When I'm Gone
Eminem/Musicfire.in Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, it's my life
My own words, I guess

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 and bites 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 writing a song, this song ain't gon' write itself"
I give you one underdog, and you gotta swing by yourself
Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her
And put hands on her mother who's the spittin' image of her
That's Slim Shady, yeah baby Slim Shady's crazy
Shady made me
But tonight, Shady's rock-a-bye baby

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 no 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 no pain, just smile back

I keep havin' this dream
I'm pushin' Hailie on a 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 tryin' to 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 will 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 and show 'em that you love 'em before 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 the spotlight is on and I'm singin'

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 no 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 no pain, just smile back

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, its 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 want to give you this coin"
"I get the point, fine, me and mommy are goin'"
"But baby wait, it's too late dad, you made your choice
Now go out 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, kid keep it real"
I hear a 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 ringing, 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

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 no 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 no pain, just smile back

Overall Meaning

The song "When I'm Gone" by Eminem aka Slim Shady is a powerful and emotional song that dives deep into the rapper's personal life. The lyrics begin with Eminem explaining that his words in the song are his own. The first verse takes us through a tale where the rapper talks about loving someone, his daughter Hailie, so much that he would give an arm for her. However, the same person who was once the source of joy and motivation for his music, now is the main cause for his pain. The second verse picks up the story, where Eminem is dreaming about pushing Hailie on a swing, and when she tells him not to sing, he realizes that he has made her mother cry too many times. The dream becomes a nightmare when Hailie tries to stop him from leaving, and in the end, Eminem wakes up feeling grateful for his family.


The chorus of the song comes in with a positive message even though it is a song about Eminem's nightmare of being away from his family. He tells Hailie and everyone who loves him to carry on and not mourn for him when he is gone. Instead, they should rejoice every time they hear the sound of his voice, knowing that he is looking down on them and smiling.


Overall, "When I'm Gone" is a reflection of Eminem's struggles as a father and a musician. He feels torn between his responsibility to his daughter and his commitment to his music. The song highlights his fear of losing the people he loves, and the comfort that his music can provide to those who are in pain.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, it's my life
I'm in control of my life and my decisions


My own words, I guess
I write my own music and express myself through it


Have you ever loved someone so much
I've loved someone so deeply that I would do anything for them


You'd give an arm for
I would do anything to protect them, even if it meant losing a limb


Not the expression, no
I'm not using an idiom or figure of speech here


Literally give an arm for
I mean that I would sacrifice a part of myself to keep them safe


When they know they're your heart
This person is important to me, and they know that they hold a special place in my life


And you know you are their armor
I am their protector and will do anything to keep them from harm


And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
I will use all my strength to keep anyone who wishes to hurt them at bay


But what happens when karma
What happens when fate turns against you?


Turns right around and bites you
When life takes a turn for the worse due to your actions or past decisions


And everything you stand for turns on you to spite you
When your values, beliefs, and everything you've built your life around seems to betray you


What happens when you become the main source of her pain
When you are responsible for the pain of someone you deeply care about most


"Daddy look what I made"
A proud child showing off their creation to their father


"Dad's gotta go catch a plane"
My busy lifestyle is preventing me from spending quality time with my family


"Daddy where's mommy? I can't find mommy, where is she?"
A child's innocent inquiry about their mother


"I don't know, go play, Hailie baby, your daddy's busy
I don't have the answer and I want to avoid discussing it


"Daddy's writing a song, this song ain't gon' write itself"
I have to focus on my music career and keep writing songs to keep up with my fans


I give you one underdog, and you gotta swing by yourself
I've given them everything they need, but they still have to face their struggles alone


Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her
But I still love them deeply and will express it in my music


And put hands on her mother who's the spittin' image of her
I have lashed out and hurt someone who reminds me of the person I love


That's Slim Shady, yeah baby Slim Shady's crazy
I am acknowledging that my alter ego, Slim Shady, is not a sane and stable person


Shady made me
Despite that, Slim Shady is a part of me and has helped me create my music persona


But tonight, Shady's rock-a-bye baby
Tonight, I want to put that side of me to rest and just be a father


And when I'm gone just carry on don't mourn
When I die, I want them to continue living and thriving


Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
They should cherish the music I've created and the messages within it


I'm lookin' down on you smilin'
I'm watching over them from above, happy and proud of their progress


And I didn't feel a thing so baby, don't feel no pain, just smile back
I want them to know that my death was painless and to just remember me with a smile


I keep havin' this dream
A recurring dream that haunts me


I'm pushin' Hailie on a swing, she keeps screamin', she don't want me to sing
In the dream, Hailie doesn't want him to sing and instead wants a normal, carefree childhood


"You're makin' mommy cry, why, why is mommy cryin'"
Hailie can sense the tension and emotional pain between her parents


"Baby, daddy ain't leavin' no more, daddy you're lyin'
In the dream, he vows to stay with his family and stop hurting them


You always say that, you always say this is the last time
Hailie has heard this promise before and doesn't believe him


"But you ain't leavin' no more daddy, you're mine"
Hailie wants to keep her father close and is afraid of him leaving again


She's pilin' boxes in front of the door tryin' to block it
In the dream, Hailie is trying to physically block her father from leaving


"Daddy please, daddy, don't leave, daddy, no, stop it"
Hailie is pleading with him to stay


Goes in her pocket, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
In a heartwarming moment, Hailie gives her father a necklace to keep him safe


It's got a picture, "This will keep you safe daddy, take it with ya"
The necklace has a picture that represents their love and bond


I look up, it's just me standin' in the mirror
He wakes up from the dream and is alone with his thoughts


These fuckin' walls must be talkin', 'cause man I can hear 'em
He feels paranoid and overwhelmed by his own thoughts and emotions


They're sayin', "you got one more chance to do right
He hears a voice that's urging him to make things right and improve his relationship with his family


And it's tonight, now go out and show 'em that you love 'em before it's too late"
The voice is telling him to take action and prove his love before it's too late


And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
As he's about to leave and take action, he is interrupted


It turns to a stage, they're gone and the spotlight is on and I'm singin'
His anxiety and stress manifests in him picturing himself on stage and performing


Sixty thousand people all jumpin' out their seat
A representation of his fame and many fans who adore his music


The curtain closes, they're throwin' roses at my feet
The curtain closes on his performance and the audience shows their admiration


I take a bow, and thank you all for comin' out
He graciously thanks his fans for coming to his concert


They're screamin' so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
The crowd's cheers are so loud, he takes a moment to take it all in


I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seein'
A shocking moment as he looks down and sees his daughter in the crowd


"Daddy, its me, help mommy, her wrists are bleedin'"
She's asking for his help as she sees her mother in emotional distress


But baby we're in Sweden
He's recognizing the distance between them and the reality of the situation


How did you get to Sweden?
He's trying to understand how she could be there if he didn't bring her


"I followed you daddy
She followed him on tour, desperate to see him


You told me that you weren't leavin'
She's referencing his earlier promise to not leave them again


"You lied to me dad, and now you made mommy sad
She feels betrayed and hurt by his actions, seeing how it has affected her mother


And I bought you this coin, it says number one dad
She tries to give him a token of her love despite her hurt and disappointment


"I get the point, fine, me and mommy are goin'
He gives in to their wishes, and decides to stay and be with them


"But baby wait, it's too late dad, you made your choice
It's too late to go back on his past mistakes and actions


Now go out there and show 'em that you love 'em more than us
They want him to show that he values them and his family more than his fame and career success


That's what they want
They only want his love, affection, and presence


They want you, Marshall
They don't care about his Slim Shady persona or his music, they just want him


They keep screamin' your name
His fans keep demanding his music, even if it's at the cost of his family life


It's no wonder you can't go to sleep
He's restless and exhausted by his twin responsibilities and unfulfilling career


Just take another pill, yeah I bet you you will!
He's resorting to substance abuse to try to manage his stress and depression


You rap about it, yeah word, kid keep it real
His fans encourage him to keep rapping about his struggles and emotions, because they appreciate the authenticity and relatability of his music


I hear a applause, all this time I couldn't see
He's realizing the emptiness and shallowness of his fame and career as he hears applause, but sees no one


How could it be, that the curtain is closin' on me
He's reaching the end of his career and doesn't feel like he's accomplished anything meaningful


I turn around, find a gun on the ground
He finds a gun, which represents the violence and self-destructive choices he made in the past


Cock it, put it to my brain, scream "die Shady!" And pop it
He tries to kill his Slim Shady persona to finally find inner peace and redemption


The sky darkens, my life flashes
He's dying and his life is flashing through his mind


The plane that I was supposed to be on, crashes, and burns to ashes
He was supposed to be on a plane that crashed, but survived because he didn't go on it


That's when I wake up
He wakes up from his nightmare/dream sequence


Alarm clock's ringing, there's birds singin'
He's waking up to reality and everyday life again


It's spring and Hailie's outside swingin'
A symbol of new beginnings and a return to normalcy in his family life


I walk right up to Kim and kiss her tell her I miss her
He's expressing his love and affection for his partner, Kim


Hailie just smiles and winks at her little sister almost as if to say
His daughter Hailie is happy and content now that her family is together, and she's showing her sister that everything is going to be okay




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: MARSHALL B. III MATHERS, LUIS EDGARDO RESTO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Brandon Size

Eminem sings about his life unlike some other rappers.

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