1. Stan (Fourth Verse) The Marshall Mathers LP
Of course it had to end here and of course any one of the four verses could be selected for analysis this is, after all, arguably the best rap song of all time and undoubtedly Eminems masterpiece. The anxious yet composed opening verse, the edgier and more incensed second, the explosively tragic third and the oblivious finale are as equally important to Stan as the classical elements of earth, fire, air and water, so taking one individually is no easy task. The perfect summary of the song, perhaps, is its fourth verse, as it goes through the details of the story without falling into a formulaic or familiar retelling, beautifully articulated in Marshalls most penetrable vocal deliveries and perfectly timed to lead up to that unforgettable final line. To those who have ever doubted Eminems morals and use songs like Kim as evidence, see this tender stanza to see the real Slim Shady the most honest verse ever to leave his lips.
Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner but I 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 a Starter cap I'm sorry I didn't see you at the show, I musta missed you Don't think I did that sh*t intentionally just to diss you But what's this sh*t you said about you like to cut your wrists too I say that sh*t just clowning dog, come on, how f*cked up is you You got some issues Stan, I think you need some counseling To help your ass from bouncing off the walls when you get down some And what's this sh*t about us meant to be together That type of sh*t'll 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'll be doing just fine If you relax a little, I'm glad 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 sh*t I seen this one sh*t 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 they didn't say who it was to Come to think about it, his name was it was you... damn
Like this article? Which verses should we have included? Let us know in the comments section below.
A mythical hedonist, a chronic solipsist, a poet armed with a mouth full of adjectives, a brain full of adverbs and a box full of laxatives. Writing words in a language that isn't real to impress people that I invented since The Big Bang.
