Deja Vu by Eminem Lyrics Meaning – An Exploration into the Artist’s Intimate Battle with Addiction
Lyrics
Possible overdose, substance unknown
Pulse is 60 and thready, respiration’s eight
He’s intubated and we’re bagging him now
Uh, BP 90 over palp, patient is cool, pale, and diaphoretic
Has aspirated, uh, GSC is 3
Will update en route, ETA, ten minutes
As I fall deeper into a manic state
I’m a prime candidate for the gene to receive the drug addict trait
Blood pressure climbs at a dramatic rate
I seem to gravitate to the bottle of NyQuil then I salivate
Start off with the NyQuil, like, “I think I’ll just have a taste”
Couple of sips of that then I gradually graduate
To a harder prescription drug called Valium, like, “Yeah, that’s great”
I go to just take one and I end up like having eight
Now I need something in my stomach ’cause I haven’t ate
Maybe I’ll grab a plate of nachos and I’ll have a steak
And you’d think that with all I have at stake
Look at my daughter’s face
“Mommy, something is wrong with dad I think
He’s acting weird again, he’s really beginning to scare me
Won’t shave his beard again and he pretends he doesn’t hear me
And all he does is eat Doritos and Cheetos
And he just fell asleep in his car eating 3 Musketeers in the rear seat”
Sometimes I feel so alone, I just don’t know
Feels like I been down this road before
So lonely and cold, it’s like something takes over me
As soon as I go home and close the door
Kinda feels like déjà vu
I wanna get away from this place, I do
But I can’t and I won’t, say I try, but I know that’s a lie
‘Cause I don’t and why, I just don’t know
“Maybe just a nice cold brew, what’s a beer?”
That’s the devil in my ear, I’ve been sober a fuckin’ year
And that fucker still talks to me, he’s all I can fuckin’ hear
“Marshall, come on, we’ll watch the game
It’s the Cowboys and Buccaneers”
And maybe if I just drink half, I’ll be half-buzzed
For half of the time, who’s the mastermind behind that little line?
With that kind of rationale, man, I got half a mind
To have another half a glass of wine, sounds asinine
Yeah, I know, but I never had no problem with alcohol
Ouch, look out for the wall, aim for the couch, I’m ’bout to fall
I miss the couch and down I go, lookin’ like a bouncy ball
Shit must’ve knocked me out ’cause I ain’t feel the ground at all
Wow, what the fuck happened last night? Where am I?
Man, fuck, am I hungover, and goddamn, I
Got a headache, shit, half a Vicodin, why can’t I?
All systems ready for take off, please stand by
Sometimes I feel so alone, I just don’t know
Feels like I been down this road before
So lonely and cold, it’s like something takes over me
As soon as I go home and close the door
Kinda feels like déjà vu
I wanna get away from this place, I do
But I can’t and I won’t, say I try, but I know that’s a lie
‘Cause I don’t and why, I just don’t know
So I take a Vicodin, splash, it hits my stomach, then, ah
Couple of weeks go by, it ain’t even like I’m gettin’ high
Now I need it just not to feel sick, yeah, I’m gettin’ by
Wouldn’t even be taking this shit if DeShaun didn’t die
Oh yeah, there’s an excuse, you lose Proof so you use
There’s new rules, it’s cool if it’s helpin’ you to get through
It’s twelve noon, ain’t no harm in self-inducin’ a snooze
What else is new? Fuck it, what would Elvis do in your shoes?
Now here I am three months later, full-blown relapse
“Just get high until the kids get home from school, homes, relax”
And since I’m convinced that I’m an insomniac
I need these pills to be able to sleep, so I take three naps
Just to be able to function throughout the day, let’s see
That’s an Ambien each nap, how many Valium? Three?
And that will average out to about one good hour’s sleep
Okay, so now ya see the reason how come he
Has taken four years to just put out an album, B
See, me and you, we almost had the same outcome, Heath
‘Cause that Christmas, you know the whole pneumonia thing?
It was bologna, was it the methadone, ya think?
Or the hydrocodone you hide inside your pornos?
Your VCR tape cases, with your Ambien CR
Great places to hide ’em, ain’t it? So you can lie to Hailie
I’m going beddy-bye, Whitney, baby, good night, Alaina
Go in the room and shut the bedroom door
And wake up in an ambulance
They said they found me on the bathroom floor, damn
Sometimes I feel so alone, I just don’t know
Feels like I been down this road before
So lonely and cold, it’s like something takes over me
As soon as I go home and close the door
Kinda feels like déjà vu
I wanna get away from this place, I do
But I can’t and I won’t, say I try, but I know that’s a lie
‘Cause I don’t and why, I just don’t know
Eminem’s haunting track ‘Deja Vu’ off the 2009 album ‘Relapse’ is a raw and unflinching journey into the rapper’s battle with drug dependency. Told with chilling honesty and a visceral detail that Eminem is revered for, the song serves as both a confession and a cry for help, encapsulating the cyclical nature of addiction.
Unpacking the layers of this introspective anthem not only shines a light on Eminem’s personal demons, but also addresses a broader conversation about mental health, substance abuse, and the tribulations of recovery.
The Heartbeat of the Song: A First-Hand Experience With Addiction
The track opens with paramedics reporting an overdose, setting the somber tone of the song. What follows is Eminem’s firsthand narrative of his descent into addiction, characterized by a gradual but unstoppable progression from seemingly benign medications to more dangerous prescriptions.
The vicious cycle is palpably rendered through the music’s rhythm and Eminem’s delivery, drawing listeners into the manic state that he describes. This isn’t just storytelling; this is a retelling of lived experience with each verse punctuating the relentless tug-of-war between Eminem and his cravings.
Underneath the Surface: Unveiling the Song’s Hidden Meaning
Beneath the stark recounting of drug abuse, ‘Deja Vu’ features a profound exploration of vulnerability and pressure. The artist portrays not just the physical throes of addiction but also the emotional and psychological toll it takes. Eminem’s references to family and his daughter add layers of complexity, showing how addiction ripples out to affect loved ones.
The song is also a commentary on the often overlooked reality of how addiction can affect anyone, even someone as successful as Eminem. In revealing his own susceptibility, he challenges the stereotype of the untouchable celebrity.
The Dance with Temptation: Beer as a Gateway
One of ‘Deja Vu’s’ more cunning lyrical moments is the contemplation of a beer – ‘what’s a beer?’ Eminem muses, suggesting both the banality and the gravity of the moment of choice. This internal dialogue illuminates the ever-present nature of temptation and contemplates the significance of seemingly small decisions in the broader context of addiction recovery.
Eminem personifies his addiction as the devil in his ear, a perpetually seductive voice, symbolizing the daily battles faced by those struggling to maintain sobriety.
Eminem’s Lyrical Genius: Memorable Lines that Echo the Struggle
Lines like ‘And all he does is eat Doritos and Cheetos, and he just fell asleep in his car eating 3 Musketeers in the rear seat’ are evidence of Eminem’s prowess in translating the chaotic and mundane realities of addiction into compelling music. Every verse is laden with impactful words that paint a picture of his struggle.
These lines are not just memorable for their raw honesty; they serve to break down the listener’s barrier, beckoning them into a space of empathy and understanding.
The Poignant Refrain: ‘I just don’t know’
The chorus of ‘Deja Vu’ is a powerful testament to the confusion and loneliness that embodies Eminem’s condition. The repetition of ‘I just don’t know’ underscores the uncertainty and helplessness that addiction fosters, resonating with anyone who has faced similar battles.
By ending the refrain with this admission of perplexity, Eminem encapsulates the essence of ‘Deja Vu’: a relentless cycle of behavior that the sufferer understands is destructive but, tragically, feels powerless to escape.
