Comments on the song “If I Had”

If I Had Life.. by Marshall Mathers
What is life?
Life is like a big obstacle
put in front of your optical to slow you down
And everytime you think you gotten past it
it’s gonna come back around and tackle you to the damn ground
What are friends?
Friends are people that you think are your friends
But they really your enemies, with secret indentities
and disguises, to hide they true colors
So just when you think you close enough to be brothers
they wanna come back and cut your throat when you ain’t lookin
What is money?
Money is what makes a man act funny
Money is the root of all evil
Money’ll make them same friends come back around
swearing that they was always down
What is life?
I’m tired of life
I’m tired of backstabbing ass snakes with friendly grins
I’m tired of committing so many sins
Tired of always giving in when this bottle of Henny wins
Tired of never having any ends
Tired of having skinny friends hooked on crack and mini-thins
I’m tired of this DJ playing YOUR shit when he spins
Tired of not having a deal
Tired of having to deal with the bullshit without grabbing the steel
Tired of drowning in my sorrow
Tired of having to borrow a dollar for gas to start my Monte Carlo
I’m tired of motherfuckers spraying shit and dartin off
I’m tired of jobs startin off at five fifty an hour
then this boss wanders why I’m smartin off
I’m tired of being fired everytime I fart and cough
Tired of having to work as a gas station clerk
for this jerk breathing down my neck driving me bezerk
I’m tired of using plastic silverware
Tired of working in Building Square
Tired of not being a millionaire
But if I had a million dollars
I’d buy a damn brewery, and turn the planet into alcoholics
If I had a magic wand, I’d make the world suck my dick
without a condom on, while I’m on the john
If I had a million bucks
it wouldn’t be enough, because I’d still be out
robbing armored trucks
If I had one wish
I would ask for a big enough ass for the whole world to kiss
I’m tired of being white trash, broke and always poor
Tired of taking pop bottles back to the party store
I’m tired of not having a phone
Tired of not having a home to have one in if I did have it on
Tired of not driving a BM
Tired of not working at GM, tired of wanting to be him
Tired of not sleeping without a Tylenol PM
Tired of not performing in a packed coliseum
Tired of not being on tour
Tired of fucking the same blonde whore after work
in the back of a Contour
I’m tired of faking knots with a stack of ones
Having a lack of funds and resorting back to guns
Tired of being stared at
I’m tired of wearing the same damn Nike Air hat
Tired of stepping in clubs wearing the same pair of Lugz
Tired of people saying they’re tired of hearing me rap about drugs
Tired of other rappers who ain’t bringin half the skill as me
saying they wasn’t feeling me on “Nobody’s As Ill As Me”
I’m tired of radio stations telling fibs
Tired of J-L-B saying “Where Hip-Hop Lives”
But if I had a million dollars
I’d buy a damn brewery, and turn the planet into alcoholics
If I had a magic wand, I’d make the world suck my dick
without a condom on, while I’m on the john
If I had a million bucks
it wouldn’t be enough, because I’d still be out
robbing armored trucks
If I had one wish
I would ask for a big enough ass for the whole world to kiss
You know what I’m saying?
I’m tired of all of this bullshit
Telling me to be positive
How’m I ‘sposed to be positive when I don’t see shit positive?
Know what I’m sayin?
I rap about shit around me, shit I see
Know what I’m sayin? Right now I’m tired of everything
Tired of all this player hating that’s going on in my own city
Can’t get no airplay, you know what I’m sayin?
But ey, it’s cool though, you know what I’m sayin?
Just fed up
That’s my word
This song from the Slim Shady LP draws us a dark and pessimistic vision of life. It is linked to a hard financial period Eminem was experiencing. Some people may argue that those lyrics are so dark and depressing, but so many references to reality can be verified as true – friendship and money for instance. Very few people can claim to have experienced true friendship. Many friendships are much more hypocritical relationships based on interest than loyal friendship. Most of the time money corrupts any relationship and brings around much more fake friends and relations.
“If I Had” describes the condition of a man who is tired spinning around, with no way to escape to his current situation, tired to be hired and fired the same day, tired of doing so many different jobs. It’s the story of a man who is fed up with doing the same monotonous jobs, whose dreams always seem to break down.
He is still unsigned and feels like all doors are closed. Nobody wants to give him a real chance.
In his frustrations, his will is to make a lot of money and to stop being dominated by people. Many poor people have been through those kind of situations.
While writing this song Eminem was in a bad mood. Nothing seemed to work, he was surrounded by problems. Like he often does in many of his songs, he was expressing his feelings of the moment. Of course, if he describes the tough reality in its ugliness, he’s not supposed to be positive, is he?