Stay Wide Awake by Eminem Lyrics Meaning – Peering into the Shadows of the Human Psyche
Lyrics
Follow me (follow me)
Come with me to the dark side of the force
No man would boldly go to this place
The devil only knows of this world
So dark and, oh, so cold, it’s, oh, so cold
Oh, so cold, oh
Soon as my flow starts
I compose art like the ghost of Mozart
Even though they all say that they’re real, I know that most aren’t
Boy, you think you’re clever, don’t ya? Girl, you think you’re so smart?
Come with me to another side in a world so cold and so dark
A world so dark (stay wide awake)
A world so cold
A world where only some will go (stay wide awake)
But none return, when will they learn?
Where do they go? God only knows
(Stay wide awake)
Fe-fi-fo-fum
I think I smell the scent of a placenta
I enter Central Park, it’s dark, it’s winter in December
I see my target, put my car in park, and approach a tender
Young girl by the name of Brenda, and I pretend to befriend her
Sit down beside her like a spider, hi there, girl, you mighta
Heard of me before, see, whore, you’re the kinda girl that I’d
Assault and rape and figure why not try to make your pussy wider
Fuck you with an umbrella, then open it up while the shit’s inside ya
I’m the kind of guy that’s mild but I might flip and get a little bit wilder
Impregnate a lesbian, yeah, now let’s see her have triplets and I’ll
Disintegrate them babies as soon as they’re out her with formalda-
Hide and cyanide, girl, you can try and hide, you can try to scream louder
No need for no gun powder, that only takes all the fun outta
Murderin’, I’d rather go vrim-vrim, and now you see just how the
Fuck I do just what I do when I cut right through your scalp, uh
Shit, wait a minute, I mean skull, my knife seems dull
Pull another one out, uh
Soon as my flow starts
I compose art like the ghost of Mozart
Even though they all say that they’re real, I know that most aren’t
Boy, you think you’re clever, don’t ya? Girl, you think you’re so smart?
Come with me to another side in a world so cold and so dark
A world so dark (stay wide awake)
A world so cold
A world where only some will go (stay wide awake)
But none return, when will they learn?
Where do they go? God only knows
(Stay wide awake)
So dark and so cold, my friends don’t know this other side of me
There’s a monster inside of me, it’s quite ugly and it frightens me
But they can’t see what I can see, there’s a vacancy in my tummy
It’s makin’ me play hide-and-seek like Jason, I’m so hungry
She’s naked, see, no privacy, but I can see she wants me
So patient, see, I try to be, but gee, why does she taunt me?
Pulls the drapes and she goes right to sleep
And I creep right through the front, see
So blatantly, but silently ’cause I know that she’s sound ‘sleep
“Who’s wakin’ me so violently, and why’s he on top of me?
“He’s rapin’ me,” she tries to scream, “Somebody please get him off me
He’s tapin’ me, he’s biting me, he’s laughing likes it’s funny”
She’s scrapin’ me, she’s fightin’ me, she’s scratching like some dumb freak
Escapin’ me, no dice, you see, I might just be Ted Bundy
Or Satan, gee, what a site to see, I’m dancin’ in my red panties
I’m crazy, but it’s alright with me, man, life can be so empty
Stay away from ’cause I’m dancin’ to quite a different drum beat
Soon as my flow starts
I compose art like the ghost of Mozart
Even though they all say that they’re real, I know that most aren’t
Boy, you think you’re clever, don’t ya? Girl, you think you’re so smart?
Come with me to another side in a world so cold and so dark
A world so dark (stay wide awake)
A world so cold
A world where only some will go (stay wide awake)
But none return, when will they learn?
Where do they go? God only knows
(Stay wide awake)
Better try to stay wide awake or you might end up found dead by the lake
Soon as you lay me down to sleep, bitch, your soul I’ma try to take
Pray for light today right away, why do they try to fight today?
I must make them pay twice as much, might as well put the knife away
Now I use power tools, how ’bout now, are you in the shower?
Scour you for six hours ’til outage of power outlets
How did you figure out I was down in your basement? Now ya
Must’ve just heard the sound of my stomach growlin’ from down there
Prowler, there’s no one fouler, bound ya, that’s how they found ya
Face down in the tub, I drown you with piles of downers around ya
Such nostalgia and power, such prowess, look how you cower
Jump out on you now like I was a Jawa from fuckin’ Star Wars
Jabba the Hut, biddy-bye-bye, biddy-bye-bye, it’s time to die-die
Ought to not even bother to scream, it don’t even matter
Amazing when grazing skin with these razor blades he waves at ya
Not your everyday Damien, bath me in holy water
Nothing like Son of Sam, so please understand there’s no gun in hand
Where’s the thrill in the hunt? There’s no fun in that, here I come with axe
Once I act like lumberjack when I’m hackin’ ’em up with that
What was that? Dial 9-1-1, someone’s comin’ in from the back
Soon as my flow starts
I compose art like the ghost of Mozart
Even though they all say that they’re real, I know that most aren’t
Boy, you think you’re clever, don’t ya? Girl, you think you’re so smart?
Come with me to another side in a world so cold and so dark
A world so dark (stay wide awake)
A world so cold
A world where only some will go (stay wide awake)
But none return, when will they learn?
Where do they go? God only knows
(Stay wide awake)
(Stay wide awake)
Eminem’s ‘Stay Wide Awake’, a track from his 2009 album ‘Relapse’, is a labyrinth of morbid narratives and lyrical prowess that dives headfirst into the darkest corners of the human mind. The song is a hallucinatory tableau where Eminem, adopting the persona of a deranged predator, navigates a chilling landscape of psychological horror and violence.
Through this grim tour de force, Eminem conjures a menacing soundscape, punctuated by his characteristic sharp wit and a flow that’s as intricate as it is relentless. There’s a depth to this song that goes beyond its shock value, encapsulating broader themes of fear, self-reflection, and the artist’s own struggles with his inner demons.
A Voyage into Darkness: Eminem’s Descent
Eminem isn’t just rapping; he’s conducting a guided tour through an infernal region of his consciousness. The desolate realms he explores in ‘Stay Wide Awake’ serve as a metaphor for the unvisited and often neglected parts of one’s psyche. His flow, described as a composition of art equal to Mozart’s ghost, validates his mastery in crafting intricate lyrical webs, trapping listeners into the depth of his narrative.
The opening lines set the tone—inviting the listener to ‘follow me’ to the ‘dark side of the force.’ This isn’t merely a Star Wars reference; it’s an understanding that by delving into the shadows, one confronts the uncomfortable truths that daytime rationality often keeps at bay.
Summoning Demons: The Metaphor of Madness
Eminem’s graphic depictions of violence and derangement in ‘Stay Wide Awake’ are stark and unapologetic. It’s a harrowing stream of consciousness, where his alter ego marauds through scenes so vile and haunting they dare listeners to look away. Yet, these descriptions serve a double entendre—not just as explicit content but as allegorical representations of fighting inner turmoil and succumbing to one’s basest instincts.
As the song tiptoes on the tightrope between creativity and insanity, Eminem uses the monstrous imagery to shine a light on the inner beast that he—and perhaps we all—battle. It’s a gruesome representation of human depravity and the potential for evil that exists within everyone.
Lyrical Mastery: The Pen That Bleeds
Amid the darkness, a shining beacon of Eminem’s talent as a wordsmith is unmistakable. ‘Stay Wide Awake’ is replete with complex internal rhymes, multi-layered puns, and sophisticated wordplay that challenges even the most adept rap enthusiasts. His pen bleeds not just with the ink of a writer but with the macabre ink of Edgar Allan Poe’s quill—a hieroglyphic transcription of nightmares.
At the heart of the track lay lines that provoke a morbid curiosity and unsettling intrigue. Eminem offers no respite as he prowls through each verse with meticulous care for rhythm and narrative, wrapping his sinister tales in a virtuoso linguistic performance.
The Unsettling Core: What Lies Beneath ‘Stay Wide Awake’
Beyond the shock tactics and the violent imagery, ‘Stay Wide Awake’ is a confrontation of the artist’s own struggles with addiction and the looming specter of relapse. The song is a chilling reminder that our nightmares are sometimes self-made, embodiments of the fears we harbor about losing control and surrendering to our darker selves.
Eminem’s articulation of this battle is as much an exorcism of personal demons as it is a reflection on the universal human condition. Through the twisted journey, listeners are forced to grapple with the concept of evil—both outward and inward—and to examine the struggles inherent in the human experience.
Memorable Lines That Haunt and Challenge
The track’s refrain—’Stay wide awake’—is both a dire warning and a cryptic admonition. It’s as if Eminem is challenging the listener to remain vigilant and conscious not just of the darkness without but also of the darkness within. Memorable lines such as ‘Fe-fi-fo-fum / I think I smell the scent of a placenta’ arrest our senses, crippling our comfort zones.
These lines, while disturbing, remain etched in memory, inviting a deeper examination of their meaning and of Eminem’s intentions. Far from mindless provocation, each word serves as a deliberate stroke on the canvas of a grand macabre masterpiece designed to unsettle and provoke introspection.
