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Stay Wide Awake
Eminem
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
20
End
292
Internal
103
Multi
271
Slant
9
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Pre-Chorus]
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
[Chorus]
(Stay wide awake)✦ A world so dark, 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)✦
[Verse 2]
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 bitin'✦ me, he's laughing like it's funny"✦
She's scrapin'✦ me, she's fightin' me, she's scratching like some dumb freak
Escapin'✦ me, no dice, ya see, I might just be Ted Bundy✦
Or Satan,✦ gee, what a sight 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 me 'cause I'm dancin'✦ to quite a different drum beat
[Pre-Chorus]
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
[Chorus]
(Stay wide awake)✦ A world so dark, 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)✦
[Verse 3]
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 of day 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 ya figure✦ out I was down in your basement? Now ya
Musta✦ 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 ya 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 Hutt, beddy-bye-bye,✦ beddy-bye-bye,✦ it's time to die-die
Ought to not even✦ bother✦ to scream, it don't even✦ matter✦
Amazing when grazin'✦ skin with these razor blades✦ he waves✦ at ya
Not ya everyday Damien,✦ bathe 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
Fun to 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
[Pre-Chorus]
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
[Chorus]
(Stay wide awake)✦ A world so dark, 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,✦ stay wide awake)✦
Technical Breakdown
8.5
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm8.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.52
Production
— Dr. DreBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Eminem utilizes an obsessive, relentless multisyllabic rhyme scheme to simulate the frantic, predatory mindset of a serial killer, turning the technical density into a narrative tool.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
8.5
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
9
Delivery
Multisyllabic chainingAssonance-heavy internal rhymingNarrative pacing through rhyme densityPhonetic mirroring
Rhyme Architecture: A dense, continuous AAAA rhyme structure utilizing 'ee' vowel sounds that persists throughout the entire verse, building tension through forced repetition.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"vacancy in my tummy"
① Physical hunger② A void or lack of humanity representing his sociopathic nature
"I might just be Ted Bundy"
① A direct comparison to the serial killer's methodology② The climax of the rhyme scheme, where the 'ee' sound finally resolves into the name of a notorious predator
Masterful use of rhyme as a structural constraint to mirror obsessive behavior
Exceptional breath control implied by the rapid-fire internal rhyming
High-tension narrative arc that builds from introspection to full-blown depiction of violence
Subject matter leans heavily into shock value over lyrical depth
Vocabulary choices are occasionally sacrificed for the sake of the 'ee' rhyme lock