There is no escaping (yo)
There's no place to hide (ayo)
You scream, "Someone save me" (yo)
But they don't pay no mind (ayo)
Goodnight, goodbye

You're walkin' down a horror corridor
It's almost four in the mornin' and you're in a
Nightmare, it's horrible, right there's the coroner
Waiting for ya to turn the corner so he can corner ya
You're a goner, he's onto ya
Out the corner of his cornea, he just saw ya run
All you want is to rest 'cause you can't run anymore, you're done
All he wants is to kill you in front of an audience
While everybody is watching in the party, applauding it
Here I sit, while I'm caught up in deep thought again
Contemplating my next plot again
Swallowin' a Klonopin while I'm noddin' in and out on the ottoman
At the Ramada Inn, holding onto the pill bottle, then
Lick my finger and swirl it 'round the bottom
And make sure I got all of it
Wake up naked at McDonald's with
Blood all over me, dead bodies behind the counter, shit
Guess I must've just blacked out again, not again

It's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em
I said, it's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em

Sitting nude in my living room, it's almost noon
I wonder what's on the tube, maybe they'll show some boobs
Surfing every channel until I find Hannah Montana then
I reach for the aloe and lanolin, bust all over the wall panellin'
Dismantlin' every candle on top of the fireplace mantel and
Grab my flannel and my bandana, then
Kiss the naked mannequin man again
You can see him standin' in my front window if you look in
I'm just a hooligan who's used to using hallucinogens
Causin' illusions again, brain contusions again
Cutting and bruising the skin, razors, scissors, and pins
Jesus, when does it end? Phases that I go through
Dazed and I'm so confused
Days that I don't know who gave these molecules to
Me, what am I gon' do?
Hey, the prodigal son, the diabolical one
Very methodical when I slaughter them

It's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em
I said, it's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em

She puts the lotion in the bucket
It puts the lotion on the skin
Or else it gets the hose again
She puts the lotion in the bucket
It puts the lotion on the skin
Or else it gets the hose again

I cut and I slash, slice and gash, last night was a blast
I can't quite remember when I had that
Much fun off a half-pint of the Jack, my last Vic-and-a-half
A flashlight up Kim Kardashian's ass
I remember the first time I dismembered a family member
December, I think it was, I was having drinks with my cousin
I wrapped him in Christmas lights
Pushed him into the stinkin' tub, cut him up into pieces
And just when I went to drink his blood
I thought, "I oughta drink his bathwater, that oughta be fun"
That's when my days of serial murder manslaughter begun
The sight of blood excites me, that might be an artery, son
Your blood-curdling screams just don't seem to bother me none
It's 3 AM and here I come, so you should probably run
A secret passageway around here, man, there's got to be one
Oh no, there's probably none
He can scream all that he wants, top of his lungs
But ain't no stopping me from chopping him up-up, 'cause

It's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em
I said, it's 3 AM in the mornin'
Put my key in the door and
Bodies layin' all over the floor and
I don't remember how they got there
But I guess I must've killed 'em, killed 'em

Yo, yo, ayo (evil, rise)
Yo, yo, ayo (evil, rise)
Yo, yo, ayo (evil, rise)
Yo, yo, ayo (evil, rise)
(evil, rise)
(evil, rise)


Lyrics submitted by sfgiants1993, edited by cdhunt6282, rathyrye

3 A.M. Lyrics as written by Trevor Lawrence Mark Christopher Batson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

3 A.M. song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

46 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    corrections: It's almost 4 in the mornin' and your in a to It's almost 4 in the mornin' and you're in a (LEARN CONTRACTIONS PLEASE PEOPLE, JESUS!)

    Swallowing the Calotapin while... to Swallowing a Klonopin

    lefttheretodrownon May 11, 2009   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    Did no one notice... "I'm just a hooligan who's used to using hallucinogens" I think maybe he's rapping about a bad trip on something, just a thought.

    CaptainSnookyon December 27, 2009   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    This song, along with the music video, is an evil demonic song in more ways than one. While most of the song is a fictional story of a deranged serial killer, It does have some realistic elements. First of All, as most people know, Eminem is also known as Slim Shady. Slim Shady is like the evil alter ego of Eminem. So in this song, as shown in the video, Eminem transforms into/gets possessed by Slim Shady and goes around killing people. Then the next day, after he turns back into Eminem, he can't remember killing those people, mostly because it wasn't Eminem that did it; it was Slim Shady.

    The name of the song holds dark significance. 3 a.m., or rather the time between midnight and 3 a.m., is generally referred to as the "witching hour", while 3 a.m. is referred to as the "devil's hour". According to legend, it is when witches, demons, and ghosts are at their maximum power. So, it would make sense that the "demon" Slim Shady would be able to kill so many people at 3 a.m.

    Also, at the end of the song, he does start chanting "Evil Rise". This is shown in the video, as every time the word "Rise" is said, Eminem raises his arms up.

    Personally, I think its obvious that Eminem has sold his soul to the devil in exchange for fame and fortune, as so many of his songs have demonic elements to them.

    timmyd23on June 10, 2009   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    I think this song is about mental illness. When you have bipolar disorder, you will go crazy and fight with family or friends and then you don't remember why or even remember doing it. I think the whole song is about fights he's had. He talks about drug problems, alcohol problems, and I think the "i musta killed them" is just about how he must have fought with them.

    mandmommy124on June 25, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    You suck. This song rocks.

    sfgiants1993on April 28, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i'm not sure if i would consider this one of his "serious" songs. contrary to "murder murder" and other early songs about crime and murder, eminem/marshall/slim no longer kills people out of desperation but because his brain is apparently messed up from all the drugs he use to do. i am hearing "a fleshlight of Kim Kardashian's ass." my opinion? it takes me a while to decide whether i like these new songs because his material and style is drastically different per album. being an enthusiast for his early material and underground styles, these new songs don't measure up; contrary, new eminem is new eminem so i stand by my artists.

    sofa king coolon April 28, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    T"he godfather for one"?? sorry but i hear "the diabolical one".

    and what i dont get it why you people cant listen to a song and just enjoy it. he's just rapping here. having fun. it doesnt have to have a meaning. this song is sick.

    uhduh25on January 10, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think instead of the godfather of one its suposed to be the diabolical one at the end of the second verse...and i think its about him trying to get clean but he keeps slipping

    RV527752on May 13, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i agree wit Glocuster Eminem cant be respected as a hip hop legend cuz of his immature side... songs like like toy soldiers, sing for the moment, lose yourself, are all serious songs with incredible content. He shows lots of skill on his new album in terms of flow and vocabulary and speed, but he still lacks the content... you cant base a career on songs about your mom, your daughter, and pretending to be a freak killer or rape stories hes gotta be fucked in the head

    novogameon June 05, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "Out of the corner of his cornea he just saw you run/All you want is to rest 'cause you can't run anymore, you're done/All he wants is to kill you in front of an audience/While everybody's watching at the party applauding it"

    Fucking A. All the internal rhyme, alliteration, etc... it's really quite poetic. Anyways, I think the song's about blacking out on drugs and killing people... it's really pretty obvious.

    vaguelyhumanoidon December 23, 2010   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
Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
Album art
Techno Ted
Audioslave
Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Album art
Fortnight
Taylor Swift
The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.