Bitter Medicine

[Intro]

Yeah…

They told me take two of these and call in the morning, right?

Shh… don’t wake me up though

[Verse 1]

I ain’t myself, I’m a shell in a skin suit

Doctor shopping, prescriptions in a gym shoe

Little white lies in a little white capsule

Momma said don’t bite off more than you can chew—

But I’m gnawin’, crawlin’, fallin’ off balance

Pop a couple more just to sharpen my talent

Encore dropped, now I’m hooked on applause

But the claps fade out when I’m noddin’ off

[Hook]

This bitter medicine’s all that I take

To make the pain quiet down, to make the shame fade

I know it’s killin’ me, still I can’t break—

‘Cause without these pills, man, I ain’t Slim Shady

[Verse 2]

It started with a Vicodin, then I liked it and

Every night I’d grin, “Doc, write it again,”

Life’s a Vicodin cycle, round and round

Now I’m scared to stand up without fallin’ down

Friends stage an intervention, I stage a comeback

Standin’ on stage with my veins full of Prozac

Fans want the rabbit, the madness, the havoc

But the habit’s got me handcuffed, gagged up, tragic

[Hook]

This bitter medicine’s all that I take

To make the pain quiet down, to make the shame fade

I know it’s killin’ me, still I can’t break—

‘Cause without these pills, man, I ain’t Slim Shady

[Bridge]

Yo, I’m losin’ it…

Wake up in a fog, don’t remember what I did last night

Phone full of missed calls, daughter askin’ why daddy won’t fight…

But I ain’t strong enough

I ain’t sober enough

And I ain’t dope enough without dope, so what…

[Verse 3]

I built an empire outta pain and laughter

But it’s crumblin’ now like the hereafter

I’d give back Grammys, plaques, the fame

Just to live one damn day not enslaved to this chain

Doctor said, “Marshall, you’re sick, you need help,”

But all I hear is Slim screamin’, “Feed yourself!”

And I can’t tell if it’s me or the pills that rhyme

But I swear I ain’t been sober in a long-ass time

[Outro]

Yeah… just two more…

Then I’ll quit, I promise…

…maybe tomorrow