The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lost Ones
Lauryn Hill
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
57
End
348
Internal
88
Multi
182
Slant
42
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2]
Now, now, how come your talk turn cold?
Gained✦ the whole world for the price of your soul
Tryin' to grab hold of what you can't control
Now you're all floss, what a sight to behold✦
Wisdom is better✦ than silver✦ and gold
I was hopeless, now I'm on Hope Road
Every✦ man wanna✦ act like he's exempt
Need to get down on his knees and repent✦
Can't slick talk on the day of judgment
Your movement's similar to a serpent
Tried to play straight, how your whole style bent?
Consequence✦ is no coincidence✦
Hypocrites always✦ wanna✦ play innocent
Always✦ want to take it to the full out extent✦
Always✦ want to make it seem like good intent✦
Never✦ want to face it when it time for punishment
I know you don't wanna✦ hear my opinion✦
There come many✦ paths and you must choose one
And if you don't change then the rain soon come
See, you might win some, but you just lost one
[Refrain]
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
[Chorus]
You might win some, but you really✦ lost one
You just lost one, it's so silly,✦ how come?
When it's all done, did you really✦ gain from (Gain from)
What you done done? It's so silly,✦ how come?
(You done, how come?)
You just lost one
[Verse 3]
Now don't you understand, man, universal law?
What you throw out comes✦ back to you, star
Never✦ underestimate those who you scar
'Cause karma,✦ karma,✦ karma✦ comes✦ back to you hard
You can't hold God's people back that long
The chain of Shaitan wasn't made that strong
Trying to pretend like your word is your bond
But until✦ you do right, all you do will go wrong
Now some might mistake this for just a simple song
And some don't know what they have ‘til it's gone
Now even✦ when you're gone, you can still be reborn
And, from the night can arrive✦ the sweet dawn
Now, some might listen✦ and some might shun
And some may think that they've reached perfection✦
If you look closely you'll see what you've become✦
'Cause you might win some, but you just lost one
[Refrain]
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
You might win some, but you just lost one
[Chorus]
You might win some, but you really✦ lost one
You just lost one, it's so silly,✦ how come?
When it's all done, did you really✦ gain from
What you done done? It's so silly,✦ how come?
You might win some, but you really✦ lost one
You just lost one, it's so silly,✦ how come?
When it's all done, did you really✦ gain from
What you done done? It's so silly,✦ how come?
You just lost one
[Outro]
You just lost one, you just lost one
You just lost one, you just lost one
(How come, you lost one? It's so dumb)
You just lost one, you just lost one
You just lost one
What a bam-bam!... hehehe✦
[Skit]
Teacher:✦ Alright✦ people, I'm gonna✦ write something on the board. Let's spell it. First letter✦
Class: L, O, V, E
Teacher:✦ What's that?
Class: Love
Teacher:✦ What?
Class: Love!
Teacher:✦ How many✦ people know any✦ songs about✦ love?
Class: Right here! I know a lot about✦ love
Teacher:✦ Tell me some titles,✦ titles✦ of some songs
Boy: Love
(Laughter)✦
Teacher:✦ There's✦ a song called✦ love?
Boy: Yeah!
Teacher:✦ There's✦ no song called✦ love!
Boy: Yeah, it's by Kirk Franklin
Teacher:✦ Ok ok, how it go?
Boy: It go "Love" (Laughter)✦
Teacher:✦ Bet, bet, okay.✦ Anybody else know any✦ songs about✦ love?
(Mumbling)
Teacher:✦ I can't hear you
Girl: I Will Always✦ Love You
Teacher:✦ What about✦ any✦ movies✦ about✦ love? You know any✦ movies✦ about✦ love?
Girl: Titanic
Teacher:✦ Alright✦
Boy: Romeo✦ and Juliet✦
Teacher:✦ You didn't know that was about✦ love ‘til you saw it on TV and they said it was about✦ love
Technical Breakdown
9.0
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity5.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.5
Performance and control
Computed Score9.00
Production
— Lauryn Hill, Vada Nobles, Che PopeBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Lauryn Hill demonstrates a masterclass in moral didacticism fused with rhythmic precision, utilizing a relentless internal rhyme structure to mirror the inescapable nature of spiritual judgment.
A+
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
5
Vocabulary
8.5
Wordplay
9.5
Delivery
Monorhyme dominance with varying vowel modulationsMoral allegorical framingSyncopated cadential shiftsThematic closure through repetitive motifs
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on a highly consistent 'ent/ence/one' terminal rhyme sound that persists throughout the majority of the passage, creating an unrelenting, claustrophobic pressure that reflects the weight of the subject matter.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Gained the whole world for the price of your soul"
① A direct biblical allusion regarding the vanity of material success at the cost of spiritual integrity.② A critique of the target's shift toward shallow industry success at the expense of their authentic artistic identity.
"I was hopeless, now I'm on Hope Road"
① A geographic reference to her personal journey and path.② A transition from a state of spiritual and emotional despair to a state of enlightened recovery and faith.
"See, you might win some, but you just lost one"
① A play on the cliché 'you win some, you lose some'.② A literal declaration that the target has lost 'one' (Lauryn herself) by choosing to act in ways that betrayed the relationship.
Exceptional rhythmic consistency that reinforces the lyrical themes of 'judgment'
Cohesive narrative arc that transitions from observation to confrontation
Dynamic vocal intensity that increases as the verse progresses toward the refrain
The heavy reliance on a single terminal rhyme sound, while effective, limits the scope of metaphorical imagery compared to more polysemous lyrical styles.