The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Songwriting Credits by Lauryn Hill

1998 Ruffhouse / Columbia 16 tracks 77 min

Produced by Lauryn Hill, Che Pope, Vada Nobles  ·  Engineered by Commissioner Gordon Williams, Tony Prendatt

Ruffhouse / Columbia Neo SoulContemporary R&BHip HopReggaeSoul
94%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 15 of 16 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 15 / 16 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 16 tracks with documented writers, by whether Lauryn Hill carries a lyricist or composer credit.

94%
15 trackswritten by Lauryn Hill 1 trackoutside writers
Lauryn Hill's roles on this album

Share of the 16 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist94%
Composer94%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

16
Tracks
3
Lyricists
3
Producers
1
No.1 Single
20 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1998
Released

Awards & Recognition 5

Album of the Year (1999)
Best R&B Album (1999)
Best New Artist (1999)
Best R&B Song (for 'Doo Wop (That Thing)') (1999)
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for 'Doo Wop (That Thing)') (1999)
Data Insight

Lauryn Hill is credited as the writer and producer on nearly every track, and the album is celebrated as a singular auteur statement that fused soul, hip hop, reggae and R&B into one personal vision. That authorship was contested in court: the production collective New Ark (Vada Nobles, Rasheem Pugh, Tejumold Newton and Johari Newton) sued in November 1998 claiming uncredited co-writing and production contributions across most of the record, and the case settled out of court in 2001. The honest picture is that Hill's creative direction was dominant while some collaborator contributions were disputed and only later acknowledged. The record carries notable guests, with D'Angelo trading vocals on 'Nothing Even Matters,' Mary J. Blige featured on 'I Used to Love Him,' and Carlos Santana adding acoustic Spanish guitar to 'To Zion.'

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a 1998 neo soul and R&B album by Lauryn Hill that folds in hip hop, reggae, and soul over live instrumentation and layered harmonies. Hill produced most of the record herself alongside Che Pope and Vada Nobles, with guest contributions from Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige, and D'Angelo, plus John Legend playing piano on "Everything Is Everything" in his commercial debut. The lead single "Doo Wop (That Thing)" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number one, while "Ex-Factor" reached number 21 and "Everything Is Everything" peaked at number 35. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 422,624 first-week copies, a record for a female artist at the time, and was later certified Diamond by the RIAA for 10 million units, with roughly 20 million sold worldwide. It won Album of the Year at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, the first time a hip hop artist took the prize, and Hill won five Grammys that night while setting records for nominations and wins by a woman in a single ceremony.

Track Listing & Credits 16 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Intro
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
2
Lost Ones
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillFrederick Hibbert Lauryn HillChe PopeVada Nobles Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
3
Ex-Factor #21
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillAlan BergmanMarilyn BergmanMarvin HamlischDennis ColesRobert DiggsGary GriceLamont HawkinsJason HunterRussell JonesClifford SmithCorey Woods Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
4
To Zion
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillCharles FoxNorman Gimbel Lauryn HillChe Pope Santana
5
Doo Wop (That Thing) #1
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
6
Superstar
Lauryn HillJohari Newton Lauryn HillJames PoyserJames Douglas MorrisonRobert Alan KriegerJohn Paul DensmoreRaymond Daniel Manzarek Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
7
Final Hour
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
8
When It Hurts So Bad
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
9
I Used to Love Him
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Mary J. Blige
10
Forgive Them Father
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillRobert Nesta Marley Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
11
Every Ghetto, Every City
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillDavid AxelrodSteve Hurley Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
12
Nothing Even Matters
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill D'Angelo
13
Everything Is Everything #35
Lauryn HillJohari Newton Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
14
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill Lauryn HillTejumold Newton Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
15
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Bob Crewe Bob Gaudio Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)
16
Tell Him
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill (Lead Vocals, Rap)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 32 contributors

LH
Lauryn Hill
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album15 written
JN
Johari Newton
Writer
On this album2 written
AB
Alan Bergman
Writer
On this album1 written
BC
Bob Crewe
Writer
On this album1 written
BG
Bob Gaudio
Writer
On this album1 written
CF
Charles Fox
Writer
On this album1 written
CS
Clifford Smith
Writer
On this album1 written
CW
Corey Woods
Writer
On this album1 written
DA
David Axelrod
Writer
On this album1 written
DC
Dennis Coles
Writer
On this album1 written
FH
Frederick Hibbert
Writer
On this album1 written
GG
Gary Grice
Writer
On this album1 written

Frequently Asked Questions The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Did Lauryn Hill write The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill?
Lauryn Hill is credited as the writer and producer on nearly every track of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and the album is regarded as her singular creative vision. That authorship was disputed: the production collective New Ark (Vada Nobles, Rasheem Pugh, Tejumold Newton and Johari Newton) sued in November 1998 over what they said were uncredited co-writing and production contributions on most of the album. The lawsuit settled out of court in 2001, so while Hill's creative direction was dominant, some collaborator contributions were contested and later acknowledged.
When was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill released?
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released on August 25, 1998, on Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. It was Lauryn Hill's debut solo studio album after her work with the Fugees. It topped the Billboard 200 on release.
How many Grammys did The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill win?
The album won five Grammy Awards at the 41st ceremony in 1999. Those wins were Album of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best New Artist, and Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, the latter two both for 'Doo Wop (That Thing).' Hill became the first hip hop artist to win Album of the Year.
Who are the guest artists on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill?
The album features several notable guests. D'Angelo duets with Lauryn Hill on 'Nothing Even Matters,' Mary J. Blige appears on 'I Used to Love Him,' and Carlos Santana plays acoustic Spanish guitar on 'To Zion.'
What was the most successful single from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill?
'Doo Wop (That Thing)' was the biggest single, debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also won two Grammy Awards, for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The follow-up singles 'Ex-Factor' and 'Everything Is Everything' reached numbers 21 and 35 on the Hot 100.
What does the song To Zion by Lauryn Hill feature?
'To Zion' features Carlos Santana playing acoustic Spanish guitar. The song is dedicated to Lauryn Hill's son Zion and addresses her decision to have him. It appears on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill alongside other personal songs about her life and relationships.
How many copies has The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill sold?
The album sold more than 20 million copies worldwide by its 20th anniversary. In the United States it is certified Diamond by the RIAA, denoting combined sales and album-equivalent units of 10 million. Hill became the first female rapper to receive an RIAA Diamond certification with this album.
Is Can't Take My Eyes Off You on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill?
'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' appears as a hidden track on the album, added because of its popularity after the song featured in the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It was reportedly the first hidden track to earn a Grammy nomination.

Sources

Wikipedia: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Wikipedia: Lauryn Hill discography Wikipedia: Ex-Factor Wikipedia: Can't Take My Eyes Off You MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill