Album: Relapse
Artist: Eminem
Title: Beautiful
Track: Track 17
Writers: Andy Hill, Don Black, Jeff Bass, Luis Resto & Eminem
Produced by: Eminem
Release date: May 15, 2009
About the song:
This is mainly a song about depression, but by the end of the track, Eminem expresses optimism and hope for the future.
Considered by both fans and critics as the strongest song on Relapse. This song had begun to be written while he was still in rehab:
There’s only one song on the record that I produced. It’s a track called ’Beautiful,’” [Eminem] said in [Vibe’s June 2009] issue. “And one of the only reasons that I put that track on there is that I feel like it’s the best song out of that batch that I did when I wasn’t sober. At the time I felt like, ’This is it for me.’ I wrote the first verse and a half in rehab, and when I came out, I finished it. It was the only song that marks that period without bringing me back to that place. Every other track not only didn’t fit with the album, but when I listened to it, it would bring up bad memories.
— Eminem for MTV
(read more)
Beautiful Lyrics
[Intro: Paul Rodgers]
Lately I’ve been hard to reach
I’ve been too long on my own
Everybody has a private world where they can be alone
Are you calling me?
Are you tryin’ to get through?
Are you reaching out for me?
I’m reaching out for you
[Verse 1: Eminem]
I’m just so fucking depressed
I just can’t seem to get out this slump
If I could just get over this hump
But I need something to pull me out this dump
I took my bruises, took my lumps
Fell down then I got right back up
But I need that spark to get psyched back up
In order for me to pick the mic back up
I don’t know how or why or when
I ended up in this position I’m in
I’m starting to feel distant again
So I decided just to pick this pen
Up and try to make an attempt
To vent, but I just can’t admit
Or come to grips with the fact that
I may be done with rap, I need a new outlet
And I know some shit’s so hard to swallow
But I just can’t sit back and wallow
In my own sorrow, but I know one fact:
I’ll be one tough act to follow
One tough act to follow
I’ll be one tough act to follow
Here today, gone tomorrow
But you’d have to walk a thousand miles—
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
In my shoes, just to see
What it’s like to be me
I’ll be you, let’s trade shoes
Just to see what it’d be like to
Feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each other’s minds
Just to see what we find
Look at shit through each other’s eyes
[Chorus: Eminem]
But don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
Don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
[Verse 2: Eminem]
I think I’m startin’ to lose my sense of humor
Everything’s so tense and gloom
I almost feel like I gotta check the temperature
Of the room, just as soon as
I walk in, it’s like all eyes on me
So I try to avoid any eye contact
‘Cause if I do that, then it opens a door
For conversation like I want that
I’m not lookin’ for extra attention
I just wanna be just like you
Blend in with the rest of the room
Maybe just point me to the closest restroom
I don’t need no fuckin’ man servant
Tryna follow me around and wipe my ass
Laugh at every single joke I crack
And half of ’em ain’t even funny, like, “Ha!
Marshall, you’re so funny, man
You should be a comedian, goddamn!”
Unfortunately I am
I just hide behind the tears of a clown
So why don’t you all sit down?
Listen to the tale I’m about to tell
Hell, we don’t gotta trade our shoes
And you ain’t gotta walk no thousand miles—
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
In my shoes, just to see
What it’s like to be me
I’ll be you, let’s trade shoes
Just to see what it’d be like to
Feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each other’s minds
Just to see what we find
Look at shit through each other’s eyes
[Chorus: Eminem]
But don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
Don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
[Verse 3: Eminem]
Nobody asked for life to deal us
With these bullshit hands we’re dealt
We gotta take these cards ourselves
And flip ’em, don’t expect no help
Now, I could’ve either just sat
On my ass and pissed and moaned
Or take this situation in which I’m placed in
And get up and get my own
I was never the type of kid
To wait by the door and pack his bags
And sat on the porch and hoped and prayed
For a dad to show up who never did
I just wanted to fit in
In every single place, every school I went
I dreamed of being that cool kid
Even if it meant actin’ stupid
Aunt Edna always told me:
“Keep making that face, it’ll get stuck like that.”
Meanwhile, I’m just standin’ there
Holdin’ my tongue, tryin’ to talk like this
‘Til I stuck my tongue on that frozen
Stop sign pole at eight-years-old
I learned my lesson then, ’cause I wasn’t
Tryin’ to impress my friends no mo’
But I already told you my whole life story
Not just based on my description
‘Cause where you see it from where you’re sittin’
It’s probably a 110% different
I guess we would have to walk a
Mile in each other’s shoes at least
What size you wear? I wear 10’s
Let’s see if you can fit your feet—
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
In my shoes, just to see
What it’s like to be me
I’ll be you, let’s trade shoes
Just to see what it’d be like to
Feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each other’s minds
Just to see what we find
Look at shit through each other’s eyes
[Chorus: Eminem]
But don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
Don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful, oh
They can all get fucked, just stay true to you, so
[Bridge: Paul Rodgers, Eminem]
Lately I’ve been hard to reach
I’ve been too long on my own (Oh)
Everybody has a private world
Where they can be alone (So)
Are you calling me?
Are you tryin’g to get through? (Oh)
Are you reaching out for me?
I’m reaching out for you (So)
[Outro: Eminem]
Yeah
To my babies:
Stay strong
Your Dad’ll be home soon
And to the rest of the world:
God gave you shoes
To fit you
So put ’em on and wear ’em
Be yourself, man
Be proud of who you are
Even if it sounds corny
Don’t never let no one tell you
You ain’t beautiful (So-oh-oh-oh-oh)