The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Doo Wop (That Thing)
Lauryn Hill
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
34
End
273
Internal
85
Multi
186
Slant
16
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Refrain]
Come again✦
Yuh, a win-win,✦ come again✦
A win-win,✦ come again✦ (Yeah, yeah)
My friend, come again✦
[Chorus]
Guys, you know you'd better✦ watch out (Uh)
Some girls, some girls are only✦ about✦
That thing, that thing, that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing (Yuh, yum)
[Verse 2]
The second verse is dedicated✦ to the men (The men)
More concerned with his rims and his Timbs than his women✦
Him and his men come in the club like hooligans
Don't care who they offend,✦ poppin'✦ yang (Like you got yen)
Let's stop pretend, the ones that pack pistols by they waist men
Cristal by the case men, still in they mother's basement
The pretty-face men claiming that they did a bid men
Need to take care of they three or four kids
And they face a court case when the child support✦ late (The child support✦ late)
Money✦ taking✦ and heart breaking, now you wonder✦ why women✦ hate men (Why)
The sneaky,✦ silent men, the punk, domestic violence✦ men (Why)
Quick to shoot the semen,✦ stop acting✦ like boys and be men (Be men)
How you gonna✦ win when you ain't right within?✦ (Be men)
How you gonna✦ win when you ain't right within?✦ (Bredrin)✦
How you gonna✦ win when you ain't right within?✦ (Be men)
[Refrain]
Uh-uh,✦ come again✦ (Uh-uh;✦ yeah, yeah; come again)✦
Yo-yo-yo, come again✦ (Yeah, yeah; come again)✦
The bredrin,✦ come again✦ (Yeah, yeah; come again)✦
And sistren, come again✦ (Yeah, yeah; come again)✦
[Bridge]
Watch out, watch out (Bom, bom, bom)
Look out, look out (Bom, bom)
Watch out, watch out (Bom, bom)
Look out, look out
Watch out, watch out (Bom, bom, bom)
Look out, look out (Bom, bom)
Watch out, watch out (Bom, bom)
Look out, look out
[Chorus]
Girls, you know you'd better✦ watch out (Uh, hahah)✦
Some guys, some guys are only✦ about✦
That thing, that thing, that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing
Guys, you know you'd better✦ watch out
'Cause girls, some girls are only✦ about✦
That thing, that thing, that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing
Some guys, some guys are only✦ about✦ that thing
(Girls, you know you’d better✦ watch out) Yuh
Some guys, (Girls) some guys are only✦ about✦ that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing (We takin'✦ this back, yuh, haha)✦
That thing, that thing, that thing (Takin'✦ it back, yuh)
[Skit/Outro]
Class!
Hey, we’ve got some very✦ intelligent women✦ here, man
Do you think you’re too young to really✦ love somebody?✦
(No! No, no, I don’t think so)
I say it for me, uh, I’m an adult I say, wait
“You’re too young to be in love, this is silly✦
You’re infatuated✦ or whatever, you got nice jeans
You wear fancy✦ Adidas”
I mean, it might be something I don’t know
(It's the difference✦ from loving✦ somebody✦ and being in love with somebody)✦
Well, you tell me. What’s the difference?✦
(Okay.✦ You can love anybody✦ but when you’re in love with somebody✦ you’re looking at it like this—you’re taking✦ that person✦ for what he or she is no matter✦ what he or she look like or no matter✦ what he or she do)
(You’re crazy!✦ You fall in love, you can fall out of love)
(You might stop being in love with them but you are not gonna✦ stop loving✦ that person)✦
(Maybe they ain’t never✦ been loved✦ before✦ or been in love before,✦ they don’t know what the feeling is to be loved)✦
(She poetic)
She killed✦ it, we could end that conversation with that, right?
Technical Breakdown
8.8
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity4.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.82
Production
— Lauryn HillBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Hill utilizes a relentless, percussive AAAA rhyme scheme that forces a rhythmic consistency, serving as both a sonic hook and a moral indictment of the subjects.
A+
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
4
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
9
Delivery
Monorhyme dominanceInternalized cadencePolysyllabic slant rhymingVocal layeringSocial commentary
Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly monorhyme driven by the suffix -en/-in sound, creating an obsessive, cyclical flow that reinforces the theme of stagnancy in the male subjects.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"poppin' yang (Like you got yen)"
① Slang for flashing wealth and bravado (popping yang/young).② A homophonic play on 'yen' (Japanese currency), suggesting the empty pursuit of money and materialism.
"Quick to shoot the semen"
① Literal biological reference to sexual encounters without responsibility.② A double-entendre contrast to 'shoot the pistols' mentioned earlier, highlighting the parallel between masculine violence and irresponsible sexual behavior.
Masterful cadence control within a repetitive rhyme constraint
Direct, uncompromising narrative structure
Effective use of background vocal ad-libs to create depth and emphasis
Strong social critique packaged in accessible pop-rap vernacular
Vocabulary breadth is narrow by design to favor rhythmic impact over lyrical complexity
The heavy reliance on a single rhyme sound can feel repetitive to listeners seeking tonal shifts