“Alfred’s Theme” is the third track on Eminem’s second 2020 album ‘Music to Be Murdered By: Side B.’ On this self-produced track, Eminem talks about his music prowess and about the hate he constantly receives.
Eminem released his second surprise album ‘Music to Be Murdered By: Side B’ on December 18, 2020, a sequel to his January 2020 album ‘Music to Be Murdered By.’ The brand new album, 12th in his career, consists of 16 new tracks and carries on Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller theme from the former album.
The song title is a tribute to the running theme of the two albums released by Eminem in 2020. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most influential filmmakers in suspense/thriller/horror cinematography history. Eminem’s music has lived up to the above tags at some point or the other in his career. Eminem’s lyrics have metaphorically ended people’s lives and literal careers before.
Listen to “Alfred’s Theme” by Eminem
Buy ‘Music to Be Murdered By: Side B’ Album on Apple Music & Amazon
“Alfred’s Theme” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Verse 1
Before Eminem gets on the mic for the ‘Music to Be Murdered By’ sequel, he checks the mic and wipes it off with disinfectants. Another running theme on the sequel album is the ongoing pandemic COVID-19. A best practice to prevent the spread of the virus is to clean contact points with high alcohol concentrated disinfectants. Eminem putting on his tux is resembling his appearance on the album cover.
On ‘Music to Be Murdered By’ album released in January 2020, Eminem went hard at some singers, celebrities, and critics. So, the sequel ‘Side B’ seems like overkill to him, but he still goes ahead with it. Em also claims that the songs on these two albums will be hard to swallow for some people. So he has the ‘parental advisory’ label slapped on the front cover. This gives him the freedom to properly channel Alfred Hitchcock through his music.
There are a lot of people who throw their arms up in the air and shout that Eminem has been releasing garbage music and still is. But, at this point, Eminem could care less. He still racks up bags of dollars for his garbage. ‘Music to Be Murdered By’ amassed 279,000 equivalent album sales units in the first week of release.
Eminem also debunks the claims that he is “washed up” because he says he is one of the filthiest rappers out there. Also if cleanliness is next to godliness, Em cannot sit next to himself because is godlike in the rap game and dirty at the craft at the same time.
Eminem has grown out to be one of the most successful artists of all time. And to have done this with the kind of turmoiled childhood he had was phenomenal. All the fame and wealth he has now is all to his credit. So, even though Em still has haters, he could not care at this point.
In the lyrics, Em also shouts out to one of his iconic tracks “Stan” from 2000.
Interlude-1
As if Em remembered something suddenly, he starts singing the ‘happy birthday’ song and stops. December 18th, the release date of the album, coincides with the birthday of singer Billie Eilish, whom Eminem references later on in the song.
Verse 2
In the second verse, Eminem paints a perfect portrait of him suitable for an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Picture Eminem sitting in silence in a room with only one candle lit, his blank eyes gazing at you, and he is sipping a glass of Wild Irish (a red colored beverage), and you can envision homicidal thoughts running havoc inside his head. Lastly, Eminem adds that he is giving nightmares to Billie Eilish, which is something Billie Eilish herself confessed about Eminem. In the same discussion, Billie picked Childish Gambino over Eminem because of the above reason. This is why Eminem adds that portraying him as pictured above is “childish and silly.”
Interlude-2
Jabs at rapper Diddy have been a running theme in Eminem’s songs. Machine Gun Kelly was signed to Diddy’s record label in 2011, and thus Eminem clears who’s side-man is who!
Verse 3
In the third verse of “Alfred’s Theme,” Eminem goes on to brag about his dominance in the music game. Although we are into the 12th studio album by Eminem, he claims that we still haven’t seen all of him. More is yet to come.
Eminem also goes on to say that his ‘insanity’ is at a maximum level right now with the sequel for ‘MTBMB.’ The thought process behind this statement is that Eminem attacked pretty much the entire industry in these two albums. So Eminem can very well envision himself being admitted to an insane asylum with a cuckoo injection. And this is one more reason why other rappers who wish to go against Eminem should re-consider their battles. Because they might be barking up the wrong tree!
And this the final chapter, ’cause I’m either frying after
Or they gon’ give me the needle
Not entirely sure what Eminem means by ‘final chapter,’ but our best guess is the finale of the ‘MTBMB’ series.
Several other references in the lyrics are the ‘Dukes of Hazzard‘ TV series, “Panda” song by Desiigner, Mad Hatter character in Alice in Wonderland novel, Jeffery Dahmer the serial killer, Jabba the Hutt character from the Star Wars franchise, EPMD music group, and more.
The craftmanship on songs like these is evidence of why Eminem is one of the greatest to ever do it.
Let us hear what you think about the song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius.
I wanna sit in a silent room, one candle lit, sipping wild irish while im singing this song
Dahmer and hut and thermomiter in b*tt all sound like relapse references to me?
The “Happy Birthday” skit is more referring to a medical suggestion regarding covid19 safety guidelines. They suggest to wash your hands for about 20 seconds, which is approximately the time you sing “happy birthday to you”. You here he’s washing his hands in the meanwhile. Em goes over your head, mine too.