When I'm Gone
Eminem(에미넴) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yo, 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 singer of the song, Eminem, conveys his pain and struggle as a father with a demanding career. He loves his daughter, Hailie, so much that he would do anything for her. He becomes her protector and would destroy anyone who hurts her. However, karma turns on him when his relationship with Hailie’s mother becomes strained, and he becomes the main source of her pain. He finds it difficult to balance his career and his role as a father. He has to leave for shows and recordings, and Hailie keeps asking about her mom, who is not around. He keeps promising that he will be there more for his family, but he cannot keep his promises. Eminem shares his dream of pushing Hailie on a swing and her screaming because she does not want him to sing. These dreams make him realize the importance of his presence in his daughter's life.


The chorus of the song is the most important message of the song. Eminem tells his daughter and wife to carry on when he is gone and that they should celebrate his memory. He is looking down on them and smiling, and he does not want them to feel any pain.


Line by Line Meaning

Yo, it's my life, my own words I guess
I am the writer and controller of my own life.


Have you ever loved someone so much
Have you ever experienced unconditional love.


You'd give an arm for
You would do anything to protect and keep that person safe.


Not the expression, no
Not just a figure of speech, but literally sacrifice a limb.


Literally give an arm for
Exactly what was said.


When they know they're your heart
When that person knows they are everything to you.


And you know you are their armor
And you will do anything to protect them from what causes them harm.


And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
And you will go to any extent to harm anyone trying to harm them.


But what happens when karma
But what happens to you when bad luck comes along.


Turns right around and bites you
And the bad things that happen begin to affect you.


And everything you stand for turns on you to spite you
And everything you put an effort into seems to work against you.


What happens when you become the main source of her pain
What happens when your loved one is hurt because of your choices and actions.


"Daddy look what I made"
Child showing her work to her father.


"Dad's gotta go catch a plane"
Father is preoccupied and is going to catch a flight.


"Daddy where's mommy?
Child seeking mother's whereabouts.


I can't find mommy, where is she?"
Child cannot find her mother.


"I don't know, go play, Hailie baby, your daddy's busy
Father brushes off the question.


"Daddy's writing a song, this song ain't gon write itself"
Father is writing a song and cannot be disturbed while doing so.


I give you one underdog, and you gotta swing by yourself
I am giving you a chance but you have to fight alone.


Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her
But make time to express your love to her in the same song.


And put hands on her mother who's the spittin' image of her
And then physically harm the mother who resembles the daughter.


That's Slim Shady, yeah baby Slim Shady's crazy
That's my angry alter ego, Slim Shady.


Shady made me
Slim Shady gave me fame and helped my success.


But tonight, Shady's rock-a-bye baby
But tonight, Slim Shady is at rest.


And when I'm gone just carry on don't mourn,
When I am no longer alive, don't cry but keep living.


Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that,
Be happy and cherish my memory through my songs.


I'm lookin' down on you smilin'
I am watching over you with a smile from heaven.


And I didn't feel a thing so baby, don't feel no pain, just smile back
I did not suffer, don't be sad but just smile thinking of our memories together.


I keep havin' this dream,
I keep having the same dream repeating itself.


I'm pushin' Hailie on a swing, she keeps screamin', she don't want me to sing
I am pushing Hailie on a swing, but she doesn't want me to sing to her anymore.


"You're makin' mommy cry, why, why is mommy cryin'"
Hailie is asking why her mother is crying.


"Baby, daddy ain't leavin' no more, Daddy you're lyin'
Father lies to Hailie that he is not gonna leave anymore.


You always say that, you always say this is the last time
Hailie reminds father of the broken promises.


But you ain't leavin' no more daddy, you're mine"
The daughter expresses her desire for father to stay with her.


She's pilin' boxes in front of the door tryin' to block it
Hailie is trying to futilely stop her father from leaving.


"Daddy please, daddy, don't leave, daddy, no, stop it"
Hailie begs her father not to leave.


Goes in her pocket, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
Hailie shows her father a necklace with a picture in it.


It's got a picture, "This will keep you safe daddy, take it with ya"
The necklace contains a picture of Hailie and will keep father safe.


I look up, it's just me standin' in the mirror
Father looks in the mirror, realising that it was just a dream.


These fuckin' walls must be talkin', 'cause man I can hear 'em
Father feels like the walls are conspiring against him.


They're sayin', "you got one more chance to do right
The walls are telling him he has one last chance to make things right.


And it's tonight, now go out and show em that you love 'em before it's too late"
His chance is now, he must show them he loves them before it's too late.


And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
As father tries to leave the room,


It turns to a stage, they're gone and the spotlight is on and I'm singin'
The room turns into a stage, and he starts singing.


Sixty thousand people all jumpin' out their seat
The crowd goes wild with excitement.


The curtain closes, they're throwin' roses at my feet
The crowd shows gratitude by throwing roses at his feet.


I take a bow, and thank you all for comin out
Father bows out, thanking the crowd for their appreciation.


They're screamin' so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
The crowd's loud screams require him to turn for one final look.


I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seein'
Father sees his child crying with her mother's wrists cut.


"Daddy, its me, help mommy, her wrists are bleedin'"
Hailie calls out to her father for help.


But baby we're in Sweden
Father's response, although they are physically in a different country.


How did you get to Sweden?
Father wonders how Hailie got to Sweden.


"I followed you daddy
Hailie followed her father to Sweden.


You told me that you weren't leavin'
Father promised her that he was not going to leave.


"You lied to me dad, and now you made mommy sad
Hailie tells her father that he broke his promise and made mom sad.


And I bought you this coin, it says number one dad
Hailie gives her father a coin that says he is the best father.


That's all I wanted, I just want to give you this coin"
All Hailie wanted was to show her father the coin.


"I get the point, fine, me and mommy are goin'"
Father accepts and allows them to go.


"But baby wait, it's too late dad, you made your choice
But it's too late, father's choices have been made.


Now go out there and show em that you love em more than us
Father needs to show his love to his fans more than his family.


That's what they want
That's what his fans (audience) want from him.


They want you, Marshall
They only want Eminem.


They keep screamin' your name
Fans won't leave until they get what they want.


It's no wonder you can't go to sleep
It's no surprise he can't sleep with the pressure on him.


Just take another pill, yeah I bet you you will!
Take more pills to fall asleep, he'll probably do it.


You rap about it, yeah word, kid keep it real"
He raps about his real life, so he must keep living it.


I hear a applause, all this time I couldn't see
He hears the applause but couldn't see it coming.


How could it be, that the curtain is closin' on me
Why is the end coming so soon for me?


I turn around, find a gun on the ground
There's a gun lying on the ground.


Cock it, put it to my brain, scream Die Shady! And pop it
He puts the gun to his head, yells 'Die Shady,' then pulls the trigger.


The sky darkens, my life flashes
The darkness comes, father's life flashes before his eyes.


The plane that I was supposed to be on, crashes, and burns to ashes
The plane that he should have been on crashes.


That's when I wake up
Father wakes up from the dream.


Alarm clock's ringing, there's birds singin'
His alarm clock goes off, and the birds are chirping outside.


It's spring and Hailie's outside swingin'
It's spring and Hailie is outside, swinging.


I walk right up to Kim and kiss her tell her I miss her
He walks up to Kim and tells her he loves her and misses her.


Hailie just smiles and winks at her little sister almost as if to say
Hailie smiles and winks at her younger sibling as if telling her they have a secret.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERT HAMMOND, HAROLD PAYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@poisyned7404

Tupac made the book.
Eminem finished it.
Biggie edited it.
J.Cole took notes.
Drake lied and said he made it.
Lil Wayne couldn't read it.
Rick Ross ate some pages.
R.Kelly pissed on it.
21 Savage shot it.
Lil Uzi Vert laughed at it.
Lil Yatchy threw it off a boat.
Kendrick Lamar found it and made another one.
Slim Jeezy threw it away.



All comments from YouTube:

@TehSwanny

One of the greatest songs ever created.

@scvpest

+FaZe Swan oi swan

@TooGlobal

haha what's up swan ? idk if its you to or your depressed too? lol have s good day lad

@ramsangatycee5582

What..

@elion152

+FaZe Swan music was way better back then, now we have future.

@ztwenty3379

Swan da fuq?

152 More Replies...

@farrukh123ma

Slim Shady makes you laugh, Eminem makes you think, Marshal Mathers makes you cry

@sekokobo8260

***** second!!

@Obagus00

farrukh mahmoodd You just copied that I have seen that before but yeah

@nfsboy5457

true dat

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