Without Me

The song was Eminem's return after the successful The Marshall Mathers LP, intended as a sequel to "The Real Slim Shady" and essentially saying that he is back to save the world. It also refers to Eminem's role in the music industry and his cultural effects. The song mocks a number of Eminem's critics, including Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney, the FCC and MTV, Chris Kirkpatrick, as well as lampooning comparisons of Eminem to Elvis Presley as a Caucasian succeeding commercially in a predominantly African-American art form. A line in the song also attacks his own mother Debbie Mathers for the lawsuit she filed against him for the lyrics of his debut single "My Name Is". The opening lyric "Two trailer park girls go round the outside" is based on the single "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McLaren, while the introduction which is spoken by Obie Trice "Obie Trice, real name no gimmicks." is sampled from his own track "Rap Name". The round the outside lyric could be considered a subliminal diss to Canibus, who used a similar line in Box Cutta Blade Runna, released on "C! True Hollywood Stories" which makes numerous disses against Eminem. A sample from the track, the phrase "nobody listens to techno", became an underground techno bootleg anthem produced by Deep Dish and Danny Howells under the alias Size DDD (Deep Dish Danny). The song was played by many well-known DJs to satirize the claim. The song was also parodied on All That, a skit show on Nickelodeon, as "Without Meat". It was also parodied on MADtv, a skit show on FOX, as "Whats on TV?". In the second verse a line samples the intro from "The Real Slim Shady". The background saxophone riff was sampled for Drunkenmunky's 2002 club hit "E" (help·info). Some of the lyrics are altered on the clean version, such as "This is about to get heavy" also "Jiggle your hips" is placed to get rid of a sexually explicit remark in the 1st verse.

[Intro: Obie Trice] Obie Trice, real name, no gimmicks Ra—, *record scratch* [Refrain 1: Eminem] Two trailer-park girls go 'round the outside 'Round the outside, 'round the outside Two trailer-park girls go 'round the outside 'Round the outside, 'round the outside Woo! (Ooh, ooh) [Refrain 2: Eminem] Guess who's back, back again? Shady's back, tell a friend Guess who's back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? (Da-da-da, da, da, da, da, da, da) (Da-da-da, da, da, da, da) [Verse 1: Eminem] I've created a monster 'Cause nobody wants to see Marshall no more, they want Shady, I'm chopped liver Well, if you want Shady, this what I'll give ya A little bit of weed mixed with some hard liquor Some vodka that'll jump-start my heart quicker Than a shock when I get shocked at the hospital By the doctor when I'm not cooperating When I'm rockin' the table while he's operating (Hey!) You waited this long, now stop debating 'Cause I'm back, I'm on the rag and ovulating I know that you got a job, Ms. Cheney But your husband's heart problem's complicating So the FCC won't let me be Or let me be me, so let me see They tried to shut me down on MTV But it feels so empty without me So come on and dip, bum on your lips Fuck that, cum on your lips and some on your tits And get ready, 'cause this shit's about to get heavy I just settled all my lawsuits (Fuck you, Debbie!) [Chorus: Eminem] Now this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me I said this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me [Verse 2: Eminem] Little hellions, kids feeling rebellious Embarrassed, their parents still listen to Elvis They start feelin' like prisoners, helpless 'Til someone comes along on a mission and yells, "Bitch!" A visionary, vision is scary Could start a revolution, pollutin' the airwaves A rebel, so just let me revel and bask In the fact that I got everyone kissin' my ass And it's a disaster, such a catastrophe For you to see so damn much of my ass, you asked for me? Well, I'm back, da-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na Fix your bent antenna, tune it in, and then I'm gonna Enter in and up under your skin like a splinter The center of attention, back for the winter I'm interesting, the best thing since wrestling Infesting in your kid's ears and nesting Testing, "Attention, please" Feel the tension soon as someone mentions me Here's my ten cents, my two cents is free A nuisance, who sent? You sent for me? [Chorus: Eminem] Now this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me I said this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me [Verse 3: Eminem] A tisket, a tasket, I'll go tit-for-tat wit' Anybody who's talkin', "This shit, that shit" Chris Kirkpatrick, you can get your ass kicked Worse than them little Limp Bizkit bastards And Moby? You can get stomped by Obie You thirty-six-year-old bald-headed fag, blow me You don't know me, you're too old, let go It's over, nobody listens to techno Now let's go, just give me the signal I'll be there with a whole list full of new insults I've been dope, suspenseful with a pencil Ever since Prince turned himself into a symbol But sometimes the shit just seems Everybody only wants to discuss me So this must mean I'm disgusting But it's just me, I'm just obscene (Yeah) Though I'm not the first king of controversy I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley To do Black music so selfishly And use it to get myself wealthy (Hey!) There's a concept that works Twenty million other white rappers emerge But no matter how many fish in the sea It'd be so empty without me [Chorus: Eminem] Now this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me I said this looks like a job for me So everybody, just follow me 'Cause we need a little controversy 'Cause it feels so empty without me [Outro: Eminem] Hum, dei-dei, la-la La-la, la-la-la La-la, la-la-la La-la, la-la Hum, dei-dei, la-la La-la, la-la-la La-la, la-la-la La-la, la-la Kids!