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When I'm Gone (Eminem song)

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"When I'm Gone"
Single by Eminem
from the album Curtain Call: The Hits
ReleasedDecember 6, 2005
RecordedMarch 2004
GenreConscious hip hop
Length4:41 (album version)
4:14 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Eminem singles chronology
"Welcome 2 Detroit"
(2005) 		"When I'm Gone"
(2005) 		"Shake That"
(2006)
Music video
"When I'm Gone" on YouTube

"When I'm Gone" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his first greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits (2005). It was released on December 6, 2005, the same day as the album was released, as the lead single.

"When I'm Gone" received mixed to negative reviews from music critics. The song charted at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100,[1] number 22 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart,[1] number four on the UK Singles Chart[2] and one on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, the latter being the only country where it peaked at number one.[3]

Background

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“When I’m Gone” was written in 2003 and released in 2005 by Shady Records, on the album Curtain Call: The Hits. It was thought at the time that this album would mark the beginning of an extended musical hiatus for Eminem, who had said "I'm at a point in my life right now where I feel like I don't know where my career is going...This is the reason that we called it Curtain Call, because this could be the final thing. We don't know."[4]

The song's lyrics pertain to Eminem's life as a celebrity musician interfering with his family. Eminem uses imagery to evoke a feeling of sadness about his family falling apart.

The music video for the song was directed by Anthony Mandler. Tarick Salmaci, from the TV show The Contender, makes an appearance in the video with his wife.

Critical reception

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AllMusic wrote a mixed to positive overview: "There's the closing "When I'm Gone," a sentimental chapter in the Eminem domestic psychodrama that bears the unmistakable suggestion that Em is going away for a while. While it's not up to the standard of "Mockingbird," it is more fully realized than the two other new cuts here..."[5] Pitchfork considered: "When I'm Gone" is an all desolate placeholder—lesser version of Eminem songs that already piss me off. "Gone" is the worst offender, yet another love letter from Em to daughter Hailie, it, like Encore's "Mockingbird", is heavy-handed and saccharine."[6]

IGN also panned the single: "The latter, however, is another prime example of the beat dragging Eminem down. The sluggish, lumbering bump causes his lyrics to stumble and sound forced in their delivery. The heartfelt storyline would have been better served drenched in some warm, fuzzy, but ultimately mournful soul instead."[7] NME called this song disappointing.[8] Rolling Stone was similarly critical, describing the song as "recycled".[9]

Music video

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The music video starts with Eminem rapping on a podium about his life at a small gathering. He's at an open house where he completely ignores his daughter's creations but before he can see the error of his actions, it is too late. As he watches her walk away, he raps "Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her/And put hands on her mother, who's a spitting image of her", feeling remorse for writing songs about being violent towards Kim, who is Hailie's mother, and wonders how he could be a good parent.

Then, he is confronted by his daughter piling boxes in front of the door to prevent him from leaving. He convinces his daughter to let him go but she insists to give him a necklace with her picture. He then finds himself in a hotel room and then on a stage where he raps. At the end of his performance on the stage, he finds his daughter has followed him and tells him of the divorce.

Afterwards, Eminem goes backstage as the "bad" Slim Shady and looks in a mirror. He then punches it as a way of "killing" Slim Shady; this is a reference to the cover of his 1997 extended play Slim Shady EP. He then finds himself back at home playing with his daughters on the swing. The video ends with him being applauded at the podium.

The video features actresses playing his daughter Hailie Jade and his ex-wife Kim, from whom Eminem was divorced when the song was released. Hailie's half sibling Stevie Laine Scott, Kim's child to another man, also appears in the video played by an actress near the end of the video. [10] Eminem adopted Stevie and thinks of them as his own child. They’re the younger kid on the swing, at the moment in the lyrics when he says, "Hailie just smiles and winks at her little sister".[11][12] The scene where he performs onstage is the cover art for the single and Curtain Call album.

The music video was uploaded to YouTube in June 2009 and surpassed 1 billion views on the platform in June 2024, becoming Eminem's seventh music video to reach this feat on YouTube.[13]

Track listing

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Digital download[14]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."When I'm Gone" (explicit version)
4:41
2."Business" (explicit version)
Dr. Dre4:11
3."When I'm Gone" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • Resto
4:42
Total length:13:34

UK CD single[15]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."When I'm Gone" (explicit version)
4:41
2."Business" (explicit version)
Dr. Dre4:11
3."When I'm Gone" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • Resto
4:41
4."When I'm Gone" (video)  4:41
Total length:17:24

German CD single[16]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."When I'm Gone" (explicit version)
4:41
2."Business" (explicit version)
Dr. Dre4:11
Total length:8:52
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for When I'm Gone
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[52] 6× Platinum 420,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[53] Gold 15,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[54] Platinum 60,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[55] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[56] Gold 150,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[57] Gold 25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[58] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[60] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡
United States (RIAA)[60]
Mastertone 		Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Eminem – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Eminem" (select "View Singles" tab). The Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Eminem – When I'm Gone". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  4. ^ Knopper, Steve (August 2005). "Rock & Roll: Eminem Takes a Final Bow?". Rolling Stone.
  5. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Curtain Call: The Hits - Eminem - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  6. ^ "Eminem". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  7. ^ "Eminem - Curtain Call". IGN. 22 December 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  8. ^ "NME Reviews - Eminem: Curtain Call – The Hits - NME.COM". NME.COM. November 30, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  9. ^ "Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits Album Review". Rolling Stone. 12 January 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  10. ^ "5 Facts About Eminem's Daughters". 14 February 2020.
  11. ^ Eminem – When I'm Gone. YouTube (June 16, 2009).
  12. ^ Kim Mathers Biography. Monstersandcritics.com. Archived 2012-12-07 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Eminem's 'When I'm Gone' Soars Past 1 Billion Views on YouTube". Billboard. 12 June 2024.
  14. ^ iTunes – Music – When I'm Gone – EP by Eminem. Itunes.apple.com (December 16, 2005).
  15. ^ When I'm Gone: Amazon.co.uk: Music. Amazon.co.uk.
  16. ^ When I'M Gone (2-Track): Amazon.co.uk: Music. Amazon.co.uk.
  17. ^ "Issue 832" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  18. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  19. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  20. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in French). ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  21. ^ "Top 50 Singles". Jam!. Archived from the original on March 2, 2006. Retrieved November 21, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "RR Canada CHR/Pop Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1638. December 23, 2005. p. 20. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  23. ^ "Eminem Album & Song Chart History: European Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  24. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  25. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Eminem / Single". musicline.de. Media Control Charts. Archived from the original (in German) on October 3, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  26. ^ "IFPI archive". Archived from the original on 2006-02-19. Retrieved 2006-02-19.
  27. ^ "Discography Eminem". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  28. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2006". top40.nl. Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original (in Dutch) on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  29. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  30. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  31. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  33. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  34. ^ "Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in German). hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  35. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  36. ^ "Eminem Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  37. ^ "Eminem Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  38. ^ "Eminem Album & Song Chart History: Pop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  39. ^ "Eminem Album & Song Chart History: Rap Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  40. ^ "Eminem > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Macrovision. Allmusic. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  41. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart : 2005" (PDF). Ukchartsplus.co.uk. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  42. ^ "2006 Annual ARIA Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  43. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2006". austriancharts.at. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  44. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2006". Ultratop. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  46. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2006". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2006". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  48. ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2006" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  49. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2006 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  50. ^ "2006 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  51. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  52. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  53. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  54. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  55. ^ "Danish single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  56. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eminem; 'When I'm Gone')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  57. ^ "Italian single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 2, 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "When I'm Gone" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  58. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  59. ^ "British single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  60. ^ a b "American single certifications – Eminem – When I'm Gone". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
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