The Showdown
Eminem Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The Wild.. Gotham
The Wild.. West {*BANG BANG, BANG*}
Ha ha, riiiiide..

[Dr. Dre]
All you see is the sun, reflectin off of the gun
I'm ready for the showdown, that go down at one
Sweat on my brow, let's settle it now
I'ma show you how real cowboys get down
I'm polishin gold, waitin for this drama to unfold
I got a {blunt} rolled
Feelin bold, gangsters blood runs cold
It's time to reload this old .45 colt
The wind's gusty, it's hot, muggy and dusty
Bust a couple shots, make sure I'm not rusty
It's passed noon, he should be here soon
Sip a little moonshine inside a saloon
All of a sudden I can hear the sound of hoofs
Sounds like a thousand wolves
I cock back, put the toast in the holster and froze
I pose like a poster, he's closer than close
I hold the heat sturdy, I heard he fight's dirty
but I'ma put thirty inside him and leave early
And just when I went to fill him with hot lead
I put the gun to his head, and this is what he said

[Eminem]
You never met me, and you'll probably never see me again
but I know you - the name's Slim - you want revenge?
Then don't shoot, I'm in the same boots as you
I'm tellin the truth, I got a price on my head too, cause when you..

Chorus: {unknown singer}

You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
But life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride til there ain't no place to hide
It's sad cause the bad guys always die

[Dr. Dre] + (Eminem)
He was "Shady," I seen by the look on his face
He said take ten paces {shit} I took eight
Spun around and I aimed straight for the brain
My {shit} went bang but it only fired a blank, he said
(You need bullets, hurry up run!) {*imitating Slick Rick*}
I put a clip in the gun, and pointed at his lungs
We both drew at the same time and stood stunned
(Go ahead, shoot me, but I'm not the one you want)
I figured he was tellin the truth, that's why I didn't shoot
So what we gon' do, it's on you
(Do you recall when you and Snoop was a group?)
The Chronic!
(Well all we gotta do is find a map to part two)
(And plus I know who's got it)
Who?
(Some old dude, he's got 26 plaques and he already sold two)
Loaded up my saddle, got ready for battle
Hid two pieces of gold inside of my saddle
We rolled two miles until we hit the spot
An old ghost town that everybody forgot
A place where they used to smoke chronic a lot
Slim grabbed the shotgun (Dre here's the plot)

(Eminem)
This is the spot, they call him Doc Loveless
He's goin around sayin he took the game from us
[Let's shoot him in his kneecaps, he'll never see it comin]
But he ain't got no legs, they cut 'em off at the stomach
He's got mechanical legs, he spins webs
Plus he's well respected by the hip-hop heads
Our mission - is to get him to stop layin eggs
And we can put him on his back down a flight of steps

[Dr. Dre]
I drew two guns, spun them on my fingers
Kicked the swingin doors in, started gun slinging
I could hear somebody singin - it sounded like a "G Thang,"
and a verse from "Keep Their Heads Ringin"
I said "It's Dre's Day," and started to spray
Against 1800, he pulls a AK
Hollow tips started flyin every which way

(Eminem)
That's when I seen Dre in trouble and came with the gauge
I fired the first shot, spun his body around
He hit the ground and landed upside down
Dre grabbed the map, the plaques and the gold
I grabbed two girlies and a {blunt} that's rolled

Chorus 2X

Always die..
The Wild.. Gotham




The Wild.. West {*BANG BANG, BANG*}
Ha ha, riiiiide..

Overall Meaning

The Showdown is a collaboration between Dr. Dre and Eminem on Dre's 2001 album. The song is essentially a dramatized account of a classic western-style shootout. The song begins with Dr. Dre describing his readiness for the showdown set to unfold in the Wild West. His use of a few verses and his fondness for gangster rap comes through as he describes his efforts to keep himself battle-ready while casually waiting for the drama to unfold. The song then transitions to Eminem, who takes the other side. He names himself 'Slim' and reveals that Dre is out for revenge against him. Despite being on opposite sides of the battle, Slim tries to rally Dre to his side using argumentation that propels the song's narrative to a dramatic resolution.


The key theme of the song is caution against drawing guns and shooting at everyone who shows up at our doorstep. Eminem spends a bit of time counseling Dre to wait and let nature take its course. Slim, despite being on Dre's hit list, reveals a deep understanding of the life of an outlaw as he describes how the fun of being on the run from the law, with gold and guns on hand, will slowly give way to quite the opposite reality that may quickly end in tragic mortality. In the end, Slim and Dre team up to take down a notorious bandit known as Doc Loveless, who has been claiming their glory through his own music-making. The showdown ends when Dre fires blanks at Loveless, and they all escape with the spoils of war, and two girlies with a blunt.


Line by Line Meaning

All you see is the sun, reflectin off of the gun
Dr. Dre is ready for the showdown at high noon, where he will duel against his adversary. He admires the glint of the sun reflecting off his gun, knowing it's time to settle the score.


I'm ready for the showdown, that go down at one
Dr. Dre is excited about the impending noon duel, he is calmly waiting while he makes sure his gun is loaded and ready to fire.


Sweat on my brow, let's settle it now
Dr. Dre is sweating from anticipation and nervousness, he wants to end this once and for all.


I'ma show you how real cowboys get down
Dr. Dre is confident that he's the better fighter and is looking forward to showing off his quick draw skills like a true cowboy.


I'm polishing gold, waitin for this drama to unfold
Dr. Dre is calm and collected, taking the time to shine up his gold guns before the fight begins.


I got a {blunt} rolled, feelin bold, gangsters blood runs cold
Dr. Dre is feeling bold and confident, with no fear, he smokes a blunt to calm his nerves knowing that as a gangster, you can never show fear.


It's time to reload this old .45 colt
Dr. Dre is confident in his skills and is reloading his gun for any eventuality.


The wind's gusty, it's hot, muggy and dusty
Dr. Dre is in a hot and dusty environment that is only adding to the anticipation of the showdown while the wind is gusty.


Bust a couple shots, make sure I'm not rusty
Dr. Dre decides to take some practice shots to ensure that he's still got it, so he's fresh and ready for the duel.


It's passed noon, he should be here soon
Dr. Dre is aware that the opponent is running late and he is eagerly anticipating his arrival.


Sip a little moonshine inside a saloon
Dr. Dre is taking the time to have a drink to calm his nerves and to pass the time while waiting for the showdown.


All of a sudden I can hear the sound of hoofs
Dr. Dre is alert and focused on the noise of approaching footsteps, which makes him anxious and agitated.


Sounds like a thousand wolves
The approaching footsteps sound ominous and intimidating, like the roar of a pack of wolves in the distance.


I cock back, put the toast in the holster and froze
Dr. Dre holds his gun and is ready to shoot if he has to, but for now, he's frozen in fear and anticipation of what is coming next.


I pose like a poster, he's closer than close
Dr. Dre is getting into a proper stance, aiming his gun, and waiting for the approaching figure to become clearer.


I hold the heat sturdy, I heard he fight's dirty
Dr. Dre has a firm grip on his gun, knowing that his adversary fights dirty and will do anything to win.


But I'ma put thirty inside him and leave early
Dr. Dre is confident in his fighting skills and aims to shoot his adversary thirty times and be victorious without much of a fight.


And just when I went to fill him with hot lead, I put the gun to his head, and this is what he said
Dr. Dre is ready to shoot when he is stopped when the opposition puts his own gun to his own head and speaks.


You never met me, and you'll probably never see me again but I know you - the name's Slim - you want revenge? Then don't shoot, I'm in the same boots as you
Dre's opponent speaks out that this is just another day for him and they are two strangers that have crossed each other's paths. The opponent also brings up a potential motive of 'revenge'.


I'm telling the truth, I got a price on my head too, cause when you..
Dr. Dre's opponent is speaking the truth and that he himself is also being hunted for. He has already been ambushed before and knows how it feels.


You ride like a cowboy toward the sun And life ain't fun, when you're on the run Got your gold and you got your gun But life as an outlaw just begun Got your shotgun by your side Got your horse and you got your pride You ride til there ain't no place to hide It's sad cause the bad guys always die
The chorus describes the life of a cowboy outlaw which is exciting and challenging but full of risks. Outlaws are always on the run, never having a moment of peace while always keeping an eye out for possible danger. It's a life full of pride but with no place to hide. In the end, the bad guys end up dead.


He was 'Shady,' I seen by the look on his face, He said take ten paces {shit} I took eight
Dr. Dre is now impulsive, and his emotions are clouding his rational judgement. He sees his opponent's grin and takes it as disrespect, settling in for the gunfight he takes a couple extra steps towards his enemy.


Spun around and I aimed straight for the brain, My {shit} went bang but it only fired a blank, he said (You need bullets, hurry up run!) {*imitating Slick Rick*}
Dr. Dre shoots at the opponent, but embarrassingly his gun misfires. The opponent exposes the flaw in Dre's gun and advices to quickly get hold of live ammunition.


I put a clip in the gun, and pointed at his lungs, We both drew at the same time and stood stunned (Go ahead, shoot me, but I'm not the one you want)
With bullets now in his gun, Dr. Dre pointed at the opponent’s lungs, but then the opponent pulls out a gun too. Both stand immobilized for a moment but then the opponent affirms that Dr. Dre won't be able to take him down.


I figured he was tellin the truth, that's why I didn't shoot So what we gon' do, it's on you (Do you recall when you and Snoop was a group?)
Dr. Dre trusts his adversary and puts down his gun. He tries to come up with a better plan to get his due revenge. thinking through all the ups and downs of his career seeking his former partner, Snoop Dogg.


The Chronic! (Well all we gotta do is find a map to part two) (And plus I know who's got it) Who? (Some old dude, he's got 26 plaques and he already sold two)
Dr. Dre is reminiscing the glory days, and tries to remember where part 2 of The Chronic album is stored. The enemy offers a hint on where they can find the album thanks to some elderly dude with 26 music awards.


Loaded up my saddle, got ready for battle, Hid two pieces of gold inside of my saddle, We rolled two miles until we hit the spot, An old ghost town that everybody forgot
Dre prepares for battle, loading up his saddle with guns and ammo while hiding some of his valuables. He travels with his enemy to ghost town where they can locate the album.


A place where they used to smoke chronic a lot, Slim grabbed the shotgun (Dre here's the plot)
The ghost town was a place where people used to smoke weed regularly. Eminem then picks up a shotgun and explains to Dre what their plan for recovery is.


This is the spot, they call him Doc Loveless, He's goin around sayin he took the game from us, [Let's shoot him in his kneecaps, he'll never see it comin] But he ain't got no legs, they cut 'em off at the stomach, He's got mechanical legs, he spins webs, Plus he's well respected by the hip-hop heads, Our mission - is to get him to stop layin eggs, And we can put him on his back down a flight of steps
Eminem calls out the name of the person who they believe has the album, stating that he has claimed that he stole the game from them but they would impulsively cripple him. They soon find out he had no legs past his stomach, with mechanical replacements that he uses to spin webs. They need to get him to stop stalling so they can retrieve the album.


I drew two guns, spun them on my fingers, Kicked the swingin doors in, started gun slinging, I could hear somebody singin - it sounded like a 'G Thang,' and a verse from 'Keep Their Heads Ringin', I said 'It's Dre's Day,' and started to spray, Against 1800, he pulls a AK, Hollow tips started flyin every which way
Dre is pumped up and ready to fight, as he walks in he starts to shoot up the place. A song is playing in the background with lyrics that seem to encourage Dre, which further motivates him. One enemy has an AK-47, and now there's shots from both sides.


That's when I seen Dre in trouble and came with the gauge, I fired the first shot, spun his body around, He hit the ground and landed upside down, Dre grabbed the map, the plaques and the gold, I grabbed two girlies and a {blunt} that's rolled
Eminem sees Dre in trouble, and quickly provides support by shooting at Dre's opponent. Dre grabs any valuable items that are in sight, while Eminem does the same while also happy to have company with some women and drugs.


Always die..
This line is the chorus which stating the end that all bad people have to face death in the end.


The Wild.. Gotham
This part of the song is not explaining anything but is rather leading to the next line.


The Wild.. West {*BANG BANG, BANG*}
The song perfectly describes the wilderness of the West and East coasts of America through the story.


Ha ha, riiiiide..
This line conveys the adventurous and inexplicable nature of cruising through any unforeseen situation.




Contributed by Lucas J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@brunocucinella7559

Lyrics:

All you see is the sun, reflecting off of the gun
Ready for the showdown, that go down at one
Sweat on my brow, let's settle it now
I'mma show you how real cowboys get down
I'm polishing gold, waiting for this drama to unfold
I got a blunt rolled
Feeling bold, gangsters blood runs cold
It's time to reload this old .45 colt
The wind's gusty, it's hot, muggy and dusty
Bust a couple shots, make sure I'm not rusty
It's passed noon, he should be here soon
Sip a little moonshine inside a saloon
All of a sudden I can hear the sound of hooves
Sounds like a thousand wolves
I cock back, put the toast in the holster and froze
I pose like a poster, he's closer than close
I hold the heat sturdy, I heard he fights dirty
But I'mma put thirty inside him and leave early
And just when I went to fill him with hot lead
I put the gun to his head, and this is what he said
You never met me, and you'll probably never see me again
But I know you - the name's Slim - you want revenge?
Then don't shoot, I'm in the same boots as you
I'm telling the truth, I got a price on my head too, 'cause when you-
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
He was "Shady", I seen by the look on his face
He said take ten paces shit I took eight
Spun around and I aimed straight for the brain
My shit went bang but it only fired a blank, he said
You need bullets, hurry up run!
I put a clip in the gun, and pointed at his lungs
We both drew at the same time and stood stunned
Go ahead, shoot me, but I'm not the one you want
I figured he was telling the truth, that's why I didn't shoot
So what we gon' do? it's on you
Do you recall when you and Snoop was a group?
The Chronic
Well all we gotta do is find a map to part two
And plus I know who's got it
Who?
Some old dude, he's got 26 plaques and he already sold two
Loaded up my saddle, got ready for battle
Hid two pieces of gold inside of my satchel
We rolled two miles until we hit the spot
An old ghost town that everybody forgot
A place where they used to smoke chronic a lot
Slim grabbed the shotgun "Dre here's the plot
This is the spot, they call him Doc Loveless
He's going around saying he took the game from us"
Let's shoot him in his kneecaps, he'll never see it comin'
But he ain't got no legs, they cut them off at the stomach
He's got mechanical legs, he spins webs
Plus he's well-respected by the hip-hop heads
Our mission is to get him to stop laying eggs
And we can put him on his back down a flight of steps
I drew two guns, spun them on my fingers
Kicked the swinging doors in, started gun slinging
I could hear somebody singing
It sounded like a "G Thang" and a verse from "Keep Their Heads Ringin'"
I said "It's Dre's Day", and started to spray
It's 1800, he pulls an AK
Hollow tips started flyin every which way
That's when I seen Dre in trouble and came with the gauge
I fired the first shot, spun his body around
He hit the ground and landed upside down
Dre grabbed the map, the plaques and the gold
I grabbed two girlies and a blunt that's rolled
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
The wild, Gotham
The Wild West
Ha ha, ride
Ha



All comments from YouTube:

@nnddrrjj

This may not be one of Dre's most popular songs, but it is awesome!! I wish they had this song at karaoke!

@davidsutton2918

Back in the days story's we're part of rap music .Best underground song eva by dre n eminem

@marxe0

Been coming back to this track for years. Absolute classic

@brunocucinella7559

Lyrics:

All you see is the sun, reflecting off of the gun
Ready for the showdown, that go down at one
Sweat on my brow, let's settle it now
I'mma show you how real cowboys get down
I'm polishing gold, waiting for this drama to unfold
I got a blunt rolled
Feeling bold, gangsters blood runs cold
It's time to reload this old .45 colt
The wind's gusty, it's hot, muggy and dusty
Bust a couple shots, make sure I'm not rusty
It's passed noon, he should be here soon
Sip a little moonshine inside a saloon
All of a sudden I can hear the sound of hooves
Sounds like a thousand wolves
I cock back, put the toast in the holster and froze
I pose like a poster, he's closer than close
I hold the heat sturdy, I heard he fights dirty
But I'mma put thirty inside him and leave early
And just when I went to fill him with hot lead
I put the gun to his head, and this is what he said
You never met me, and you'll probably never see me again
But I know you - the name's Slim - you want revenge?
Then don't shoot, I'm in the same boots as you
I'm telling the truth, I got a price on my head too, 'cause when you-
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
He was "Shady", I seen by the look on his face
He said take ten paces shit I took eight
Spun around and I aimed straight for the brain
My shit went bang but it only fired a blank, he said
You need bullets, hurry up run!
I put a clip in the gun, and pointed at his lungs
We both drew at the same time and stood stunned
Go ahead, shoot me, but I'm not the one you want
I figured he was telling the truth, that's why I didn't shoot
So what we gon' do? it's on you
Do you recall when you and Snoop was a group?
The Chronic
Well all we gotta do is find a map to part two
And plus I know who's got it
Who?
Some old dude, he's got 26 plaques and he already sold two
Loaded up my saddle, got ready for battle
Hid two pieces of gold inside of my satchel
We rolled two miles until we hit the spot
An old ghost town that everybody forgot
A place where they used to smoke chronic a lot
Slim grabbed the shotgun "Dre here's the plot
This is the spot, they call him Doc Loveless
He's going around saying he took the game from us"
Let's shoot him in his kneecaps, he'll never see it comin'
But he ain't got no legs, they cut them off at the stomach
He's got mechanical legs, he spins webs
Plus he's well-respected by the hip-hop heads
Our mission is to get him to stop laying eggs
And we can put him on his back down a flight of steps
I drew two guns, spun them on my fingers
Kicked the swinging doors in, started gun slinging
I could hear somebody singing
It sounded like a "G Thang" and a verse from "Keep Their Heads Ringin'"
I said "It's Dre's Day", and started to spray
It's 1800, he pulls an AK
Hollow tips started flyin every which way
That's when I seen Dre in trouble and came with the gauge
I fired the first shot, spun his body around
He hit the ground and landed upside down
Dre grabbed the map, the plaques and the gold
I grabbed two girlies and a blunt that's rolled
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
You ride like a cowboy toward the sun
And life ain't fun, when you're on the run
Got your gold and you got your gun
The life as an outlaw just begun
Got your shotgun by your side
Got your horse and you got your pride
You ride till there ain't no place to hide
It's sad 'cause the bad guys always die
The wild, Gotham
The Wild West
Ha ha, ride
Ha

@francoberalle1767

Way too dope!
Dre and Slim make good story tellings when combined together. Just like on 'guilty conscience'.

@mindylynn4734

Holy crap memories! This was the very first Em song I ever heard "You need bullets, hurry up, runnn" hahaha I was hooked after this song as a pre teen

@shelby0mcnasty

he heard that from Slick Rick. u can google it if u want ;)

@patchipman9493

Can they just put this on Spotify already

@jccastillo3491

Pat Chipman they just did, go check it out

@Vegeta1423

Man this song deserved a music video so bad. It's so good.

More Comments

More Versions