StanBase wrote:Mine:
Kim - I really don't get what's so AMAZING about this song
Same song and dance - I don't hate it at all, but everyone else is workshipping it, average IMO
On "Kim" - What's amazing about it is the execution and nuance. And realism. Rather than do what the vast majority of pedestrian rappers and lyricists would do with this and rap about it like it already happened, or, in third person - he raps about it like it's happening right in the moment, using the lyrics for direct conversation. Which makes the song totally come alive and it feels like you're hearing the event happen, for real, every time.
And, it's very hard to write lyrics which sound like real conversation and especially true, genuine and believable angry conversation and outburst and make it TRULY believable and yet still structured and rhyme etc.
Not to mention his voice acting which is, insane. When you consider the thought in some of his writing such as him shouting to change the radio station in the car as he hates the song - most writers wouldn't think of a detail like that which really draws your mind into the situation and conjures up a more real, live and rich environment in your mind.
Whenever he story tells there's always a lot of character in his characters. As in, there's attention to detail, things the characters notice or talk about as if they were really in X environment, things which advance the plot in comical ways or add an extra element. All these aspects and the very execution of the song and sheer balls and confidence of it makes "Kim" pure brilliance.
It's a total indulgence in anger and fantasy. He also is very good at making things feel 'alive' in general. Even when being ridiculous, just little concepts such as... on "My 1st Single" (and yes, it's a bad, stupid song) - the concept of him burping in the chorus and 'fucking up' the song as if he couldn't go back and change it lmao. The concept of that means he's implying what you're hearing is 'alive' every time you hear it, as if 'Eminem' only exists in this song format and the real world is not relevant to the art. It's things like this that take what he does to another level.
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On "Same Song and Dance" - I think it's just a brilliantly creepy, calmly executed, smooth track. The way he kills a new victim on each verse and again, the detail in some of the lines and ideas is great.
First of all, his rhyming and flow are fantastic, and the concept to the chorus and the idea of it being his victim's 'last song and dance' and it also being a play / flip on songs that sound similar and are cliche but, it being like a murder chant storytelling track is just great.
Then, like I say - take some of the detail in the lines, my personal favourite being:
"Come on
toots, give me the Valium -
alley-oop / I'll slam dunk it in your mouth till ya puke / And just as soon as you pass-out in your
alphabet soup"
He's a very visual writer and where as a lot of lyricists would simply mention the plain action of doing something ie. stabbing somebody, shooting somebody, torturing somebody etc. - he'll mention specific little details that are one hundred times more effective than obvious, over the top descriptions. Little details which visually conjure up some little cartoonish idea or realistic moment.
And, he's very comical. I think a lot of his real humour is lost on a lot of his fans. He has a very British sense of humour, he can be very subtle with his wording. Not always of course, lately he pretty much smashes a sledge hammer against your head, but there's still nuance to things he says.
Such as using the word 'toots'. It's not totally uncommon but it's comical, it's a cutesy and slightly informal but friendly word which is obviously not a common / normal word for somebody of our generation to use, and certainly not in that context. He's using it ironically, to make himself sound creepy.
And that's what's funny to me. And what always has been and the element he's never truly lost - making himself a creepo weirdo, an asshole - the loser, the freak. Everybody else wants to look cool and be king, and whilst he still can be cocky and assertive, he's the first to put himself down and paint himself in an unfavorable light. Especially when in character, his comedy comes from self put-down and tongue in cheek creepiness.
And, in that line, using 'alphabet soup' to imply Britney is this teenie-bopper child star still, as if she forever exists in that image time bubble lmao. Then you have the imagery of that actually happening which is fun. Other rappers would just say "as soon as you pass out..." - it's the little addition of the 'alphabet soup' which sets him apart. This is why I love
Relapse so much, there's lots of nuance. He was clearly focused on what he was doing and him saying he was loopy or 'coming out' of the drugs is an excuse and a crock of shit.
You can't write an album as detailed and well-written as
Relapse unless you are totally focused, sharp and in your
write mind.
by StanBase » Jun 20th, '11, 12:10 
