Song Meaning
The narrator's baby has a peculiar way of responding, or perhaps not responding, to his direct questions. The repeated phrases "Say what?" and "Do what?" create a sense of playful confusion, or maybe even a subtle evasion. It’s a back-and-forth that feels less like a conversation and more like a linguistic game.
The central tension here is the narrator's desire for a clear answer, specifically about love, versus the baby's ambiguous replies. He asks directly, "do you love me?" but gets only these clipped, questioning interjections in return. This leaves him in a state of perpetual uncertainty, constantly needing to clarify what she means or what she wants him to do.
The real craft at play is the sheer repetition and the way the phrases "Say what?" and "Do what?" become the entire substance of the interaction. They function as both a question and a non-answer, a verbal tic that defines the relationship's communication style. The final line, "Want me to do what?" perfectly encapsulates the narrator's bewildered state, trapped in a loop of her non-committal responses.
This lyrical structure makes the song hit hard because it captures that frustrating, yet sometimes endearing, dynamic of a relationship where communication isn't always straightforward. The simple, almost childlike repetition mirrors the simple, yet profound, question of love, leaving the listener to ponder the meaning behind the baby's enigmatic replies.