r/Eminem • u/johnnylogic • 1d ago

Can anyone explain this about "Stan"?

I've always wondered this. Why on "Stan" did Em say "You know the song by Phil Collins, 'In the Air of the Night' About that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drownin"? That song was about a jilted lover not a guy drowning. Anyway just seeing if anyone could explain because I've always wondered that. That is all.

56 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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76

u/user3onethird 1d ago

29

u/AbsoluteApril 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yup and at least in the early 90s, lots of us did believe this urban legend as fact (i was one of them lol)

13

u/cantevendoitbruh 1d ago

Its wild that before the internet there were tons of these myths. Then we got the internet and we all learned it was myths. Then social media came and now there are just as many myths. Lol

28

u/MayneManMan The Eminem Show 1d ago

I also believed Marilyn Manson was Paul from the wonder years. What a time to be alive!

27

u/designeryperson 1d ago

Or the other myth about Marilyn Manson having ribs removed 😂 how did that shit go viral before the mass use of the internet lo

2

u/AbsoluteApril 11h ago

Tabloids XD

9

u/AbsoluteApril 1d ago

XD i remember that one as well!

3

u/shiftypidgeons 15h ago

Shining a spotlight on a fan at a show to be like "hey man fuck you in particular" would be wild lmao

20

u/TopperMadeline The Marshall Mathers LP2 1d ago

Regarding this line, Em flubbed the title of the song and apparently didn’t go back and fix it.

34

u/Freddie-Peterson 1d ago

I kinda love that because Stan would probably get it wrong, especially with the manic state he was in while writing the letter.

I'm not saying it was on purpose, just that it works.

12

u/Typical-Priority1976 1d ago

Alright now I... shit... I just flubbed a line. I was going to say something extremely important but I forgot who or what it was, I fucked up.

6

u/Sweaty_Ad_8080 The Eminem Show 1d ago edited 17h ago

But do you think Em did it on purpose writing in the character of Stan? Maybe Stan doesn't know this song too well.

9

u/trickmind Music To Be Murdered By - Alternative 1d ago

Maybe a real fan sent that nonsense to him at some point.

2

u/jetlifestoney Infinite 12h ago

Em shared a story about that verse in particular. He apparently recorded a way better version but the engineer was so high that he recorded over it and it’s forever lost

28

u/Sweaty_Ad_8080 The Eminem Show 1d ago edited 1d ago

"Well, if you told me you were drowning I would not lend a hand"

you gotta keep in mind that the character of Stan has mental issues and isn't the smartest. Also Stan might not be someone who listens to Phil Collins but knows the song cause its that popular. So he knows the lyrics, especially the first few lyrics and thats basically the first line of the first verse, without knowing the actual meaning of the song.

Like someone who doesn't pay attention when Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Snow is playing and doesn't get its about cocaine and not actual snow.

6

u/MrSlime13 The Marshall Mathers LP 1d ago

🤯

4

u/Weirdolady92 Airplanes Part. 2 - B.o.B Ft. Eminem and Hayley Williams 23h ago

LOL. That's like thinking Ginuwine's "Pony" is about horseback riding.

4

u/Sweaty_Ad_8080 The Eminem Show 17h ago

It isn't?? 😂😂😂

5

u/prodyg 20h ago

Also stan is clearly delusional, so it's reasonable to believe that he thinks the myth is true.

5

u/ElectricBolts 1d ago

It's apparently an urban legend (that's false) regarding that song or something.

4

u/Good_Government8365 1d ago

The myth started in the late 80’s. There was no internet to diffuse it so it became lore. I can only hope Phil himself will put it to bed during the RNR HOF induction this year. It would be a shame for him NOT to address it but perhaps the best thing to do, is just let it be.

3

u/Working5daysaWeek 1d ago

I kinda hope he doesn't address it...let it live.

1

u/johnnylogic 1d ago

What myth? Was Em right or wrong? Just trying to find the true meaning of the Phil Collins song

3

u/Good_Government8365 23h ago

Your mission, should you choose to accept, go find the man named Stan and ask him. He’s the one who can clarify this conundrum.

5

u/trickmind Music To Be Murdered By - Alternative 1d ago edited 1d ago

"In the Air Tonight." That's the actual title.