The Way I Am

Album: Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
Charted: 8 58
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  • Japan, if you know the words, sing it with me

    'Cause I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    Radio won't even play my jam
    'Cause I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    Shit, I don't know, that's just the way I am (Japan)
    'Cause I am whatever you say I am (yeah)
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    Radio won't even play my jam
    'Cause I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    I don't know, that's just the way I am

    I sit back with this pack of Zig-Zags and this bag
    Of this weed, it gives me the shit needed to be
    The most meanest MC on this, on this Earth
    And since birth, I've been cursed with this curse to just curse
    And just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that works
    And it sells and it helps in itself to relieve
    All this tension, dispensin' these sentences
    Gettin' this stress that's been eatin' me recently
    Off of this chest and I rest again peacefully (peacefully, peacefully)
    But at least have the decency in you
    To leave me alone, when you freaks see me out
    In the streets when I'm eatin' or feedin' my daughter
    To not come and speak to me, I don't know you
    And no, I don't owe you a motherfuckin' thing
    I'm not Mr. NSYNC, I'm not what your friends think
    I'm not Mr. Friendly, I can be a prick
    If you tempt me, my tank is on empty (empty)
    No patience is in me and if you offend me
    I'm liftin' you ten feet in the air
    I don't care who was there and who saw me, just jaw you
    Go call you a lawyer, file you a lawsuit
    I'll smile in the courtroom and buy you a wardrobe
    I'm tired of all you, I don't mean to be mean
    But that's all I can be, it's just me

    And I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am (sing it)
    Radio won't even play my jam
    'Cause I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    I don't know, that's just the way I am

    Sometimes I just feel like my father, I hate to be bothered
    With all of this nonsense, it's constant
    And, "Oh, it's his lyrical content
    The song 'Guilty Conscience' has gotten such rotten responses"
    And all of this controversy circles me
    And it seems like the media immediately
    Points a finger at me (uh-huh)
    So I point one back at 'em, but not the index or pinkie
    Or the ring or the thumb, it's the one you put up
    When you don't give a fuck, when you won't just put up
    With the bullshit they pull, 'cause they full of shit too
    When a dude's gettin' bullied and shoots up his school
    And they blame it on Marilyn and the heroin
    Where were the parents at? And look where it's at
    Middle America, now it's a tragedy
    Now it's so sad to see, an upper-class city
    Havin' this happenin', then attack Eminem
    'Cause I rap this way, but I'm glad
    'Cause they feed me the fuel that I need for the fire to burn
    And it's burnin', and I have returned

    And I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    Radio won't even play my jam
    'Cause I am whatever you say I am
    If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
    In the paper, the news, every day I am
    I don't know, that's just the way I am Writer/s: Marshall B. III Mathers
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Mooshead from ScThis song let me know that my daughter was listening to what she was hearing. About 4 years old and she asked "why wont they leave that man alone?" Had to watch what we played after that. Love you brooky!
  • Michael from Las Cruces, Nm@Vince: Dude, that was amazing. xD
  • Star from Hollister, Ca"I'm not gonna be able to top on "My Name is... "
    This song was his response to the record company who was pressuring him to make another funny song similar to his first hit single 'My Name Is'. Shortly after he made this song he came up with a similar song, "The Real Slim Shady". The pattern has continued with some of his latter albums where he picks more humorous songs as the first singles/music videos from his albums: "Without Me", "Just Lose It", and "We Made You".

    This pattern also shows up on the D12 albums as well: "Purple Pills" (called 'Purple Hills' on TV/radio) and "My Band".
  • Sean from Denver, CoHe uses the same tune from this song in "Kim"
  • Vince from Tucson, AzI can't tell if Cortney is being sarcastic or is just very shallow. I could easily go get a friend, have him go on some insane guitar solo, then scream random syllables into a mic, but that would be far from good music.
  • Marla from Los Angeles, Ca"when a dude's getting bullied and shoots up the school, and they blame it on Marilyn..."
    He refers to the Columbine shootings, where the media blamed it on Marilyn Manson, even though both shooters had said that they HATED Marilyn's music and didn't listen to it. The only reason they blamed Marilyn is because the guys had worn trench-coats a few times...completely stupid.
  • Cortney from Grand Junction, CoEminem made a remix of this song with my personal hero,Marilyn Manson!It is alot better because ther is some elec. guitars and screaming and,well,that always makes a song better!Dont you think?
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