Lose Yourself
Mark Ronson vs. Eminem Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Look
If you had
One shot
Or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
In one moment
Would you capture it
Or just let it slip?

Yo
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin'
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's chokin', how, everybody's jokin' now
The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow
Snap back to reality, ope there goes gravity
Ope, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He's so mad, but he won't give up that easy? No
He won't have it, he knows his whole back's to these ropes
It don't matter, he's dope, he knows that, but he's broke
He's so stagnant, he knows, when he goes back to this mobile home, that's when it's
Back to the lab again, yo, this whole rhapsody
Better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
You better

His soul's escaping, through this hole that is gaping
This world is mine for the taking
Make me king, as we move toward a New World Order
A normal life is borin', but super stardom's close to post mortem
It only grows harder, only grows hotter
He blows, it's all over, these hoes is all on him
Coast to coast shows, he's known as the Globetrotter
Lonely roads, God only knows, he's grown farther from home, he's no father
He goes home and barely knows his own daughter
But hold your nose 'cause here goes the cold water
These hoes don't want him no mo', he's cold product
They moved on to the next schmo who flows, he nose dove and sold nada
So the soap opera is told and unfolds, I suppose it's old partna, but the beat goes on
Da-da-dum, da-dum, da-da

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
You better

No more games, I'ma change what you call rage
Tear this motherfuckin' roof off like two dogs caged
I was playin' in the beginnin', the mood all changed
I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage
But I kept rhymin' and stepped right in the next cypher
Best believe somebody's payin' the Pied Piper
All the pain inside amplified by the
Fact that I can't get by with my nine to
Five and I can't provide the right type of
Life for my family 'cause man, these goddamn food stamps don't buy diapers
And its no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer
This is my life and these times are so hard
And it's getting even harder tryna feed and water my seed, plus
Teeter totter, caught up between bein' a father and a prima donna
Baby mama drama, screamin' on her, too much
For me to wanna stay in one spot, another day of monotony's
Gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail I've got
To formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot
Success is my only motherfuckin' option, failure's not
Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go, I cannot grow old in Salem's Lot
So here I go, is my shot
Feet, fail me not, this may be the only opportunity that I got

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
You better





You can do anything you set your mind to, man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mark Ronson vs. Eminem's song Lose Yourself encapsulate the struggle, ambition, and pressure that come with pursuing one's dreams. The song opens with a question, asking the listener if they would take advantage of a singular opportunity to achieve everything they've ever desired. It then delves into Eminem's own experience, rapping about his nervousness and self-doubt, as well as his drive to succeed despite the odds against him. His lyrics paint a picture of someone who has faced numerous setbacks in their pursuit of success and is now confronted with the possibility of failure, but refuses to give up. The chorus serves as both a warning and a call to action, advising the listener not to miss their chance to succeed and to fully immerse themselves in the moment.


One interesting fact about the song is that it was written specifically for the 2002 film 8 Mile, in which Eminem starred. The film's plot centered on a young rapper named Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr. attempting to make a name for himself in the hip-hop scene of Detroit, and the song was seen as a representation of his struggles and determination. The song was a major success, reaching the top of the charts in over ten countries and winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song.


Another interesting fact is that the song's instrumental track was initially created by Mark Ronson, who was then a relatively unknown DJ and producer. Ronson had been asked to create a beat that would fit the tone of the film, and it was eventually sent to Eminem for him to add his own lyrics and vocal track. The two eventually collaborated on several more projects, including the song "Just Don't Give a F*ck" from Eminem's debut album The Slim Shady LP.


The song's lyrics also contain numerous references to Eminem's personal life and upbringing, including his struggles with poverty and the difficulty of balancing his music career with his responsibilities as a father. The line "I can't get by with my nine to five" references his experience working dead-end jobs to support himself and his daughter before finding success in the music industry.


Despite its success and critical acclaim, the song has also been criticized for its use of homophobic and misogynistic language, which were common in hip-hop at the time of its release. Eminem has since spoken out against such language and has used his platform to advocate for LGBTQ rights and female empowerment.


In terms of the song's chord structure, it relies heavily on a driving beat and a pulsing bassline, with occasional guitar riffs and synth chords in the background. Eminem's vocal delivery is both energetic and introspective, alternating between fast-paced verses and more reflective choruses. The song is in the key of D minor and features a simple four-chord progression: Dm, C, G, and A.


Line by Line Meaning

Look
Listen up


If you had
If you were given


One shot
One chance


Or one opportunity
Or one occasion


To seize everything you ever wanted
To take hold of all your desires


In one moment
At one particular time


Would you capture it
Would you take advantage of it


Or just let it slip?
Or would you let it pass?


Yo
Listen up


His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
He is shaking and nervous


There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He has thrown up on his clothing


He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
Although he is anxious, he appears composed


To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin'
To make an impact, but he forgets his words


What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
The audience is making loud noises


He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He tries to speak, but he can't get the words out


He's chokin', how, everybody's jokin' now
He is struggling, everyone is laughing


The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow
The time is up, it's over


Snap back to reality, ope there goes gravity
He comes back to his senses


Ope, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He realizes he has messed up


He's so mad, but he won't give up that easy? No
He's upset, but he won't give up


He won't have it, he knows his whole back's to these ropes
He refuses to be beaten


It don't matter, he's dope, he knows that, but he's broke
He knows he's talented but financially struggling


He's so stagnant, he knows, when he goes back to this mobile home, that's when it's
He's aware that he's going nowhere


Back to the lab again, yo, this whole rhapsody
Back to the studio and his music


Better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him
He needs to take advantage of this chance


You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You should fully immerse yourself in the present


You own it, you better never let it go
It's yours, don't let it slip away


You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity only comes once, don't waste it


This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
This chance is rare, it may not come again


His soul's escaping, through this hole that is gaping
He feels like he's losing himself


This world is mine for the taking
He feels like he can achieve anything


Make me king, as we move toward a New World Order
He wants to be in control of his life and the world


A normal life is borin', but super stardom's close to post mortem
A regular life is dull, but stardom comes with risks


It only grows harder, only grows hotter
It's getting more and more difficult


He blows, it's all over, these hoes is all on him
He's famous and everyone wants him


Coast to coast shows, he's known as the Globetrotter
He performs all around the world


Lonely roads, God only knows, he's grown farther from home, he's no father
He's away from home, and not playing the father role


He goes home and barely knows his own daughter
He barely spends time with his own child


But hold your nose 'cause here goes the cold water
Get ready for a reality check


These hoes don't want him no mo', he's cold product
People are no longer interested in him


They moved on to the next schmo who flows, he nose dove and sold nada
Others have passed him by in popularity


So the soap opera is told and unfolds, I suppose it's old partna, but the beat goes on
The gossip continues, but time keeps moving


Da-da-dum, da-dum, da-da
[instrumental]


No more games, I'ma change what you call rage
No more messing around, he's going to channel his emotions


Tear this motherfuckin' roof off like two dogs caged
He's going to put on an amazing performance


I was playin' in the beginnin', the mood all changed
He was joking around at first, but things got serious


I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage
He's been through a lot of tough times


But I kept rhymin' and stepped right in the next cypher
He didn't give up, he kept going


Best believe somebody's payin' the Pied Piper
He's a great performer, people will come to watch him


All the pain inside amplified by the
His inner turmoil is made worse by


Fact that I can't get by with my nine to
He can't make ends meet with his regular job


Five and I can't provide the right type of
He can't give his family the lifestyle he wants


Life for my family 'cause man, these goddamn food stamps don't buy diapers
He can't afford basic necessities for his family


And its no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer
This is his real life, not a movie


This is my life and these times are so hard
Life is really difficult for him


And it's getting even harder tryna feed and water my seed, plus
It's even harder to take care of his child


Teeter totter, caught up between bein' a father and a prima donna
He is struggling to balance his family and his career


Baby mama drama, screamin' on her, too much
His child's mother is causing trouble


For me to wanna stay in one spot, another day of monotony's
He doesn't want to stay in the same place, he's tired of routine


Gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail I've got
He feels like he's moving very slowly


To formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot
He knows he needs to come up with a plan to succeed


Success is my only motherfuckin' option, failure's not
He must succeed, there's no other choice


Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go, I cannot grow old in Salem's Lot
He wants to leave his current living situation


So here I go, is my shot
This is his chance


Feet, fail me not, this may be the only opportunity that I got
He can't fail, this may be his only chance


You can do anything you set your mind to, man
You are capable of achieving anything you try for




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeffrey Irwin Bass, Marshall B Mathers, Luis Edgardo Resto

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions