Released: December 6, 2005

Songwriter: Luis Resto Eminem

Producer: Eminem

[Intro]
Yeah, it's my life
In my own words, I guess

[Verse 1]
Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd give an arm for?
Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for
When they know they're your heart and you know you are their armor
And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
But what happens when karma turns right around to bite you?
And everything you stand for turns on you to spite you?
What happens when you become the main source of her pain?
"Daddy, look what I made!" "Dad's gotta go catch a plane"
"Daddy, where's Mommy? I can't find Mommy, where is she?"
"I don't know, go play, Hailie, baby, your daddy's busy
Daddy's writin' a song, this song ain't gon' write itself
I'll give you one underdog, then you gotta swing by yourself"
Then turn right around on that song and tell her you love her
And put hands on her mother who's a spitting image of her
That's Slim Shady, yeah, baby, Slim Shady's crazy
Shady made me, but tonight Shady's rock-a-bye baby, ha

[Chorus]
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back

[Verse 2]
I keep havin' this dream, I'm pushin' Hailie on the swing
She keeps screamin' she don't want me to sing
"You're makin' Mommy cry, why? Why is Mommy cryin'?"
"Baby, Daddy ain't leavin' no more" "Daddy, you're lyin'!
You always say that, you always say this is the last time
But you ain't leavin' no more, Daddy, you're mine!"
She's pilin' boxes in front of the door, tryna block it
"Daddy, please! Daddy, don't leave! Daddy, no, stop it!"
Goes in her pocket, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
It's got a picture, "This'll keep you safe, Daddy, take it with ya!"
I look up, it's just me standin' in the mirror
These fuckin' walls must be talkin', 'cause man, I can hear 'em
They're sayin', "You got one more chance to do right and it's tonight
Now go out there and show 'em that you love 'em 'fore it's too late!"
And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
It turns to a stage, they're gone and this spotlight is on and I'm singin'

[Chorus]
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back

[Verse 3]
Sixty-thousand people all jumpin' out their seat
The curtain closes, they're throwin' roses at my feet
I take a bow and "Thank you all for comin' out"
They're screamin' so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seein'
"Daddy, it's me! Help Mommy, her wrists are bleedin'!"
"But baby, we're in Sweden, how did you get to Sweden?"
"I followed you, Daddy, you told me that you weren't leavin'
You lied to me, Dad, and now you made Mommy sad
And I bought you this coin, it says 'Number One Dad'
That's all I wanted, I just wanna give you this coin
I get the point, fine, me and Mommy are goin'."
"But baby, wait!" – "It's too late, Dad, you made the choice
Now go up there and show 'em that you love 'em more than us
That's what they want, they want you, Marshall, they keep
Screamin' your name, it's no wonder you can't go to sleep
Just take another pill, yeah, I bet you you will
You rap about it, yeah, word, k-keep it real."
I hear applause, all this time I couldn't see
How could it be that the curtain is closin' on me?
I turn around, find a gun on the ground, cock it
Put it to my brain, scream, "Die, Shady!" and pop it
The sky darkens, my life flashes, the plane that I was
Supposed to be on crashes and burns to ashes
That's when I wake up, alarm clock's ringin', there's birds singin'
It's spring and Hailie's outside swingin'
I walk right up to Kim and kiss her, tell her I miss her
Hailie just smiles, and winks at her little sister, almost as if to say

[Chorus]
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn, rejoice
Every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
I'm lookin' down on you smilin' and I didn't feel a thing
So, baby, don't feel my pain, just smile back

*Curtains closing*

Eminem

A legendary hip-hop icon who started as an underground battle rapper in Detroit, Marshall “Eminem” Bruce Mathers III (1972 – present) has developed a career full of controversy, wild swings, and some of the most noteworthy raps in the history of the genre.

Eminem has broken countless barriers, shifting and impacting the culture in several ways. In June 2017, “Stan” was added into the Oxford Dictionary, and in 2019, to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. He was the first rapper to win the Grammy Award for Best Album for three consecutive albums. “Rap God” set the Guinness World Record for most words in a song. He was also the first rapper to win an Oscar. His albums The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show became certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2011, making him one of the few artists to have more than one Diamond album. This has helped him become the highest selling hip-hop artist of all time. In January 2020, with his 11th studio album Music to Be Murdered By debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, Eminem became the first artist in history to have 10 consecutive #1 debuts.

Produced and co-signed by Dr. Dre, Em had an unprecedented run of success from 1999 up until 2003, releasing three well-reviewed multi-platinum albums, stealing the show on countless collaborations, and even starred in a hit movie. However, it all came crashing down around 2004, when a string of problems ranging from drug dependence to depression to the tragic death of best friend Deshaun “Proof” Holton in 2006 led to a long hiatus from music and a pair of what were, by his own admission, sub-par albums.