I Need A Doctor
Eminem / Dr. Dre Lyrics

I'm about to lose my mind
The singer is on the verge of mental collapse.

You've been gone for so long, I'm runnin' out of time
The singer feels abandoned and runs out of time to recover.

I need a doctor, call me a doctor
The singer desperately needs professional help.

I need a doctor, doctor
The repetition emphasizes the urgency of the situation.

To bring me back to life
The artist wants to be saved from the brink of death.

I told the world, one day I would pay it back
The singer promised to return a favor to society.

Say it on tape, and lay it, record it so that one day I could play it back
The singer wanted to immortalize their promise on tape.

But I don't even know if I believe it when I'm sayin' that
The artist doubts their own words.

Doubts startin' to creep in, every day, it's just so grey and black
The artist's doubts consume them, rendering their world bleak and colorless.

Hope, I just need a ray of that, 'cause no one sees my vision
The artist longs for a glimmer of hope to sustain their vision.

When I play it for 'em, they just say it's wack, they don't know what dope is
The singer's creative output is not recognized by others.

And I don't know if I was awake or asleep when I wrote this
The artist is unsure whether this message is a waking or dream-state confession.

All I know is you came to me when I was at my lowest
The person being addressed helped the singer when they were in their worst state.

You picked me up, breathed new life in me, I owe my life to you
The person being addressed saved the singer's life and gave them a reason to keep living.

But for the life of me, I don't see why you don't see like I do
The singer wants the person being addressed to recognize the singer's vision.

But it just dawned on me you lost a son, demons fighting you, it's dark
The artist empathizes with the person being addressed for losing a child and facing personal demons.

Let me turn on the lights and brighten me and enlighten you
The artist wants to help the person being addressed see things in a better light and become enlightened.

I don't think you realize what you mean to me, not the slightest clue
The singer feels the person being addressed does not understand their own importance.

'Cause me and you were like a crew, I was like your sidekick
The singer feels a close bond with the person being addressed, likening them to a superhero and sidekick.

You gon' either wanna fight me when I get off this fuckin' mic
The artist anticipates that the person being addressed may respond to this message with aggression.

Or you gon' hug me, but I'm outta options, there's nothin' else I can do 'cause
The artist is resigned to this being their last resort, hoping for either a violent or loving response.

It hurts when I see you struggle, you come to me with ideas
The artist is pained to see the person being addressed struggle, yet they still come to the artist for support.

You say they're just pieces, so I'm puzzled, 'cause the shit I hear is crazy
The singer is confused by the person being addressed's self-doubt, as the singer finds their ideas amazing.

But you're either gettin' lazy or you don't believe in you no more
The artist theorizes that the person being addressed is either losing motivation or confidence in themselves.

Seems like your own opinions, not one you can form
The singer feels the person being addressed cannot form their own opinions anymore.

Can't make a decision, you keep questionin' yourself
The singer feels the person being addressed is indecisive and keeps doubting themselves.

Second guessin' and it's almost like your beggin' for my help
The singer feels the person being addressed is desperate for the singer's help in their decision-making.

Like I'm your leader, you're supposed to fuckin' be my mentor
The artist feels like the person being addressed should be the artist's mentor, but it has become the other way around.

I can endure no more I demand you remember who you are
The artist can no longer bear to watch the person being addressed struggle, telling them to remember their true self.

It was you, who believed in me when everyone was tellin'
The singer remembers how the person being addressed believed in them when nobody else would.

You don't sign me, everyone at the fuckin' label, let's tell the truth
The singer reveals that the person being addressed didn't want to sign them initially, despite others at the label urging them to do so.

You risked your career for me, I know it as well as you
The artist acknowledges that the person being addressed took a big risk in signing them but is grateful for it.

Nobody wanted to fuck with the white boy, Dre, I'm cryin' in this booth
The artist recalls how people dismissed them for being a white rapper, getting emotional while recording this message.

You saved my life, now maybe it's my turn to save yours
The artist realizes that the person being addressed saved their life before, so now it's the artist's turn to return the favor.

But I can never repay you, what you did for me is way more
The singer acknowledges that they can't fully repay the person being addressed for what they have done for them.

But I ain't givin' up faith and you ain't givin' up on me
The artist believes in their ability to overcome this situation and hopes the person being addressed does not give up on them.

Get up, Dre, I'm dyin', I need you, come back for fuck's sake
The singer begs for the person being addressed to help them, feeling like they are dying without their support.

It literally feels like a lifetime ago
The singer vividly remembers a past event that feels distant in time.

But I still remember the shit like it was just yesterday, though
Despite the passage of time, the singer remembers the event as if it happened recently.

You walked in, yellow jump suit, whole room, cracked jokes
The artist recalls a specific detail of the person being addressed's clothing and behavior.

Once you got inside the booth, told you, mic smoke
The person being addressed had a confidence and charisma that translated to their performance as a producer.

Went through friends, some of them I put on, but they just left
The singer had friends whom they helped but abandoned them in the end.

They said they was ridin' to the death, but where the fuck are they now?
The singer is disappointed in their friends who they thought were ride or die, but are nowhere to be found.

Now that I need them, I don't see none of them
The artist is let down by their friends who are not there when they are needed.

All I see is Slim, fuck all you fair-weather friends, all I need is him
The artist only sees their friend and collaborator, Slim, and denounces their other friends who only show up when things are good.

Fuckin' backstabbers, when the chips were down you just laughed at us
The artist feels their other friends betrayed them and turned on them when they needed them the most.

Now you 'bout to feel the fuckin' wrath of Aftermath, faggots
The singer threatens revenge on those who wronged them and loyalty to their label.

You gon' see us in our lab jackets and ask us where the fuck we been?
The artist anticipates their success and knows their haters will wonder where they have been all along.

You can kiss my indecisive ass crack, maggots
The singer tells their doubters to kiss their indecisive behind.

And the crackers' ass, little cracker jack beat
The singer disses their opponents by calling their music whack and their beats like children's snacks.

Makin' wack math, backwards producers, I'm back bastards
The singer boasts their superiority over their opponents, calling them bad at math and backwards in their music production.

One more CD and then I'm packin' up my bags
The artist plans to retire after releasing one more album.

And as I'm leavin' I guarantee they'll scream, "Dre, don't leave us like that man" 'cause
The artist knows their fans will be upset and beg Dr. Dre not to leave the music industry.