next to me
I just want a chance to fly
a chance to cry
and a long bye bye..

but I need you to want me
I need you to miss me
I need your attention, yes
I need you next me
I need someone to clap for me
I need your direction
somebody say come back
come back baby come back
I want you to need me
come back come back baby come back
come back come back baby come back
come back come back baby come back

so, in my mind I'm tusslin'
back and forth 'tween here and hustlin'
I don't wanna time travel no mo
I wanna be here
I'm thinking
on this porch I'm rockin'
back and forth light lightning hopkins
if anybody speak to scotty
tell him beam me up..

so can I get a window seat
don't want nobody next to me
I just want a ticket outta town
a look around
and a safe touch down
can I get a window seat
don't want nobody next to me
I just want a chance to fly
a chance to cry
and a long bye bye..

but I need you to miss me
I need somebody come get me
I need your attention
I need your energy
I need someone to clap me
I need your direction

somebody say come back
come back baby come back
come back come back baby come back
come back come back baby come back
come back come back baby come back

but can I get a window seat
don't want nobody next to me
I just want a ticket outta town
a look around
and a safe touch down...

I just wanna chance to fly
a chance to cry
and a long bye bye...

A'ight Villagers ... you've seen the video and read the lyrics. What do you think about Erykah Badu today?





5 comments:

Political Season said...

The song is pleasant enough, but I think the video and the overwrought, predictable, pseudophilosophizing nonsense at the end is stupid. The philoosophizing does not even jibe with the song lyrics.

Badu is rather artistically full of herself here. Its pretentious in the extreme to me, ham handed and overdone. And Badu ain't no sight for sore eyes neither. Massive video fail.

Unknown said...

I like Erykah Badu and of the things I like about her is that she allows artistry rather than a formulaic method for selling to rule her music. Courageously showing her naked imperfections underscored the message of the song. Too often we are exposed to edited, photoshopped perfection that fits a narrow Eurocentric definition of beauty. Right on Badu, right on!

Unknown said...

Aaron or Alaine? - I'm wondering which of you wrote this comment ... I'm going with Aaron for this response! At the end of the day ... I think that it is truly Badu. For others it may have been extreme or overwrought. In my view, the video and lyrics flow smoothly from the image and tradition of Badu music over the past decade. If nothing else ... it creates quite a buzz for the release of her newest album. I wonder how it will do for sales?

Karen - I didn't see too many imperfections in her nakedness. I'm just saying...

Unknown said...

Villager - From all of us imperfect sisters we love brothers who see us as just fine as it, so thank you! :-)

Unknown said...

Someone just shared this on Facebook, Erykah Badu may face charges for filming that video.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100330/en_afp/entertainmentusmusicbadu