[Intro: Nate Ruess]
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Mom, I know I let you down
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And though you say the days are happy
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Why is the power off and Im fucked up?
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And, Mom, I know hes not around
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But dont you place the blame on me
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As you pour yourself another drink, yeah
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[Chorus: Nate Ruess]
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I guess we are who we are
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Headlights shining in the dark night, I drive on
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Maybe we took this too far
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[Verse 1: Eminem]
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I went in headfirst, never thinkin about who what I said hurt
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In what verse, my mom probably got it the worst
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The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far?
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“Cleanin Out My Closet” and all them other songs
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But regardless, I dont hate you ‘cause, Ma
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Youre still beautiful to me, ‘cause youre my mom
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Though far be it from you to be calm
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Our house was Vietnam, Desert Storm
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And both of us put together could form an atomic bomb
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Equivalent to chemical warfare
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And forever we could drag this on and on
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But agree to disagree, that gift for me
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Up under the Christmas tree dont mean shit to me
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Youre kickin me out? Its fifteen degrees
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And its Christmas Eve, “Little prick, just leave!”
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Ma, let me grab my fucking coat!
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Anything to have each others goats
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Why we always at each others throats?
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Especially when Dad, he fucked us both
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Were in the same fuckin boat
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Youd think thatd make us close (Nope)
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Further away it drove us, but together, headlights shine
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And a car full of belongings, still got a ways to go
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Back to grandmas house, its straight up the road
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And I was the man of the house, the oldest
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So my shoulders carried the weight of the load
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Then Nate got taken away by the state at eight-years-old
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And thats when I realized you were sick
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And it wasnt fixable or changeable
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And to this day we remain estranged, and I hate it though, but—
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[Chorus: Nate Ruess]
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I guess we are who we are
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Headlights shining in the dark night, I drive on
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Maybe we took this too far
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[Verse 2: Eminem]
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‘Cause to this day we remain estranged and I hate it though
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‘Cause you aint even get to witness your grandbabies grow
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But Im sorry, Mama, for “Cleanin Out My Closet”
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At the time I was angry, rightfully? Maybe so
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Never meant that far to take it, though
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‘Cause now I know its not your fault, and Im not makin jokes
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That song I no longer play at shows
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And I cringe every time its on the radio
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And I think of Nathan being placed in a home
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And all the medicine you fed us and
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How I just wanted you to taste your own
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But now the medications takin over
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And your mental states deterioratin slow
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And Im way too old to cry, this shit is painful, though
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But, Ma, I forgive you, so does Nathan, yo
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All you did, all you said, you did your best to raise us both
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Foster care, that cross you bear, few may be as heavy as yours
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But I love you, Debbie Mathers
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Oh, what a tangled web we have ‘cause
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One thing I never asked was
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Where the fuck my deadbeat dad was
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Fuck it, I guess he had trouble keepin up with every address
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But Ida flipped every mattress, every rock and desert cactus
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Owned a collection of maps
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And followed my kids to the edge of the atlas
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If someone ever moved em from me
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That you coulda bet your asses
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If I had to come down the chimney, dressed as Santa, kidnap em
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And although one has only met their grandma once
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You pulled up in our drive one night
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As we were leavin to get some hamburgers
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Me, her and Nate, we introduced you, hugged you
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And as you left, I had this overwhelming sadness
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Come over me as we pulled off to go our separate paths and
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I saw your headlights as I looked back
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And Im mad I didnt get the chance to
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Thank you for being my mom and my dad
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So, Mom, please accept this as a
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Tribute; I wrote this on the jet, I guess I had to
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Get this off my chest, I hope I get the chance to
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Lay it ‘fore Im dead, the stewardess said to fasten
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My seatbelt, I guess were crashin
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So, if Im not dreamin, I hope you get this message that
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I will always love you from afar, ‘cause youre my mom
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[Chorus: Nate Ruess]
~#**************#~
I guess we are who we are
~#**************#~
Headlights shining in the dark night, I drive on
~#**************#~
Maybe we took this too far
~#**************#~
[Verse 3: Nate Ruess & Eminem]
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I want a new life (Start over)
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One without a cause (Clean slate)
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So Im coming home tonight (Yeah)
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Well, no matter what the cost
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And if the plane goes down
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Or if the crew cant wake me up
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Well, just know that Im alright
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I was not afraid to die
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Oh, even if theres songs to sing
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Well, my children will carry me
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Just know that Im alright
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I was not afraid to die
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Because I put my faith in my little girls
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So Ill never say goodbye cruel world
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Just know that Im alright
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I am not afraid to die
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[Chorus: Nate Ruess]
~#**************#~
I guess we are who we are
~#**************#~
Headlights shining in the dark night, I drive on
~#**************#~
Maybe we took this too far
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I want a new life
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[Produced by Emile Haynie & Jeff Bhasker]
