Silly Ho
Intro
Woo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooVerse 1: T-Boz
I ain't never been no silly hoWaitin' for your callLike the other girls want youI ain't never been the one to messWith someone else's messThat's not a thing for me to doI ain't never been that chicken-headTo wake up in your bedAfter every club or twoGonna be the one to make me skurtAlways wanna flirtWith every player on the teamChorus: TLC, TLC & Vic-E
So if you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youIf you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doIf you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youAnd if you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doVerse 2: T-Boz
I ain't never been no silly bitch (Bitch)Waiting to get rich (Rich)From a nigga bank accountI have always had my own things (Things)Bought my own rings (Rings)Not gon' let you catch me outYou should take a lesson from me (Me)I ain't the one to be (Be)Dependin' on someone elseI can run a scam before he can (Can)I'm better than a man (Man)I always keep my game on deckChorus: TLC, TLC & Vic-E
If you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youIf you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doSaid, if you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youAnd if you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doIf you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youAnd if you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doIf you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youAnd if you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doVerse 3: Vic-E
You know you can't get with thisOne night, you just go and bustFind a ho to give it upWhy you even try your luck?Stuck on silly shitBoy, you know you need to quitAin't the one for all thisYou missed outPre-Chorus: Vic-E
I'm, I'm, I'm outI'm out, I'm out, out, outI'm, I'm, I'm out, outI'm, I'm outI'm out, out, outChorus: TLC, TLC & Vic-E, T-Boz
If you really wanna find someone to get some behind (I know that you know that)I ain't the one for youIf you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna doSo, if you really wanna find someone to get some behindI ain't the one for youAnd if you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly hoTo do whatever you wanna do(If you really wanna find someone to get some behind)(I ain't the one for you)(If you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly ho)(To do whatever you wanna do)(If you really wanna find someone to get some behind) YeahI ain't the one for you(If you really wanna know, boy, you need a silly ho)(To do whatever you wanna do)Outro
Woo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWoo-woo-woo, wooWhat the song means
"Silly Ho" is TLC's sassy rejection of a man who wants a woman who will wait by the phone, sleep around, and depend on him. T-Boz and Chilli take turns listing what they refuse to be: the girl who waits for a call, the one who gets involved in someone else's drama, the one who goes home with a man after every night out, and the one who relies on a man's money. The chorus turns this into a warning. If a man wants a casual, easy partner, he should look elsewhere, because these women are not that.
The mood starts teasing and confident, then grows more forceful. The second verse is about independence: they buy their own things, keep their own money, and are ready to outsmart anyone who tries to trick them. Vic-E's verse is blunter and more impatient, calling the man out for wanting a quick night and for not growing up. The pre-chorus, with its repeated "I'm out," works as a clean exit, a way of ending the conversation and walking away.
The key images are the phone call, the "silly ho" label, and the idea of being "caught out." These are not really about the women being loose. They are about men who expect women to behave that way and who think they can control the outcome. The song reverses that expectation: the women have their own rules, their own income, and their own self-respect, and they are not interested in being anyone's convenient option.
Key phrases explained
- silly ho
- a foolish, easy-going woman who sleeps around; used ironically here — The title phrase, which the group rejects, describing the kind of woman the man supposedly wants.
- chicken-head
- a derogatory slang term for a woman seen as sexually available and easy to use — Used to say they will never be the kind of woman who wakes up in a man's bed after a night out.
- get some behind
- slang for having sex with someone — The chorus uses it to describe what the man is looking for in a quick hookup.
- keep my game on deck
- stay prepared and ready to play well at any moment — Means they always have their skills, plans, and independence ready when they need them.
- catch me out
- to trap someone or catch them off guard, often by exposing a weakness — Shows they will not let a man take advantage of them or leave them financially exposed.
Song info
- Release date
- 1999-02-23
- Album
- FanMail
- Written by
- Dallas Austin
- Produced by
- Dallas Austin
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