The Lyrics to Eminem’s ‘Stan’: How Will They Be Sung on TV?

Eminem will be joined by Elton John on the Grammy telecast tonight to perform “Stan,” the most critically acclaimed track from the “The Marshall Mathers LP,” a contender for best album.

The song is structured as a series of letters--three written by an obsessed Eminem fan named Stan, the fourth a response from the rapper. John will sing the chorus, which was performed on the recording by British singer Dido.

Eminem has performed a “clean” version of the song on television before with minor wording changes to excise obscenities, and he may follow that course on the Grammys live broadcast. Here are the lyrics to the original recording.

(CHORUS)

My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all

the morning rain clouds up my window and I can’t see at all

And even if I could it’d all be gray, but your picture on my wall

it reminds me that it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad

My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all

the morning rain clouds up my window and I can’t see at all

And even if I could it’d all be gray, but your picture on my wall

it reminds me that it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad

(VERSE)

Dear Slim, I wrote you but you still ain’t callin’

I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom

I sent two letters back in autumn

You must not have got ‘em

It probably was a problem at the post office or somethin’

Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot ‘em

But anyways, (expletive) it, what’s been up man, how’s your daughter?

My girlfriend’s pregnant too, I’m out to be a father

If I have a daughter, guess what I’m-a call her? I’m-a name her Bonnie

I read about your uncle Ronnie too, I’m sorry

I had a friend kill himself over some (expletive) who didn’t want him

I know you probably hear this every day, but I’m your biggest fan

I even got the underground (expletive) that you did with Skam

I got a room full of your posters and your pictures, man

I like the (expletive) you did with Ruckus too, that (expletive) was fat

Anyways, I hope you get this man, hit me back, just to chat

Truly yours, your biggest fan, this is Stan

(Repeat background chorus)

Dear Slim, you still ain’t called or wrote, I hope you have the chance

I ain’t mad, I just think it’s (expletive) you don’t answer fans

If you didn’t want to talk to me outside your concert you didn’t have to

but you could have signed an autograph for Matthew

That’s my little brother, man. He’s only 6 years old

We waited in the blistering cold for you for four hours and ya just said no

That’s pretty (expletive) man, you’re like his (expletive) idol

He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do

I ain’t that mad, but I just don’t like bein’ lied to

Remember when we met in Denver, you said if I write you

You would write back. See, I’m just like you in a way

I never knew my father neither

He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her

I can relate to what you’re sayin’ in your songs

So when I have a (expletive) day, I drift away and put ‘em on

Cause I don’t really got (expletive) else, so that (expletive) helps when I’m depressed

I even got a tattoo with your name across the chest

Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds

It’s like adrenaline. The pain is such a sudden rush for me

See, everything you say is real, and I respect you ‘cause you tell it

My girlfriend’s jealous ‘cause I talk about you 24/7

But she don’t know you like I know you, Slim, no one does

She don’t know what it was like for people like us growing up

You’ve gotta call me, man. I’ll be the biggest fan you’ll ever lose

Sincerely yours, Stan. PS: We should be together too

(Repeat background chorus)

Dear Mister “I’m too good to call or write my fans”

This’ll be the last package I ever send your (expletive)

It’s been six months and still no word. I don’t deserve it?

I know you got my last two letters, I wrote the addresses on ‘em perfect

So this is my cassette I’m sending you. I hope you hear it

I’m in the car right now. I’m doing 90 on the freeway

Hey Slim, I drank a fifth of vodka, ya dare me to drive?

You know that song by Phil Collins from “The Air in the Night”?

About that guy who could have saved that other guy from drowning?

But didn’t? Then Phil saw it all then at his show he found him?

That’s kinda how this is. You could have rescued me from drowning

Now it’s too late. I’m on a thousand downers now, I’m drowsy

And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call

I hope you know I ripped all o’ your pictures off the wall

I love you Slim, we could have been together. Think about it

You ruined it now, I hope when you can’t sleep and you dream about it

And when you dream, I hope you can’t sleep and you scream about it

I hope your conscience eats at you and you can’t breathe without me

See Slim, (Screaming) Shut up (expletive), I’m trying to talk

Hey Slim, that’s my girlfriend screaming in the trunk

But I didn’t slit her throat, I just tied her up, see I ain’t like you

‘Cause if she suffocates, she’ll suffer more, and then she’ll die too

Well, gotta go, I’m almost at the bridge now

Oh (expletive), I forgot, how am I supposed to send this (expletive) out?

(Screeching tires, crashing sounds, car splashes into the water)

Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner, but I’ve just been busy

You said your girlfriend’s pregnant now, how far along is she?

Look, I’m really flattered you would call your daughter that

And here’s an autograph for your brother: I wrote it on your Starter cap

I’m sorry I didn’t see you at the show, I must have missed you

Don’t think I did that (expletive) intentionally, just to diss you

And what’s this (expletive) you said about you like to cut your wrists too?

I say that (expletive) just clownin’ dawg, c’mon, how (expletive) is you?

You got some issues, Stan, I think you need some counselin’

To help your (expletive) from bouncin’ off the walls when you get down some

And what’s this (expletive) about us meant to be together?

That type of (expletive) will make me not want us to meet each other

I really think you and your girlfriend need each other

Or maybe you just need to treat her better

I hope you get to read this letter

I just hope it reaches you in time

Before you hurt yourself, I think that you’d be doin’ just fine

If you’d relax a little. I’m glad that I inspire you, but Stan

Why are you so mad? Try to understand that I do want you as a fan

I just don’t want you to do some crazy (expletive).

I seen this one (expletive) on the news a couple weeks ago that made me sick

Some dude was drunk and drove his car over a bridge

And had his girlfriend in the trunk and she was pregnant with his kid

And in the car they found a tape but it didn’t say who it was to

Come to think about it . . . his name was--it was you. Damn.