Song 130 Marshall Mathers’ new album released this past November contains a song called “Headlights” which is structured similarly to William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” in the sense that both authors display endless and timeless love for their loved one. In the second verse of “Headlights”, Marshall recalls many times he harmed people with his lyrics and even states that “My mom probably got it the worst” (Mathers 12) but then declares “But regardless I don't hate you 'cause, Ma,/ You're still beautiful to me, 'cause you're my mom” (Mathers 16-17). Despite constantly trashing and abusing his mother in past lyrics, he has written Mathers feels the need to express his love for his mother by stating she is “beautiful”, a word
that wasn’t in the head of Mathers in years past, but managed to remain in his heart for a prolonged amount of time. The same feeling is expressed by Shakespeare in “Sonnet 130” as he states he hasn’t lost sight of his love on earth after all the years they spent together. In the following verse Marshall sings “And how I just wanted you to taste your own,/ But now the medications taken over/ And your mental state's deteriorating slow/ And I'm way too old to cry, that s***’* painful though/ But, Ma, I forgive you” (Mathers 42-47). While the first two lines describe the desire for Mathers’ revenge and the success it has on his mother, the deep emotions driven out nearly bring out the tears of someone “too old to cry”. Despite being “way too old”, the feeling of love remains in Marshall’s heart and provokes emotions for someone he has recently not seen eye to eye with. Again the idea of love being timeless coming from Shakespeare’s sonnet is prevalent in Marshall’s song and therefore, the two pieces share the central theme in common.