Another touching ode for Hailie: Mockinbird

The most touching words Eminem put into his brand new album are the words dedicated to his little daughter Hailie. When I first listened to the song, I loved the softness of the song and I couldn’t hide my tears, because I was moved deeply inside. When Marshall talks about Hailie, nobody could doubt his true feelings expressed into music.
Some people were chocked because Eminem made his personal issues and his dialogue with Hailie public. To all of you who were shocked by the personal character of Mockinbird, arguing about it and doubting Marshall’s sincerity, let me tell you this:
-Marshall is a public person, his life is exposed by the media every day, people knew about Kim’s whereabouts anyway
– Because Marshall has this particular kind of relationship with his public, he intends to share those precious words addressed to Hailie.
The song is like a beautiful necklace whose pearls the listener will collect one by one.
Marshall first adresses to Hailie to let her know that he is very conscious of her pain. Sometimes, Hailie feels lost between her mom’s absence she is unable to explain and her daddy’s absence for obvious professional reasons:
« I know sometimes things may not always
make since to you right now
but hey what did daddy always tell
straighten up lil soldier
stiffin up that upper lip
what you cryin about?
you got me… »

Marshall can read his daughter’s pain in her eyes. I know by experience how much little kid’s faces can say more than thousand words.
At the beginning of the song, Marshall goes straight to the subject. He talks about Kim’s absence and about how much his daughter misses her mom. He also talks about his own absences that must sometimes be a huge pain into Hailie’s heart. It is a matter of fact Hailie doesn’t see her daddy very often. But Marshall ensures his daughter of his omnipresent love, which is the most important:
« Hailie i know you miss your mom
and i know you miss your dad when I’m gone
but I’m tryin to give you the life that i never had
i can see your sad, even when you smile
even when you laugh i can see it in your eyes
deep inside you wanna cry cause your scared
i aint there, daddy’s with you in your prayers
no more cryin, wipe them tears
daddy’s here, no more nightmares… »

In the first verse, Eminem mentions another little girl, whose nickname is Laney. I’ve been asked by many people who this little girl was. Laney is Alaina, Dawn’s (Kim’s twin sister) daughter. Alaina has been adopted by Marshall, she currently lives with him and goes by the name Alaina Mathers:
« Daddy’s here, no more nightmares
we gonna pull together through it
we gon do it, Laney uncle’s crazy
but he loves you baby and you better know it
we’re all we got in this world when it spins
when it swirls, when it whirls, when it twirls
two little beautiful girls lookin puzzled
in a daze, i know its confusin you
daddys always on the move
momma’s always on the news
i try to keep you sheltered from it
but somehow it seems the harder that i try
to do that the more it backfires on me
all the things growin up as daddy
that he had to see, daddy dont want you to see… »

Eminem has always done his best to keep Hailie sheltered from the scandals surrounding Kim, but sometimes he doesn’t manage to protect her completely from this kind of exposure.
In the second verse, Marshall recalls the time when he was struggling for recognition., the dog years he went through across 8 Mile.
At this time, Marshall and Kim had no money, their appartement was often broken into and robbed. He recalls a dramatic event. Kim wanted to spare some money for Hailie’s college:
« and your mom was savin money for you in a jar
tryin to start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college
almost had a thousand dollars til someone broke in and stole it
and i know it hurt so bad it broke your momma’s heart
and it seemed like everything was just startin to fall apart
mom and dad was arguin a lot… »

There are references to places in Detroit where Eminem and Kim used to live:
« So momma moved back on charmas in a flat one bedroom apartment
and dad moved back to the other side of 8 mile on Novara… »
In fact « Chalmas » refers to Chalmer Street in Detroit that is located in Wayne county:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&address=Chalmer+Street+&city=Detroit&state=MI
MC Hush, who was Eminem’s formerly friend and neighbor at this time, has mentioned Novara street several times in an interview.
Marshall looks at some ancient pictures and he remembers his memories with Kim.
Then he addresses again to Hailie and Alaina, giving both girls strength and hope, telling them that Kim’s situation is temporary. He wants them to understand that despite all, he can handle the situation and that he is here for them:
« Laney, im talkin to you too, daddy’s still here
I like the sound of that, yeah
its gotta ring to it dont it, shhh, momma’s only gone for the moment… »

The third verse is touching and funny. Marshall is ready to « give the world » to his daughter. He will make her smile by any means:
« i know mommy’s not here right now
and we don’t know why we feel how we feel inside
it may seem a little crazy pretty baby
but i promise, momma’s gon be alright
and if you ask me to daddys gonna buy you a mockingbird
I’m gon give you the world
im’a buy a diamond ring for you im’a sing for you
i’ll do anything for you to see you smile
and if that mockinbird dont sing and that ring dont shine
im’a break that birdie’s neck
i’ll go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya
and make him eat every karot, dont fuck with dad »

The message of the song is reassuring : Marshall tells his daughter that sometimes we have no control of our destiny, but that Kim is gonna be all right.
Mockinbird, you’d better sing for Hailie or Marshall might break your neck!
Hailie keep your head up: your daddy loves you and remember he will always be there for you.

18 thoughts on “Another touching ode for Hailie: Mockinbird”

  1. LOVE THIS SONG! FROM THE MOMENT I HEARED IT I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I HEARED IT I WAS IN MY ROOM AND I JUST BOUGHT THE DELUX PACK OF ENCOR3 THE DAY IT CAME OUT I WAS SKIMMING THROUGHT ALL THE SONGS AND THIS ONE ALLONG WITH LIKE TOY SOILDERS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. THEN ON FEBRUARY 21, 05… WHEN EM FIRST INTRODUCED THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR MOCKINGBIRD ON TRL I STARTED TO TEAR UP AND BY THE END I WAS BALLING, NOT OF SADNESS OR OF JOY IT WAS JUST ONE OF THEOSE KIND OF OMG TYPS OF CRYS YOU KNOW? THEN AGAIN WHEN I WENT TO THE ANGER MANAGEMENT TOUR 3 ON JULY 23, 05 AND THEY PLAYED THAT SONG I WAS CRYING… JUST IN SHOCK… THIS MAN WHO I LOOKED UP TO FOR ALMOST 8 YEARS IS NOW ONLY FEET AWAY FROM ME SINGING ONE OF MY FAVERIT SONGS! I WAS FROZEN. WOW THAT WAS BY FAR THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! MOCKINGBIRD IS FOR SURE UP THERE AS ONE OF EM’S TOP 20 SONGS ALONG WITH STAN, THE WAY I AM, HAILIES SONG, CLAENING OUT MY CLOSET, LIKE TOY SOILDERS, LOSE YOURSELF, TILL I COLLAPS, ROCK BOTTOM, FORGOT ABOUT DRE, SING FOR THE MOMENT, PATIENTLY WAITING.
    AND SOME OTHERS

  2. Non credo potrò mai parlarti di xsona ….e non credo nemmeno k tu legga questo banale commento che considererai stupido…
    ma….sappi solo che la tua bimba deve essere fortunata ad avere un papà come te…
    e vaffanculo hai avuto una vita di merda te lo devo dire…ma adesso hai lei….
    non lasciarla mai sola……….

  3. OMG!! i f*****g love this song!! Eveyone always says that eminem is this ‘really bad guy’ but this and many other of his songs prove that he is still human and he does have a caring, sweet and loving side to him. So f**k you to anyone who says he’s a ‘badin fluence’!!
    I LOVE THE GUY!!

  4. first of all happy birthday hailie again.
    i love this song so much.if anyone doesnt believe in marshall’s father love,they must listen this song.cuz theres everything about kim,marshall,hailie and laini.and the other song is of course hailie’s song.whenever i listen these songs i coudnt hide my tears.and i am very happy for marshall and hailie.cuz they truly have and love each other…

  5. hailey is one of the most luckiest child in the entire world to have a father who cares about her so much!
    eminem is lucky to have her too.

  6. YEA HALIE JADE IS A LUCKY GIRL BUT WHEN SHE GROUN AND SHE GOT FUCKING BOYS LIKE CHRISTOPHER DUNCAN SHE CAN BE THE ANGRYST WOMEN OF THE WORLD.HAHAAAAA

  7. Hailie is a pretty little girl she has def got the looks of her daddy and it is sweet when he talks about hailie and lannie in he’s songs and he proves to everyone that he is not this angry man who always swears eminem is great anhd hailie and lannie will b as big as eminem when they are older

  8. I lov e this song its very touching I will send this out to eminem I heard your song the way I am and it made me notice your life is very complicated

  9. I love Mockingbird!Every time I listen 2 it I start cryin cuz its so touching 2 kno there r people n this world who love each other so much.

  10. i love this song. I think of my dad when i here it but sometimes i cry because he left when i was born and i never see him.He has one son but he dosn’t want me.

  11. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, it’s right up there with Sunshine by Atmosphere, Miss Murder by AFI, and When You Were Young by The Killers8)

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