| "3 a.m." | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byEminem | ||||
| from the albumRelapse | ||||
| Released | April 23, 2009(radio) April 28, 2009(digital) August 11, 2009(remix) | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
| Genre | Horrorcore[1][2] | |||
| Length | 5:19 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Dr. Dre | |||
| Eminem singles chronology | ||||
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| Travis Barker remix cover | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "3 a.m." onYouTube | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"3 a.m." is a song by AmericanrapperEminem as the third single from his albumRelapse.[3] The single was produced byDr. Dre. The song was released onto theiTunes Store on April 28, 2009.
The music video was released on May 2 at 10:00 pm viaCinemax. The song was later included on Eminem's second greatest-hits albumCurtain Call 2.
Eminem raps from the perspective of aserial killer questioning his own sanity and recalling a string of murders. The song, according to Eminem, is said to be closer to the overall sound of the album, as opposed to the poppy, fun-poking "We Made You". It's meant to be an ode to his fascination with horror movie characters such asFreddy Krueger andHannibal Lecter. It features Eminem presumably rapping from the perspective of his alter ego Slim Shady, using both internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes in his three verses.[4] The song contains a line fromThe Silence of the Lambs ('She puts the lotion in the bucket, she puts the lotion on her skin. She puts the lotion in the bucket, she puts the lotion on her skin, or else she will get the hose again.'). This is the third time Eminem uses a reference toThe Silence of the Lambs, to which Eminem also referred in theD12 song "American Psycho" fromDevil's Night and the music video for "You Don't Know" fromThe Re-Up. He later referenced the movie again in the track "Buffalo Bill" fromRelapse: Refill. The beginning of the song uses a sample of "Ghost of Love" by Timeless Legend. The song has a much darker concept than most ofRelapse's songs, which are generally more humorous, which sets it aside greatly from much of the album. The censored version removes references of killing or murder, but the music video keeps the words in.
The song received critical acclaim. Simon Vozick-Levinson ofEntertainment Weekly gave the song a positive review, as while he said "This is, more or less, the Eminem I've been waiting for. (...) Nobody finds poetry in violence and perviness like Marshall". While noting that "he's still rapping in a silly accent for some reason," Vozick-Levinson concluded that "He's a majorly offensive verbal acrobat, the world's most eloquentsociopath."[5]Allmusic chose it as a track pick also.[6]
"3 a.m." debuted at number 32 on theBillboard Hot 100, selling 66,000downloads in its first week.[7]
On Shade 45, Eminem announced that shooting for the video had been entirely complete and was shot in Detroit, Michigan at 3 a.m. with director Syndrome, who also worked on the video for "Crack a Bottle". It premiered onCinemax, May 2 right before the movieThe Strangers.[8] It follows Eminem playing a serial killer who is escaping from a rehabilitation clinic and killing everyone who might try to stop him. The video takes place at Popsomp Hills Rehabilitation Center in Detroit; the name of a fakerehabilitation clinic, which serves as aviral campaign for the release ofRelapse. The music video shows murder victims laying bloody, beaten and helpless after what seems to be a killing spree performed by Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady. The song and video suggests that it has aDr Jekyll and Mr Hyde theme, being Eminem as the good side and Slim Shady as the evil side. Slim Shady roams the halls of Popsomp Hills at 3:00 am and violently slaughters members of the staff on duty and warns the audience: "It's 3 a.m. and here I come so you should probably run." Eminem is also shown watching the music video to "Crack a Bottle" on a television, which is also directed by Syndrome.New York magazine described the video as a revival of the "torture porn" subgenre of horror films.[9] It was voted the fourth best video of 2009 byFuse TV.[10]
Blink-182 drummerTravis Barker remixed the track on May 29, 2009 and it was released via his YouTube account, as well as on Eminem's official website.[11][12] According to an interview with RapRadar, Travis Barker explained how the song came about, saying that "Paul [Rosenberg] had hit me up and said that Em kind of heard in his head some sort of rock remix for it. They let me have a stab at it and then the rest is history." He also stated that "it’s going to be available on Eminem.com for like some special release."[13] It was released ontoiTunes on August 11, 2009, and also included on the "Beautiful" CD single and digital EP. The Travis Barker remix has received extensive play on Los Angeles rock andalternative radio stationKROQ-FM.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "3 a.m." |
| Dr. Dre | 5:19 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "3 a.m." (Travis Barker remix) |
| Dr. Dre | 5:02 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "3 a.m." |
| Dr. Dre | 5:19 |
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[17] | 38 |
| Brazilian Singles Chart (ABPD)[18] | 63 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] | 24 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[20] | 56 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[21] | 32 |
| USPop 100 (Billboard)[22] | 37 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[23] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[24] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
