Hooks

Sample Hooks 

"Paint The Town Red" incorporates two sampled hooks, one vocal and one instrumental, sourced from Dionne Warwick's 1964 hit, "Walk On By." These hooks remain in effect throughout the song, appearing in different degrees of prominence, both in conjunction with and independently of Doja Cat's lead vocal and the accompanying trap beat.

While each hook is catchy on its own, it’s their combined call and response quality that forms a super-catchy multipart hook that takes the song’s infectiousness to a heightened level. In addition, these hooks achieve the following:

• Contribute to the song’s vibe and emotional impact.
• Provide the song with an underlying 1960s retro influence.
• Accentuate the song’s ability to stand out among its mainstream contemporaries.
• Complement and enhance the song’s narrative through the vocal hook’s summative connotation. 

Doja Cat Vocal Hooks

• Segment 1: The sustained “Mm” provides an engaging contrast against the faster-paced, rapped delivery of the preceding chorus, enabling the vocal break post-chorus to further stand out and connect. In addition, it provides subtle separation between sections of similar accompaniment without breaking up the groove.
• Segment 2: The impactful lyric, “she the devil,” stands out with its faster-paced quality and notable leap of a fifth into the key lyric, “devil.”  Note that this lyric also ties in with the red color theme in the song title hook.
• Segment 3: The concluding standout statement, “she a bad lil’ b***h, she a rebel,” stands on its own following the eighth rest at the end of segment 2. Further punctuating its presence is the leap of a fourth into the impactful lyric, “bad lil’ b***h.” 

• The “she the devil” and “she a rebel” components rhyme and feature the same rhythms, which heightens cohesion and memorability against the lyrical and melodic variations.
• The full hook melody is almost identically repeated in the next two lines, while subtle melodic variations and lyrical changes enhance engagement while contributing to the post-chorus lyrical summation.

Structure: Overview

Genres & Influences: Overview

“Paint The Town Red” features a combination of hip hop, trap, pop, R&B/soul and retro 1960s influences that are put into effect by the qualities of the vocals, instruments, lyrics, and the overall production.

Key

X: The influence appears prominently within the stanza and/or section
x: The influence appears minimally within the stanza and/or section
-/-: Divides stanzas

Instrumentation & Arrangement: Overview

Energy: Overview

S.I.A. (Section Impact Accentuator) Key

Bar Lines: Illustrate increases and decreases in energy over the course of the song
Downward Red S.I.A.: The full accompaniment is removed from the mix, resulting in a brief reduction in energy.
Downward Yellow S.I.A.: A part of the accompaniment is removed from the mix, resulting in a brief reduction in energy.

Harmony: Overview

“Paint The Town Red” features one main chord progression with no significant deviations.

Vocal Production: Overview

Vocal Melody: Overview

Song Structure

“Paint The Town Red’s” Hook Arrangement Table

Sample Hooks 

"Paint The Town Red" incorporates two sampled hooks, one vocal and one instrumental, sourced from Dionne Warwick's 1964 hit, "Walk On By." These hooks remain in effect throughout the song, appearing in different degrees of prominence, both in conjunction with and independently of Doja Cat's lead vocal and the accompanying trap beat.

While each hook is catchy on its own, it’s their combined call and response quality that forms a super-catchy multipart hook that takes the song’s infectiousness to a heightened level. In addition, these hooks achieve the following:

• Contribute to the song’s vibe and emotional impact.
• Provide the song with an underlying 1960s retro influence.
• Accentuate the song’s ability to stand out among its mainstream contemporaries.
• Complement and enhance the song’s narrative through the vocal hook’s summative connotation.
  

Doja Cat Vocal Hooks

“Paint The Town Red’s” chorus and vocal break post-chorus “hook centers” feature three unique Doja Cat vocal hooks.

Standout Statement Hook #1 (Chorus)
The first hook heard from Doja Cat is her direct, confident, rapped delivery of the powerful lyric “(yeah), b***h, I said what I said.” Primely placed at the top of both chorus stanzas, the hook also serves as the song’s main opening line following the sampled intro, effectively drawing the listener in and setting the tone for the impactful lyrical summation and developments that follow.

Song Title Hook (Chorus)
Bookending each chorus stanza is Doja Cat’s rapped delivery of the song title hook, “I don’t care, I paint the town red,” which provides the song’s main lyrical summation in an intriguing, yet easy-to-grasp, manner due to its familiarity in popular culture. Heightening its impact is its effective combination of lyrical A.I.D.E. principle components including action (“paint”), imagery (full hook), detail device (metaphor), and emotion.

In addition, the song title portion of the hook is both foreshadowed and subsequently reinforced by the rhythmic, inflection, and rhyme commonalities in the vocals that precede and follow (i.e., “said what I said,” “famous instead,” “get to my head”). This is a technique that Hit Songs Deconstructed calls an E.O.L.A., an acronym for end-of-line accentuator.  

Song Title Hook E.O.L.A. Commonalities

Standout Statement #2 (Post-Chorus)

The vocal break post-chorus houses “Paint The Town Red’s” other notable standout statement hook across the first two lines of each stanza: “Mm, she the devil / She a bad lil’ b***h, she a rebel.”

In contrast to the rapped chorus hooks, this hook is sung, which provides an engaging variation in the scope of the song while making the song even more appealing to a pop audience. Further bolstering this appeal is the hook’s K.I.S.S. ME (keep it simple, singable, and memorable) components, including its short to moderate-length phrases, easy-to-lock into rhythms, easy-to-follow melodic patterns, effective balance of repetition and contrast, and a combination of stepwise and stagnant motion along with a few interest-heightening intervallic leaps.

The hook essentially consists of three distinct segments that are segmented from one another by a sustained note and rest:

• Segment 1: The sustained “Mm” provides an engaging contrast against the faster-paced, rapped delivery of the preceding chorus, enabling the vocal break post-chorus to further stand out and connect. In addition, it provides subtle separation between sections of similar accompaniment without breaking up the groove.
• Segment 2: The impactful lyric, “she the devil,” stands out with its faster-paced quality and notable leap of a fifth into the key lyric, “devil.”  Note that this lyric also ties in with the red color theme in the song title hook.
• Segment 3: The concluding standout statement, “she a bad lil’ b***h, she a rebel,” stands on its own following the eighth rest at the end of segment 2. Further punctuating its presence is the leap of a fourth into the impactful lyric, “bad lil’ b***h.”
  

Further bolstering the hook’s ability to connect and resonate are the following:

• The “she the devil” and “she a rebel” components rhyme and feature the same rhythms, which heightens cohesion and memorability against the lyrical and melodic variations.
• The full hook melody is almost identically repeated in the next two lines, while subtle melodic variations and lyrical changes enhance engagement while contributing to the post-chorus lyrical summation.
  

Genres & Influence Blend

Key

“Paint The Town Red” features a combination of hip hop, trap, pop, R&B/soul and retro 1960s influences that are put into effect by the qualities of the vocals, instruments, lyrics, and the overall production.

The song’s main influence and primary genre is hip hop. This is due in part to Doja Cat’s rap-styled delivery throughout much of the song and the electronic kick, hi hat and bass-focused instrumental arrangement. In addition, the timbre and patterns of the drums and bass provide the song with an underlying trap influence. These influences are featured prominently throughout the song save for the intro, where they’re omitted all together, and the second stanza of both verse sections, where the core drum and bass accompaniment drops out.

“Paint The Town Red’s” pop, R&B/soul and retro 1960s influence are featured in tandem with one another throughout the song and put into effect by the “Walk On By” sample. Recorded back in 1964, the sample features light pop and R&B-styled vocals from Dionne Warwick, smooth keys, and a catchy trumpet hook to boot. Together, these influences are most prominent in the intro and outro and take more of a back seat behind the hip hop/trap instrumental arrangement and Doja Cat’s vocals in the other song sections. However, the pop influence is also prominent in the vocal break post-choruses due to Doja Cat’s entirely sung delivery of the song’s primary vocal hook.

Blending In & Standing Out in the Hot 100 Top 10

“Paint The Town Red’s” expert balance of influences enabled it to connect with a wide array of audiences and cross over into diverse Billboard charts including the US Hot 100, Rhythmic, R&B/Hip Hop, Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 charts.  

Within the hip hop genre specifically, pop and R&B/soul influences have generally been on the rise over the past few years while trap dropped off to a still-notable 80% of songs. The main differential factor both within hip hop and the overall Hot 100 top 10 is the song’s 1960s influence, put into effect by the “Walk On By” sample.

Since 2018, only 2% of hip hop hits have featured a 1960s influence, with the most notable being Lizzo’s chart-topper “Truth Hurts.” Within the overall Hot 100 top 10, it’s been the case with only 3% of hits, with a couple of notable #1s including “Kill Bill” and “Stuck With You.” 

Hip Hop as a Primary Genre in the Hot 100 Top 10: 2018 – Q2 2023

Influences in the Hot 100 Top 10: 2018 – Q2 2023 (Within Hip Hop)

Instrumental Arrangement: Section-By-Section

Intro (0:00 – 0:19)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

“Paint The Town Red’s” intro consists solely of the modified “Walk On By” sample (see above for specifics). Its instrumental arrangement achieves a few key things at the top of the song:

• It begins mid-stream into the sample (i.e., in the middle of Warwick’s sustained “bye” as opposed to a smoother, more natural lead in). While this “false beginning” is much more atypical than the more common “false ending,” it functions as a psychological tool that instantly engrosses the listener in the song.
• It immediately imparts the song’s retro R&B/soul and pop influences. However, the sample’s processing and complementing elements provide it with a modern spin as well, making it more relevant to modern ears.
• It establishes a laid-back groove that is both serene and melancholic. Along with drawing the listener in and setting the song’s initial vibe and emotion, it enables the direct confidence present in Doja Cat’s ensuing chorus vocal and accompanying hip hop/trap beat to further stand out and connect in comparison.
• Along with the Dionne Warwick vocal, the sample serves as an instantly recognizable, unique calling card for the song. As soon as one hears it, they know exactly what song it is.
• Its midrange focus provides room for high and low frequency growth in the subsequent chorus. 

Intro Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Chorus 1 (0:19 – 0:38)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

With the “Walk On By” sample elements remaining in effect to provide cross-section continuity and vibe, the chorus adds a prominent hip hop/trap beat to the mix, consisting of electronic kick, 808 bass, hi hat and snaps. Their addition achieves a few key things, including:

• Enabling the chorus to stand out and connect on a profound level right from the get-go. Furthermore, note that the bass entering on the downbeat in tandem with the key lyric “bitch” punctuates its impact.
• Locking the listener into a powerful groove. Note that the rapid-fire hi hat roll in the last beat of bar 4 (i.e., the midway point of the section) serves to further heighten interest while imparting the chorus with a recognizable trap characteristic.
• Complementing Doja Cat’s confidently rapped vocals through the beat’s powerful, driving qualities.
• Filling out the frequency spectrum from the low bass to the mid/high snaps to the high hi hats. 

In the last bar of the chorus, the 808 bass, snaps and hi hat are removed from the mix. This creates a partial accompaniment pull S.I.A. (section impact accentuator) that:

• Provides separation between sections of similar accompaniment.
• Enables the ensuing vocal break post-chorus to further stand out and connect.
• Further calls attention to the “paint the town red” song title hook through the arrangement’s sparser qualities.
  

Chorus 1 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Vocal Break 1 (0:38 – 0:57)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

The vocal break post-chorus retains the same instrumental arrangement as the preceding chorus. This continuity across sections keeps the listener locked in the groove and allows their full attention to be on the first instance of the “Mm, she the devil…” vocal hook without distraction.

In the last two beats of the section, the bass, snaps and hi hat are once again pulled from the mix. Like the chorus before it, this S.I.A. technique serves to subtly heighten engagement leading into the ensuing verse and provide separation between sections of similar accompaniment.

Vocal Break 1 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Verse 1 (0:57 – 1:36)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Stanza 1
The first stanza of verse 1 features the same core accompaniment as the preceding vocal break post-chorus, providing cross-section continuity against the lyrical development and vocal style shift from sung to rapped. However, there are a few subtle and notable changeups to the arrangement that help to prevent redundancy:

• A kick drum is layered in with the 808 bass, further punctuating the rhythmic pattern and providing the section with additional low-end power.
• A filtered, gritty electronic hi hat playing a sparse, syncopated pattern provides additional texture while subtly contributing to the groove. Conversely, note that the rapid-fire hi hat roll that was featured at the midway point of the chorus and vocal break post-chorus is omitted from the mix.
• The classic Rhodes-sounding keys from the intro returns, providing the verse with additional color, texture, vibe, and harmonic support.
• A bright synth performing whole note chords provides additional harmonic support and an engaging timbral shift due to its bright, digital timbre.

In the last two bars of the first stanza, the arrangement begins to thin out. First to go is the electric piano, followed by the bright synth, warbly trumpet, and the bulk of the percussion and bass. This provides a smooth, wind down transition into the ensuing breakdown second stanza while maintaining the listener’s focus on the vocals without jarring distraction.

Stanza 2
The second stanza initially breaks down to the sparsest arrangement heard since the intro, consisting primarily of the “Walk On By” sample, backbeat snaps, and the newly added warm brass synth. This synth performs an ascending legato pattern that heightens tension and interest as the section progresses, while the overarching breakdown heightens engagement against the preceding denser and more powerful hip hop/trap beat.

At the midway point of the stanza, a full accompaniment pull S.I.A. is implemented, creating an engaging, jarring moment that also serves to highlight the first of the repeated “ugh” vocals. This is followed by the return of the warbly trumpet, which subtly heightens interest as the song approaches the second chorus. Further bolstering the chorus’ impact is the omission of snaps on beat 4.

Verse 1 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Chorus 2 (1:36 – 1:55)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Following the verse breakdown, chorus 2 hits hard with the reintroduction of the powerful 808 bass and hats. This returns the song to the powerful hip hop/trap groove that defined its chorus 1 counterpart.

The sole difference between choruses is the carryover of the warm brass synth lead from the preceding verse, which gradually decreases in volume over the first two bars. While subtle, this helps to provide a greater sense of cohesion across disparate sections. 

Chorus 2 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Vocal Break 2 (1:55 – 2:14)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Similar to the chorus 1/chorus 2 relationship, the second vocal break post-chorus features an identical arrangement as its first occurrence counterpart. Along with heightening familiarity in the scope of the song, it keeps the listener locked in the catchy groove while the vocal hooks take center stage.

Vocal Break 2 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Verse 2 (2:14 – 2:53)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Like the chorus and vocal break post-chorus relationships, verse 2 features the same instrumental arrangement as its verse 1 counterpart, allowing the listener’s focus to be on the lyrical development.

The sole difference between sections is the omission of the full accompaniment pull, which was initially implemented on the first instance of the lyric “ugh” in verse 1. This strategic decision prevents redundancy and predictability in the scope of the song. Instead, a vocal rest is implemented to provide a changeup across sections.

Verse 2 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Chorus 3 (2:53 – 3:12)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Chorus 3 features the same instrumental arrangement as its chorus 1 and 2 counterparts with one notable difference: a full accompaniment pull S.I.A. is implemented on the downbeat. Where the bass hit punctuated the lyric “b***h” in choruses 1 and 2, here the full accompaniment pull does the same in a fresh, new way by creating an engaging, unexpected moment that also serves to bolster the final chorus’ arrival.

Chorus 3 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Vocal Break 3 (3:12 – 3:31)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

Vocal break 3 is identical to its previous vocal break counterparts.

Vocal Break 3 Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Outro (3:31 – 3:50)

Chord Progression: Gm7 – Am7 (G Dorian: i7 – ii7)

The outro reprises the first stanza arrangement of both verse sections. This rides the listener out on a powerful, groove-based note without new or recycled vocal material from Doja Cat.
The song ends as abruptly as it began by cutting off mid-stream, which leaves the listener hanging and likely longing for more. 

Outro Arrangement: At-A-Glance

Progression 1

Progression 1: Variation 1

Gm7 – Am7

Lyrics & Rhymes

Rhyme Schemes

Overview

“Paint The Town Red” features an abundance of expertly crafted rhymes and other lyrical connection accentuators that bolsters the song’s ability to connect and resonate. Among them are logically unfolding end-of-line rhyme schemes and a plethora of strategically placed internal rhymes, double and triple rhymes, alliterations, lyrical repetitions, cross-section commonalities and unique pronunciations to make rhymes happen where they otherwise wouldn’t.

At-A-Glance: End-Of-Line Rhymes Section-By-Section

Key

A, B & C: End-of-line Rhymes
Underline: Repetitive lyrics
Colors and rhyme schemes are unique to each section

*For simplicity of analysis, note that only lyrics connected by both rhyme and another notable characteristic (i.e., proximity, placement, melodic connection, etc.) are shown in each table. Lyrics that rhyme but are otherwise unconnected are not noted.

Rhymes & Syllables: Section-By-Section 

Narrative

Overview

“Paint The Town Red” is a lifestyle, inspiration/empowerment and boasting-themed song about Doja Cat’s defiance and perseverance against her haters. Supporting this are depictions of Doja Cat’s confidence, rebellious spirit, and determination to succeed on her own terms, while addressing topics of fame, personal qualities, and career aspirations.

The narrative unfolds in a logical and easy-to-follow manner, utilizing an effective balance of clever and common lyricism that is both intriguing and easy-to-grasp. While the interpretive storyline pertains to Doja Cat specifically, the universal subject matter of perseverance and living life your own way primes “Paint The Town Red” to connect with the listener on a profound personal level as well.

Lyrical Theme Trends

“Paint The Town Red” features boasting, inspiration/empowerment and lifestyle lyrical themes. Despite the drop-off in the first half of 2023, lifestyle has been the predominant theme in hip hop hits for years, followed by boasting. However, inspiration/empowerment has been far less so, though it did see a notable jump in the first half of 2023 thanks to the arrival of Lil Durk and J. Cole’s “All My Life” and Coi Leray’s “Players.”

Lyrical Themes In Hip Hop Hot 100 Top 10 Hits: 2018 – Q2 2023

Narrative Flow: At-A-Glance

Key

Focus: Details each line’s main character focus. In “Paint The Town Red,” it pertains to Doja Cat, Doja Cat’s fans, and her haters
Tone: The tone of the line, either positive (P) or negative (N)
Parentheses: The tone is implied and/or relates to the preceding line

Intro & All Subsequent Sections

The first lyric heard in “Paint The Town Red” is the sampled “walk on by” hook. While it’s performed by Dionne Warwick, in the context of “Paint The Town Red” it cleverly reflects Doja Cat’s dismissal of her haters as opposed to its literal, action-based meaning.

However, note that its connotation does not become apparent until taken in context with the ensuing sections, where it functions as a summative looped background vocal underneath Doja Cat’s lead. Here in the intro, its main purpose is to lyrically pique the listener’s curiosity to find out more while hooking them into the song on a catchy, soulful, retro note.

Song Title

Clever/Powerful or Universal/Generic

Song titles fall on a spectrum ranging from unique, clever, attention-grabbing and/or powerful (e.g., “3D,” “Slime You Out,” and “’Slut!’”) to those that possess more of a basic/universal quality (e.g., “greedy,” “Hold Me Closer,” and “Lose Control”).

“Paint The Town Red” falls on the attention grabbing/powerful end of the spectrum, due in part to its effective use of A.I.D.E. principle components including action (“paint”), imagery (full hook), detail device (metaphor), and emotion. Together, along with the metaphor’s connotation, piques listener interest to see what it relates to in the context of the story.

Song Title Word Count

Consisting of four words, “Paint The Town Red” is in the minority among its hip hop contemporaries. Since 2018, only 13% or less featured four words in their title, with none in the first half of 2023. Not surprisingly, the trend in hip hop is in line with the overall Hot 100 top 10 – the more words there are in a title, the less common it is.

Song Title Word Count: Hip Hop Hot 100 Top 10 Hits (2018 – Q2 2023)

Song Title Appearances and Placement

Song Title Appearances: Hip Hop Hot 100 Top 10 Hits (2018 – Q2 2023)

Song Title Placement: Hip Hop Hot 100 Top 10 Hits (2018 – Q2 2023)

Word Cloud

Benchmark

This section spotlights “Paint The Town Red’s” familiarity and standout factors relative to the Hot 100 top 10, both as a whole and in the hip hop genre specifically, in the quarter before the song entered the chart (Q2 2023). The familiarity factors enable “Paint The Town Red” to more easily connect with a wide, mainstream audience, while the more atypical factors help it to stand out from the pack.

Of the categories benchmarked in the table below, “Paint The Town Red” is in line with 58% of the top characteristics in the overall Hot 100 top 10 and 74% in hip hop hits specifically.  

“D” Section: A section that provides a pronounced vocal, lyrical, instrumental and/or energy level departure around two-thirds of the way into a song. “D” sections can include bridges, bridge surrogates, and diversified recycled sections.
*Indicates a particular song characteristic falling within a 5% margin of error of the most popular compositional characteristic in a given category

Additional Familiarity & Standout Factors

In addition to the commonalities shown in the chart above, other factors that contributed to “Paint The Town Red’s” ability to easily connect with both hip hop and pop fans alike are its easy-to-lock into rapped deliveries; K.I.S.S. ME melodies (Keep It Simple, Singable and Memorable); catchy vocal hooks; strong, effective rhymes; intriguing, yet easy-to-follow narrative; and logical structure, to name a few.

Conversely, its effective balance of hip hop and pop qualities also helped set the song apart from many of its mainstream contemporaries, as many lean more towards one end of the spectrum or the other. In addition, the heavy use of the “Walk On By” sample provided “Paint The Town Red” with a unique quality, as did the unique lyrical spin on common lyrical themes.