You used to say that I'd never be
Nothing without you and I believe
I'm shot in the lungs, I gasp, I can't breathe
Just lay here with me, baby, hold me please
And I'd beg and I'd plead, drop to knees
And I'd cry and I'd scream, "Baby, please don't leave"
Snatch the keys from your hand
I would squeeze and you'd laugh
And you'd tease, you're just fucking with me
And you must hate me
Why do you date me if you say I make you sick?
And you've had enough of me
I smother you, I'm 'bout to jump off the edge

But you won't break me
You'll just make me stronger than I was
Before I met you, I bet you I'll be just fine without you
And if I stumble, I won't crumble
I'll get back up and uhhh
I'ma still be humble when I scream, "Fuck you"
'Cause I'm stronger than I was

A beautiful face is all that you had
'Cause on the inside you're ugly and mad
But you're all that I love
I grasp, you can't leave
Please stay here with me, baby, hold me please
And I'd beg and I'd plead, drop to knees
And I'd cry and I'd scream, "Baby, please don't leave"
But you left and you took everything I had left
And left nothing, nothing for me
So please don't wake me from this dream, baby
We're still together in my head
And you're still in love with me
'Til I woke up to discover that that dream was dead

But you won't break me
You'll just make me stronger than I was
Before I met you, I bet you I'll be just fine without you
And if I stumble, I won't crumble
I'll get back up and uhhh
I'ma still be humble when I scream, "Fuck you"
'Cause I'm stronger than I was

You walked out, I almost died
It was almost a homicide that you caused 'cause I was so traumatized
Felt like I was in for a long bus ride
I'd rather die than you not be by my side
Can't count how many times I vomited, cried
Go to my room, turn the radio on and hide
Thought we were Bonnie and Clyde, nah
On the inside you were Jekyll and Hyde, I
Felt like my whole relationship with you was a lie
It was you and I, why did I think it was ride or die?
'Cause if you could've took my life you would've
It's like you put a knife to my chest and pushed it right through to the
Other side of my back and stuck a spike, too, should've
Put up more of a fight but I couldn't at the time
No one could hurt me like you could've
Take you back now, what's the likelihood of that?
Bite me, bitch, chew on a nineteen footer
'Cause this morning I finally stood up
Held my chin up, finally showed a sign of life in me for the
First time since you left and left me with nothing but shattered dreams
And a life we could've had and we could've been
But I'm breaking out of this slump I'm in
Pulling myself out of the dumps once again
I'm getting up once and for all, fuck this shit
I'ma be late for the pity party
But you're never gonna beat me to the fucking punch again
Took it on the chin like a champ so don't lump me in with them chump-ions
I'm done being your punching bag
It was the November 31st today, would've been our anniversary
Two years, but you left on the first of May
I wrote it on the calendar
Was gonna call, but couldn't think of the words to say
But it came to me just now, so I put 'em in a verse to lay

And I thank you (uh) 'cause you made me (uh)
A better person than I was
But I hate you (uh) 'cause you drained me (uh)
I gave you all, you gave me none
But if you blame me (uh), you're crazy (uh)
And after all that's said and done
I'm still angry, yeah, I may be
I may never trust someone

But you won't break me
You'll just make me stronger than I was
Before I met you, I bet you I'll be just fine without you
And if I stumble, I won't crumble
I'll get back up and uhhh
I'ma still be humble when I scream, "Fuck you"
'Cause I'm stronger than I was


Lyrics submitted by brian, edited by nasses321

Stronger Than I Was Lyrics as written by Marshall B. Mathers Luis Edgardo Resto

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Stronger Than I Was song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

8 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    The lyrics is all wrong, I submitted the right one a few days ago and it changes the meaning of this song. As an example the first werses are : You used to say that I'd never be nothing without you, and I believed. I'm shot in the lungs, I gasp I can't breathe, just lay here with me! Baby hold me please. Also he's ALWAYS singing with I'd in this song, he don't use I since this is all a thought he's having.

    Maybe I'm stretching it here but the whole album could be starting with the past and him being dumb/an asshole and wanting to kills his girlfriend and closer to the end of the album he's changing his view on it all and even says sorry to his mom in the song Headlights and want to meet her no mather what. (Which I've also submitted correct lyrics to but they haven't been fullt integrated.)

    nasses321on April 10, 2015   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    The song is obviously about some sort of toxic relationship.

    But everyone is failing to acknowledge a key line that continues to puzzle me. "It was November 31st today. Would've been our anniversary; two years, but you left on the first of May."

    There is no 31st of November. So why would he reference this date? And continually talk about a dream? Did this girl never exist? Is it simply Kim? Maybe it's deeper? Who knows.

    SethFangon November 17, 2015   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Well it's definitely about a relationship. Most likely a poor one. Seems to me like he is talking about a verbally abusive relationship. He is talking about how he just puts up with it because he wants things to work out but the relationship is very up and down. When things first started he was weak and would take anything but as things have gone on he's gaining courage and is going to stand up and get out of it.

    law187on November 11, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's most likely about Kim. Many think it is supposed to be from her perspective, though it is hard to tell.

    iamtherainkingon November 11, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    has anyone thought about the idea of him talking about his relationship with rap and his personal life with drugs and what not. it's making him a stronger person that before he had it. because with it it's helped him become sober and raise his daughter and move on from life. but I also think it's about Kim or someone.

    CSwabbieon December 25, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I personally think Mr.Mather's is referring to his 1st stages when he entered rehab. It sounds like he is describing his relationship AMD the struggles with being separated from his drug of choice.

    There are too many examples to list without writing every word in the song.Just re-read/listen to the lyrics and its quite fitting to what a person struggles with when giving up an addiction. There is an attachment to the drug and its common to compare it to a very one-sided, love/hate dysfunctional relationship. Addiction drains a person and by the time they enter rehab, they feel as if they have given all of themselves to the substance because they've put more important things in their life to the side as a side effect of being high &, dependent. He mentions how he much he vomited. He made reference how at one point he was to weak to pass up on the temptation when he says he should have been stronger to fight back, he mentions how it could have killed him etc.

    I could provide examples for the entire song but this is my interpretation to this song. Just my thoughts......

    treesabon February 16, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I forgot to mention in my 1st post, in the song when he mentions dreaming of "them" being together, I think he is referring to the cravings he had/has for the drug. He dreams of the good times he remembered. He makes reference to the two sides of life that the drug gave him. He was delusioned into thinking the drug was good for him (during those euphoric highs) but in reality, it was really messing up his life in every way.

    I meant to include this in my 1st post. Sorry for the 2nd post!

    treesabon February 16, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is talking about his relationship with his ex wife Kim. If you are a true Stan you'll remember his old songs about his ex Kim, and in every album he has a couple songs about his relationship with her. But, this song is more depressing then all of the other, although it is showing how Marshall is getting over her.

    james39124on June 25, 2015   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.