Without Me

Track 10 on The Eminem Show (Expanded Edition)

Producers

The Eminem Show’s lead single shows Eminem’s realization of his importance to the rap game and his claim that it wouldn’t be the same without him. “Without Me” is… Read More

May 14, 200231 viewers9.4M views

Without Me Lyrics

[Intro: Obie Trice & Eminem]
Obie Trice, real name, no gimmicks
Ra—
Two trailer-park girls go round the outside
Round the outside, round the outside
Two trailer-park girls go round the outside
Round the outside, round the outside
Woo (Ooh, ooh)

[Refrain: Eminem]
Guess who's back, back again?
Shady's back, tell a friend
Guess who's back, guess who's back
Guess who's back, guess who's back
Guess who's back, guess who's back
Guess who's back
(Na-na-na, na, na, na, na, na, na)
(Na-na-na, na, na, na, na)

[Verse 1: Eminem]
I've created a monster
'Cause nobody wants to see Marshall no more, they want Shady, I'm chopped liver
Well, if you want Shady, this is what I'll give ya
A little bit of weed mixed with some hard liquor
Some vodka that'll jump-start my heart quicker
Than a shock when I get shocked at the hospital
By the doctor when I'm not cooperating
When I'm rockin' the table while he's operating (Hey)
You waited this long, now stop debating
'Cause I'm back, I'm on the rag and ovulating
I know that you got a job, Ms. Cheney
But your husband's heart problem's complicating
So the FCC won't let me be
Or let me be me, so let me see
They tried to shut me down on MTV
But it feels so empty without me
So come on and dip, bum on your lips
Fuck that, cum on your lips and some on your tits
And get ready, 'cause this shit's about to get heavy
I just settled all my lawsuits (Fuck you, Debbie)

[Chorus: Eminem]
Now, this looks like a job for me
So, everybody, just follow me
'Cause we need a little controversy
'Cause it feels so empty without me
I said this looks like a job for me
So, everybody, just follow me
'Cause we need a little controversy
'Cause it feels so empty without me

[Verse 2: Eminem]
Little hellions, kids feeling rebellious
Embarrassed, their parents still listen to Elvis
They start feelin' like prisoners, helpless
'Til someone comes along on a mission and yells, "Bitch"
A visionary, vision is scary
Could start a revolution, pollutin' the airwaves
A rebel, so just let me revel and bask
In the fact that I got everyone kissin' my ass
And it's a disaster, such a catastrophe
For you to see so damn much of my ass, you asked for me?
Well, I'm back, da-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na
Fix your bent antenna, tune it in, and then I'm gonna
Enter in and up under your skin like a splinter
The center of attention, back for the winter
I'm interesting, the best thing since wrestling
Infesting in your kid's ears and nesting
Testing, "Attention, please"
Feel the tension soon as someone mentions me
Here's my ten cents, my two cents is free
A nuisance, who sent? You sent for me?

[Chorus: Eminem]
Now, this looks like a job for me
So, everybody, just follow me
'Cause we need a little controversy
'Cause it feels so empty without me
I said this looks like a job for me
So, everybody, just follow me
'Cause we need a little controversy
'Cause it feels so empty without me

[Verse 3: Eminem]
A tisket, a tasket, I'll go tit-for-tat wit'
Anybody who's talkin', "This shit, that shit"
Chris Kirkpatrick, you can get your ass kicked
Worse than them little Limp Bizkit bastards
And Moby? You can get stomped by Obie
You thirty-six-year-old bald-headed fag, blow me
You don't know me, you're too old, let go
It's over, nobody listens to techno
Now, let's go, just give me the signal
I'll be there with a whole list full of new insults
I've been dope, suspenseful with a pencil
Ever since Prince turned himself into a symbol
But, sometimes, the shit just seems
Everybody only wants to discuss me
So this must mean I'm disgusting
But it's just me, I'm just obscene (Yeah)
Though I'm not the first king of controversy
I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley
To do Black music so selfishly
And use it to get myself wealthy (Hey)
There's a concept that works
Twenty million other white rappers emerge
But no matter how many fish in the sea
It'd be so empty without me

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About

Genius Annotation

The Eminem Show’s lead single shows Eminem’s realization of his importance to the rap game and his claim that it wouldn’t be the same without him.

“Without Me” is recognized to be one of the densest raps in history, although often ignored as such because it is “poppy” and a lead single.

The song charted as a top 5 hit in 20 countries, reaching number one in thirteen of them—including Australia, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland—and was later featured on the soundtrack album for the 2016 film Suicide Squad.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

How long did it take to make this song?

Genius Answer

The song took three months to make and release. The song was recorded in February 2002, and, after getting mixed and mastered, it was released as the lead single from Eminem’s album The Eminem Show on May 14, 2002.

Is there a behind the scenes of the music video?

Genius Answer

What does Eminem have to say about Elvis Presley?

Genius Answer

On The Eminem interview at Detroit Metro Times Eminem was asked about portraying Elvis Presley in the video for 2009’s “We Made You”:

I was never really a fan of Elvis. I’ll tell you one thing, though. A respect that I have for that guy that was … well, obviously, he was a great artist, but I never really liked your music. But I’ll tell you one thing — could dance that son of a bitch! When I was trying to learn that “Jailhouse Rock” shit [video], I was like, “man, this guy could dance!!”