The original post: /r/music by /u/Foreign_While8755 on 2024-09-12 15:28:45.
Stay Wide Awake
So when I write this, keep in mind there is no structure, there is nothing but my perspective here…
Not only is ‘Relapse’ an underrated album within Eminem’s discography, but within the music world/rap game in general. We can use "Stay Wide Awake’ as an example of an inanely creative and technical piece drenched with introspective lyricism covered in an intentional cadence blinding it from the audience. The song is hard as fuck.
“Come with me to the dark side of the force:”
This line, delivered with hard hitting unseriousness which can bring some into the headspace of a psychotic, drug infiltrated mental, setting the stage for this song.
Chorus: “(Stay wide awake) A world so dark, a world so coldA 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)”
Whether you’re someone who has struggled with an addiction to psychoactive drugs, this chorus is a hard hitting resemblance and/or revelation to the dark side of your mind. Not that in the state you act (extremely) crazy, but you tap into that person, making that possible. It can get scary and truly are you never able to forget that.
“I’m the kind of guy that’s mild but I might flip and get a little bit wilder”
Eminem speaking on the uncertainty of the psychotic mind, where control becomes less easily managed and perhaps only supervised by oneself. There is duality here between not only the world Mild and Wild in the first letters, but the meanings as well. They are about exact opposites.
“So dark and so cold, my friends don’t know this other side of meThere’s a monster inside of me, it’s quite ugly and it frightens meBut they can’t see what I can see, there’s a vacancy in my tummyIt’s makin’ me play hide-and-seek”
Even this person inside is hidden from Marshalls closest friends. Do you have a psychotic side you show to no one? One that frightens you with the possibilities that you discover? A vacancy.
STAY WIDE AWAKE.