The Flowtation Device presents: Eminem's "Lose Yourself" verse 3 (EXPLICIT LYRIX)

In case you haven't been sufficiently encouraged to lose yourself, here's the final clarion call, the piece de resistance, the part that demonstrates not just Eminem's facility with the words, but his ability to shape those words into forms and structures. There are four distinct areas in this verse, each with its own rhythm and rhyme scheme. I've colored them differently, and I hope to high heaven they show up when I post this.

A couple random items. In his review of the Marshall Mathers LP (which does NOT contain "Lose Yourself"), Toure said Eminem "is, simply, better than any other MC in hip-hop except for Jay-Z." (What makes Jay-Z better I'm not sure--listening with Zeegy in the car today (WHICH I REALLY NEED TO STOP DOING), I determined that Jay's flow is not as anally structured as Em's, which may be why I've never liked him as much. However, Jay seems to rap around the beat more, which I would theoretically prefer. I really can't wait to analyze "99 Problems," among others.) Toure also liked that Eminem "rarely uses the same rhyme pattern twice." My analysis is not yet extensive enough to corroborate this claim, but four different patterns in one verse is pretty good, I'd say. (But then, listening to Jay-Z, I'm not sure how long he sticks with a pattern. Sometimes it seems like he changes every couple lines, which I'm not sure is a good or a bad thing.)

Also, in the purple stretch, note how the line about "goddam food stamps" offsets the "NINEto"/"TYPEof"/"DIApers" scheme by a bar. Nice! Also, in the penultimate bar check how "THEonLYopPORtuNIty" flip-flops the stresses, so that weak syllables land on the beat and strong syllables off the beat. Very Alanisian, and makes my head spin. (Adds to the urgency of the sentiment? Sure.) (He may have done that in verse one, too.) And--you can smack me if you want--at roughly the Golden Mean we encounter the longest run of uninterrupted eighth-note syllables: "aFAther / ANDaPRIMaDONnaBAby / MOMmaDRAmaSCREAmin'ONher / TOOmuch". Not sure that's the climax message-wise, but formally? Nice!

As a reminder, THE KEY:

CAPS = syllable on beat

small = syllable on offbeat

* = beat without syllable

. = offbeat without syllable

/ = barline separating groupings of (usually) four beats

-- = beat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (syllable with duration of more than one half beat)

_ = offbeat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (I'm finding this hard to put into words) (just look at the example)

STRESS or stress = syllable with unusual vocal stress (I still haven't gotten the hang of deploying these consistently)

(parenthetical) = syllable with duration of less than one-half beat; pickup syllable

To experience the system in all its glory, you should play the third verse of Eminem's "Lose Yourself"--starting at 3:08--while reading the lyrics as notated below.

* . * . * . NOmore / --games--i'm(a)CHANGE_ * what / YOUcall--rage-- . TEARthis /

MOTHerFUCKin'ROOFoff--like / TWOdogs--caged-- . Iwas /

PLAYin'INtheBEginNING_(the) / MOODall--changed-- . I'VEbeen /

CHEWEDup--andSPITout--and / BOOEDoff--stage-- . BUTi /

KEPT--RHYmin'ANDstepped--right / --in(the)NEXT_CYpher * . /

BESTbeLIEVE_SOMEboDY'Spay / IN'thePIED_PIper * . /

ALLthePAIN_INside--amp / --liFIED_BYthe * . /

FACTthatI_CAN'Tget--by / --withMY_NINEto * five /

--andI_CAN'Tpro--vide / --theRIGHT_TYPEof-- . /

LIFEforMY_FAM'lyCAUSEman / --theseGOD_DAM_FOODstamps /

--don'tBUY_DIApers--and / --there'sNO_MOVieTHERE'Sno /

--mekHI_PHIfer-- . / THISisMY_LIFEandTHESEtimes /

--areSO_HARD_ * and(it's) / GETtin'EVenHARDerTRY'N'to /

FEEDandWAterMYseed--plus / * . TEEterTOTterCAUGHTup /

BEtween--bein'--aFAther / ANDaPRIMaDONnaBAby /

MOMmaDRAmaSCREAmin'ONher / TOOmuch * forMEtoWANna /

STAYinONEspot * anOTHer / DAYofMONot * on(y's)GOTten /

ME . TOthePOINTi'mLIKEa / SNAilI'VEgot * toFORmu /

LATEaPLOT_ORendUPin / JAilORshot * sucCESS_ /

ISmyONlyMOTHerFUCKin' / OP_TION_FAilURE'Snot /

* . MOMiLOVEyouBUTthis / TRAI_LER'Sgot * toGO_ /

IcanNOT_GROWold--in / SA_LEM'Slot * soHEREi /

GOit'sMYshot * . FEET_ / FAIL_MEnot * thisMAYbe /

THEonLYopPORtuNIty / --that(i)GOT

The Flowtation Device Presentz: "Lose Yourself" verse 2

Here it is, folx! I heard your clamorous cries! This may be my favorite verse of any rap song ever, what I refer to in my head for obvious reasons as the "O" verse of "Lose Yourself." (May be my favorite--these things are not set in stone or otherwise documented.) The string of "O" rhymes is staggering. Analysis to follow, but first--remember the key!

KEY:

CAPS = syllable on beat

small = syllable on offbeat

* = beat without syllable

. = offbeat without syllable

/ = barline separating groupings of (usually) four beats

-- = beat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (syllable with duration of more than one half beat)

_ = offbeat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (I'm finding this hard to put into words) (just look at the example)

STRESS or stress = syllable with unusual vocal stress (I still haven't gotten the hang of deploying these consistently)

(parenthetical) = syllable with duration of less than one-half beat; pickup syllable

To experience the system in all its glory, you should play the second verse of Eminem's "Lose Yourself"--starting at 2:00--while reading the lyrics as notated below.

second verse and chorus of "LOSE YOURSELF," copyright M. Mathers, J. Bass, L. Resto, for educational and appreciative purposes only, courtesy the fabulous http://www.ohhla.com.

* . * . * . * soul's / --esCA_PING_THROUGHthis / HOLE_THATisGAP_ING_ /

* thisWORLDisMINE_FORthe / TAK_ING_MAKE_MEking /

* . ASweMOVE_TOWARD_ / A .* newWORLD_OR_DERa /

NOR_MALlife--isBOR_ / INGbutSUPerSTAR_DOM'Sclose /

--toPOST_MOR_TEMit / ONlyGROWS_HARder * . /

HOmieGROWS_HOTterHEblows / --it'sALL_OverTHESEhoes /

--isALL_ONhim * coast / --toCOAST_SHOWS_HE'Sknown /

AStheGLOBE_TROTter * lone / --lyROADS_GODonLYknows /

--he'sGROWN_FARtherFROMhome / --he'sNO_FAther * he /

GOES_HOME_'N'bareLYknows / --hisOWN_DAUGHter * but /

HOLDyourNOSE_CAUSEhere--goes / --theCOLD_WAter * these /

HOES_DON'T_WANThimNOmo' / * he'sCOLD_PROduct * they /

MOVED_ON_TO(THE)next--schmoe / --whoFLOWS_HEnose--dove /

--andSOLD_NAda * and / SOtheSOAP_OP'raIStold /

--itUN_FOLDSiSUPpose / --it'sOLD_PARTnerBUTthe /

BEAT_GOES_ONdaDAdum / --daDUM_DAdah

My favorite sequence comes near the end at:

"they / MOVED_ON_TO(THE)next--schmoe / --whoFLOWS_HEnose--dove / --andSOLD_NAda"

Besides revealing Em to be the most Jewish rapper since Paul Barman (whose prospective subjection to this analysis gives me pause), this line breaks the repetitive beat pattern he's set up for much of the verse. Abstracted, that beat pattern looks like this (where _ is a syllable off the beat, -- is a syllable on the beat, * is a rest on the beat, and . is a rest off the beat):

* _ -- . --_--_ / * _-- .--_

Huh? (That looks a lot like my Dad's handheld electronic football game, circa 1982.) As in:

"--he'sGROWN_FARtherFROMhome / --he'sNO_FAther * he /

GOES_HOME_'N'bareLYknows / --hisOWN_DAUGHter * but /

HOLDyourNOSE_CAUSEhere--goes / --theCOLD_WAter *"

It's a pretty swingin' pattern! And then, in my favorite sequence above, he extends the pattern by inserting an extra measure ("he nose dove and sold") before the final trochee of "NAda." This is tricky stuff. Eminem inhabits his beat as confidently as any great jazz instrumentalist. Immediately after he's thrown us off a little bit with the displaced "NAda," he reels us back in, resuming the same pattern and parodying the pattern in the process:

"and / SOtheSOAP_OP'raIStold /

--itUN_FOLDSiSUPpose / --it'sOLD_PARTnerBUTthe /

BEAT_GOES_ONdaDAdum / --daDUM_DAdah"

That wordless "daDAdum / --daDUM_DAdah" functions on three levels. It completes the rhyme with "NAda" and "PARTner" and all the corresponding words that have come before. It completes the lyric about how "the beat goes on," how in life you can't tell a new story because it's all been said before and even our mundane lives wind up feeling like parodies of fiction. AND it abstracts the beat pattern that Em's been using throughout the verse. It's a purely musical moment that allows Em to wink at his audience and let us know he's placing us back into familiar territory. If it's not already clear, I LOVE THIS SHIT, when lines serve all sorts of purposes at once.

Of course, I guess lyrics usually serve some sort of "meaning + sound" function simultaneously. Rarely, though, do they revel in the simultaneity. Often in Dylan. (Kyle, remember at that Maynard Ferguson concert when I told you Eminem was the new Dylan? This is why.)

The Flowtation Device Presentz: "Lose Yourself" verse 1

It's a typographical system for notating rap lyrics! I want it to visually reproduce what you hear, so that it makes sense when you read along to the song. This'll have two ramifications:

1. It'll be easier for jerks like me to learn the songs and annoy our wives.

2. It'll visually organize the song, allowing for technical analysis and appreciation.

KEY:

CAPS = syllable on beat

small = syllable on offbeat

* = beat without syllable

. = offbeat without syllable

/ = barline separating groupings of (usually) four beats

-- = beat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (syllable with duration of more than one half beat)

_ = offbeat bearing second half of "carryover" syllable (I'm finding this hard to put into words) (just look at the example)

STRESS or stress = syllable with unusual vocal stress (I still haven't gotten the hang of deploying these consistently)

(parenthetical) = syllable with duration of less than one-half beat; pickup syllable

To experience the system in all its glory, you should play the first verse of Eminem's "Lose Yourself"--starting at 0:54--while reading the lyrics as notated below.

first verse and chorus of "LOSE YOURSELF," copyright M. Mathers, J. Bass, L. Resto, for educational and appreciative purposes only, courtesy the fabulous http://www.ohhla.com.

* . * . * hisPALMS_(uh) /

SWEATy * . KNEES_WEAK . / ARMS_AREheaVYthere'sVOmit /

ONhisSWEAterALreadY . / MOM'S_SPAghetTI he'sNERvous /

* butONtheSURfaceHElooks / CALM_ANDreadYtoDROP_ /

BOMBS_ * . BUTheKEEPS_ / ON_FORgetTINGwhatHEwrote /

--down--theWHOLE_CROWD_ / GOES_SOloud--heO_ /

PENShisMOUTH_BUTtheWORDS_ / WON'T_COMEout * he'sCHO_ /

KIN'how?-- . EV'ryBODy's / JO_KIN'now--theCLOCK'S_ /

RUNout-- . TIME'S_UP . / O_VERblaow!-- . SNAP . /

BACK . TOreALiTYoh / --thereGOES_GRAviTYoh /

--thereGOES_RABbitHEchoked / --he'sSO_MADbutHEwon't /

--giveUP_THATeaSYnope / --heWON'T_HAVEitHEknows /

--hisWHOLE_BACK'StoTHESEropes / --itDON'T_MATterHE'Sdope /

--heKNOWS_THATbutHE'Sbroke / --he'sSO_STAGnantHEknows /

--when(e)GOES_BACKtoTHISmo / --bileHOME_THAT'SwhenIT'S_ /

BACK_TOtheLABaGAINyo / --thisWHOLE_RAPshitHEbet /

TERgoCAPtureTHISmoMENTand / HOPEitDON'T_PASShim-- . /

YOUbetTERlose /

--yourSELF_INtheMU_ / SICtheMO_MENTyouOWN_ /

ITyouBETterNEverLETit / GO_ * youONlyGETone /

--shot--doNOT_MISSyour / CHANCE_TOblow--thisOPpor /

TUniTYcomes--onceINa / LIFE_TIME_YOUbetTERlose /

--yourSELF_INtheMU_ / SICtheMO_MENTyouOWN_ /

ITyouBETterNEverLETit / GO_ * youONlyGETone /

--shot--doNOT_MISSyour / CHANCE_TOblow--thisOPpor /

TUniTYcomes--onceINa / LIFE_TIME_

In the remarkable and difficult example above, look at the sequence about halfway (starting with "Back to reality") through the verse where every bar starts on the first offbeat. Eminem manages 10 (plus 2 almost) bars of exactly the same syncopated rhythm, along with internal "o" "a" "ee" rhymes and ending "o" ryhmes that rarely repeat a syllable. This is a remarkable achievement, reminiscent of an instrumental soloist who finds a great pocket and rides it for a while as the excitement escalates. Then, look how he breaks the sequence the same way he got in--by placing "BACK" on the one. I am more wowed by his elegance than ever before.

In addition, I now realize Eminem's remarkable knack for making offbeats seem like strong beats (assuming I analyzed the song correctly). I now recognize that Eminem is capable of great legato phrasing, whereas I usually think of rap as a very staccato form. This sort of analysis takes a long time, but it's addictive and the analytical possibilities are numerous.