When I'm Gone

Album

Single

Label

Shady Records

Genre

Conscious hip hop

Composer(s)

Marshall Mathers;Luis Resto

Entered Chart

Nov 26, 2005

Peak Date

Dec 17, 2005

Released

December 6, 2005

Recorded

March 2004

Catalog #

Shady/Aftermath 006085

This song is Eminem's way of telling his fans that he has to go eventually, that he's afraid of losing his daughter Hailie, and he wants to have a normal life with his daughter and wife. He's telling us not to be sad that he is going to go, and that he's always thinking of his fans and his family. >> In the line, "Take another pill, yeah I bet you you will" Eminem is quoting Hailie. This refers to his stay at rehab for his dependency on sleeping pills. >>

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