Eminem’s “Superman” describes the troubled relationships of Slim Shady’s past as well as the promiscuousness of the women around him, and he plans how to deal with it.
A Certain Kind of Superpower
“They call me Superman / Leap tall hoes in a single bound”
In the hero’s earliest iterations, the character of Superman didn’t have the ability to full-on fly as fans are now familiar with. Rather, he could “leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Eminem here refers to his ability to his ability to quickly get over women after the relationship ends. He shifts the catchphrase’s meaning with the help of a little double entendre to make it both about his sexual proclivity and his aloofness in relationships. This superhero allusion is likely an unsurprising reference to longtime Shady fans, most of whom know of his childhood affinity for comic books.
“I’m single now: got no ring on this finger now / I’d never let another chick bring me down / In a relationship; save it, bitch!”
When he wrote “Superman,” Eminem was fresh his first divorce. This happened in 2001, around one year prior to the release of The Eminem Show album
Calling Out His Fans
“Babysit? You make me sick / Superman ain’t savin’ shit”
This could refer to situations in which a new couple, still shaking off the awkwardness of being together, might bond and mature over something like babysitting. Alternatively, Shady could literally mean that he’s not going to allow a babysitter to take care of his daughter, Hailie, while he goes off to pursue a serious relationship. Yet another read could be directed at groupies trying to get to him through his daughter by offering to babysit her.
“Straight from the hip, cut to the chase / I tell a muhfuckin’ slut to her face / Play no games, say no names”
In these lines, Slim Shady gets right to the point with what he wants. His desires are overtly sexual, and he doesn’t want to mess around. Eminem expresses how he considers it a waste of time to go through any of the usual relationship preamble before they have sex.
Not Playing Any Games
“Ever since I broke up with what’s-her-face / I’m a different man, kiss my ass”
Just to rub it in that he doesn’t care about the woman he broke it off with, Shady acts like he can’t even remember her name. This particular what’s-her-face is the same woman from his divorce. He then claims to be a changed person and expresses his indifference towards anyone who doesn’t see eye to eye with him.
Before his divorce happened, Eminem was more agreeable to the game of love. But after they broke up, cynicism and hostility towards women took over. The rapper just wanted to get straight to the sex and was no longer willing to jump through any hoops.
Unforgivingly Hostile
“Wouldn’t piss on fire to put you out / Am I too nice? Buy you ice? / Bitch, if you died, wouldn’t buy you life”
Here, we see more hostility towards women. This is a hallmark of Eminem’s lyrics when channeling his evil alter-ego, Slim Shady. It seems he wants to really drive it home how little he cares for her, despite the fact that he’s willing to pay for expensive jewelry. He goes so far as to claim that if he had the opportunity to save her life, he wouldn’t do it.
Lyrics
[Intro: Eminem & Dina Rae]
Mhmmm *inhales*
You high, baby?
Yeah, hahahaha
Yeah?
Talk to me
You want me to tell you something?
Uh-huh
I know what you wanna hear
[Refrain: Eminem & Dina Rae]
‘Cause I know you want me, baby, I think I want you too
I think I love you, baby, I think I love you too (Oh-ooh)
I’m here to save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world (Ooh-ooh, ooh)
I wanna grow together, let’s let our love unfurl
You know you want me, baby, you know I want you too
They call me Superman, I’m here to rescue you
I wanna save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world (Ooh-ooh)
Oh boy, you drive me crazy, bitch, you make me hurl
[Verse 1: Eminem]
They call me Superman
Leap tall hoes in a single bound
I’m single now: got no ring on this finger now
I’d never let another chick bring me down
In a relationship; save it, bitch!
Babysit? You make me sick
Superman ain’t savin’ shit
Girl, you can jump on Shady’s dick
Straight from the hip, cut to the chase
I tell a muhfuckin’ slut to her face
Play no games, say no names
Ever since I broke up with what’s-her-face
I’m a different man, kiss my ass
Kiss my lips? Bitch, why ask?
Kiss my dick, get my cash?
I’d rather have you whip my ass
Don’t put out? I’ll put you out
Won’t get out? I’ll push you out
Puss blew out, poppin’ shit
Wouldn’t piss on fire to put you out
Am I too nice? Buy you ice?
Bitch, if you died, wouldn’t buy you life
What, you tryin’ to be my new wife?
What, you Mariah? Fly through twice
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
But I do know one thing though
Bitches, they come, they go
Saturday through Sunday, Monday (Yeah-yeah)
Monday through Sunday, yo
Maybe I’ll love you one day
Maybe we’ll someday grow
‘Til then just sit your drunk ass on that fuckin’ runway, ho
[Chorus: Eminem]
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
[Verse 2: Eminem]
Don’t get me wrong, I love these hoes
It’s no secret, everybody knows
Yeah, we fucked—bitch, so what?
That’s about as far as your buddy goes
We’ll be friends, I’ll call you again
I’ll chase you around every bar you attend
Never know what kinda car I’ll be in
We’ll see how much you’ll be partyin’ then
You don’t want that, neither do I
I don’t wanna flip when I see you with guys
Too much pride, between you and I
Not a jealous man, but females lie
But I guess that’s just what sluts do
How could it ever be just us two?
I’d never love you enough to trust you
We just met and I just fucked you
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
But I do know one thing though
Bitches, they come, they go
Saturday through Sunday, Monday
Monday through Sunday, yo
Maybe I’ll love you one day
Maybe we’ll someday grow
‘Til then just sit your drunk ass on that fuckin’ runway, ho
[Chorus: Eminem]
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
[Refrain: Eminem & Dina Rae]
I know you want me, baby, I think I want you too
I think I love you, baby, I think I love you too
I’m here to save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world
I wanna grow together, let’s let our love unfurl
You know you want me, baby, you know I want you too
They call me Superman, I’m here to rescue you
I wanna save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world
Oh boy, you drive me crazy, bitch, you make me hurl
[Verse 3: Eminem]
First thing you say: I’m not fazed
I hang around big stars all day
I don’t see what the big deal is anyway
You’re just plain old Marshall to me
Ooh yeah, girl, run that game
Hailie Jade, I love that name
Love that tattoo, what’s that say?
“Rot In Pieces,” uh, that’s great
First off, you don’t know Marshall
At all, so don’t grow partial
That’s ammo for my arsenal
I’ll slap you off that bar stool
There goes another lawsuit
Leave handprints all across you
Good Lordy, whoadie
You must be gone off that water bottle
You want what you can’t have
Ooh girl, that’s too damn bad
Don’t touch what you can’t grab
End up with two backhands
Put anthrax on a Tampax
And slap you ’til you can’t stand
Girl, you just blew your chance
Don’t mean to ruin your plans
[Pre-Chorus: Eminem]
But I do know one thing though
Bitches, they come, they go
Saturday through Sunday, Monday
Monday through Sunday, yo
Maybe I’ll love you one day
Maybe we’ll someday grow
‘Til then just sit your drunk ass on that fuckin’ runway, ho
[Chorus: Eminem]
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
[Refrain: Eminem & Dina Rae]
I know you want me, baby, I think I want you too
I think I love you, baby, I think I love you too
I’m here to save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world
I wanna grow together, let’s let our love unfurl
You know you want me, baby, you know I want you too
They call me Superman, I’m here to rescue you
I wanna save you, girl, come be in Shady’s world
Oh boy, you drive me crazy, bitch, you make me hurl
[Chorus: Eminem]
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
‘Cause I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
I can’t be your Superman, can’t be your Superman
Can’t be your Superman, your Superman, your Superman
