"Stan" is a song by American rapper Eminem, released through Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records, and WEB Entertainment on October 10, 2000. It is the third single and track from The Marshall Mathers LP, and features sampled vocals from Dido's "Thank You". It is included on his first greatest hits album, Curtain Call: The Hits (2005), as well as a live version from the 2001 Grammy Awards featuring Elton John. Its sequel song, "Bad Guy," appears on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013).
"Stan" peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is regarded as one of Eminem's signature songs.
Reception[]
Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #290 in their list in The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Stan" was also listed #15 on VH1's list of the greatest hip hop songs of all-time. In April 2011, Complex put together a list of the 100 greatest Eminem songs, ranking "Stan" at #2.
Synopsis[]
The song tells the story of a fictional man named Stan who claims to be Eminem's biggest fan. Throughout the song, he becomes progressively more and more obsessed with Eminem, culminating in a murder-suicide by Stan. The first three verses are delivered by Eminem as Stan while the fourth verse is Eminem attempting to write to Stan, only to realize that he had already heard about Stan's death on the news.
In the uncensored version of the music video, which wasn't released commercially, there are more abusive suggestions. For example, when Stanley is driving towards the bridge with his girlfriend in the trunk, his girlfriend (Dido) is actually seen tied up and gagged in the trunk struggling. She has duct tape over her mouth but is then seen being able to eventually get it off and start screaming.
Personnel[]
- Adam David Willard – writing
- Andy Stamets – writing
- Bruna Lombardi – mixing
- Dido Armstrong – writing
- John Reis – writing
- Mark "DJ Mark the 45 King" James – production
- Marshall "Eminem" Mathers – writing, co-production, mixing
- Mike Elizondo – guitar, bass, keyboards
- Paul Herman – writing
- Paul O'Beirne – writing
- Peter Reichert – writing
- Richard "Segal" Huredia – mixing, recording
- Tommy Coster – keyboards
Music video[]
| Video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
EmbedVideo received the bad id "Eminem - Stan (Long Version) ft. Dido" for the service "youtube". |
Released | 2000 |
| Director | Dr. Dre • Philip G. Atwell | |
| Producer | Chris Palladino | |
| Cinematographer | Dariusz Wolski | |
| Editor | Ryan Eaton • Scott Richter | |
| Length | 6:04 | |
Synopsis[]
The video is a literal interpretation of the story, directed by Dr. Dre and Philip Atwell featuring Devon Sawa as Stanley "Stan" Mitchell and Dido as his pregnant girlfriend. A prologue involves Stan dying his hair blonde and reacting angrily to being called "Stanley" by his girlfriend. Later, Marc Labelle (Em's road manager) hands him Stan's letter on the tour bus.
Stan sits in a room full of Eminem's posters, writing letters that express his devotion as "your Eminem's biggest fan." He is aware of even the most minute developments in Eminem's personal life.
Stan gets mad at his girlfriend when she interrupts him watching "The Way I Am" music video.
Stan wants Eminem to contact him through a personal letter or a phone call; but, due to unfortunate circumstances, the letters fail to reach Eminem in a timely manner. Believing he has been ignored, Stan uses a tape recorder to record himself driving along a rain-soaked highway while his girlfriend's tied up in the trunk; which he does with the intentions of driving off a bridge. In the process, Stan references both "My Name Is" ("I drank a fifth of vodka, dare me to drive?") and the popular urban legend about Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" before realizing that there's no way of transmitting this final tape to Eminem, proceeding to commit the act anyway.
Eminem finally gets around to responding to Stan. He apologizes for being late, thanks to him for being a fan, and expresses interest in Stan's personal life. Eminem worries about Stan's mental state and says he doesn't want Stan to end up like a story he had seen on the news recently—a man who had driven drunk off a bridge with his girlfriend in the trunk, about whom he quickly realizes, "It was you. Damn."
At the end of the "Stan" video, you can see Stan's reflection in the window looking at Em when the lightning strikes.
Credits[]
- Eminem as Himself
- Dido as Stan's Girlfriend
- Devon Sawa as Stan
- Nathan Mathers as Matthew
- Carol Stanzione as Stan's Mother
- Jane Yamamoto as Reporter
Lyrics[]
[Intro: Dido]
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I
Got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window (Window)
And I can't see at all
And even if I could, it'd all be grey
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad (Bad)
[Chorus: Dido]
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I
Got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window (Window)
And I can't see at all
And even if I could, it'd all be grey
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad (Bad)
[Verse 1: Eminem]
Dear Slim, I wrote you, but you still ain't callin'
I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not've got 'em
There prob'ly was a problem at the post office or somethin'
Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em
But anyways, fuck it, what's been up, man? How's your daughter?
My girlfriend's pregnant too, I'm 'bout to be a father
If I have a daughter, guess what I'ma call her? I'ma name her Bonnie
I read about your Uncle Ronnie too, I'm sorry
I had a friend kill himself over some bitch who didn't want him
I know you prob'ly hear this every day, but I'm your biggest fan
I even got the underground shit that you did with Skam
I got a room full of your posters and your pictures, man
I like the shit you did with Rawkus too, that shit was phat
Anyways, I hope you get this, man, hit me back
Just to chat, truly yours, your biggest fan, this is Stan
[Chorus: Dido]
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I
Got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window (Window)
And I can't see at all
And even if I could, it'd all be grey
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad (Bad)
[Verse 2: Eminem]
Dear Slim, you still ain't called or wrote, I hope you have a chance
I ain't mad, I just think it's fucked up you don't answer fans
If you didn't want to talk to me outside your concert, you didn't have to
But you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew
That's my little brother, man, he's only six years old
We waited in the blisterin' cold for you, for four hours, and you just said, "no"
That's pretty shitty, man, you're like his fuckin' idol
He wants to be just like you, man, he likes you more than I do
I ain't that mad, though I just don't like bein' lied to
Remember when we met in Denver? You said if I'd write you, you would write back
See, I'm just like you in a way: I never knew my father neither
He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her
I can relate to what you're sayin' in your songs
So when I have a shitty day, I drift away and put 'em on
'Cause I don't really got shit else, so that shit helps when I'm depressed
I even got a tattoo with your name across the chest
Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds
It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me
See, everything you say is real, and I respect you 'cause you tell it
My girlfriend's jealous 'cause I talk about you 24/7
But she don't know you like I know you, Slim, no one does
She don't know what it was like for people like us growin' up
You gotta call me, man, I'll be the biggest fan you'll ever lose
Sincerely yours, Stan, PS: We should be together too
[Chorus: Dido]
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I
Got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window (Window)
And I can't see at all
And even if I could, it'd all be grey
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad (Bad)
[Verse 3: Eminem]
Dear Mr. I'm-Too-Good-to-Call-or-Write-My-Fans
This'll be the last package I ever send your ass
It's been six months, and still no word, I don't deserve it?
I know you got my last two letters, I wrote the addresses on 'em perfect
So this is my cassette I'm sendin' you, I hope you hear it
I'm in the car right now, I'm doin' ninety on the freeway
Hey, Slim, I drank a fifth of vodka, you dare me to drive?
You know the song by Phil Collins, "In the Air of the Night"
About that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drownin'
But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a show he found him?
That's kinda how this is: You coulda rescued me from drownin'
Now it's too late, I'm on a thousand downers now, I'm drowsy
And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call
I hope you know I ripped all of your pictures off the wall
I loved you, Slim, we coulda been together, think about it
You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it
And when you dream, I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it
I hope your conscience eats at you, and you can't breathe without me
See, Slim, shut up, bitch! I'm tryna talk
Hey, Slim, that's my girlfriend screamin' in the trunk
But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up, see? I ain't like you
'Cause if she suffocates she'll suffer more and then she'll die too
Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now
Oh, shit, I forgot, how am I supposed to send this shit out?!
[Chorus: Dido]
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I
Got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window (Window)
And I can't see at all
And even if I could, it'd all be grey
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad (Bad)
[Verse 4: Eminem]
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 must've missed you
Don't think I did that shit intentionally just to diss you
But what's this shit you said about you like to cut your wrists too?
I say that shit just clownin', dawg, come on, how fucked up is you?
You got some issues, Stan, I think you need some counselin'
To help your ass from bouncin' off the walls when you get down some
And what's this shit about us meant to be together?
That type of shit'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 doin' 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 shit
I seen this one shit 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
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