Eminem Encore Original Tracklist -

In hip-hop mythology, few artifacts are as discussed as the "original" tracklist for Eminem’s fourth studio album, Encore. The album that hit shelves in November 2004 is widely considered a polarizing entry in his discography—marked by accents, fart jokes, and a noticeable dip in lyrical sharpness attributed to Eminem's escalating pill addiction.

However, die-hard fans and music historians have spent two decades reconstructing the album Eminem intended to make. This "Original Encore" is viewed as a darker, more cohesive sequel to The Eminem Show, stripped of the filler tracks that plagued the final cut.

Context: In mid-2004, a rough version of Eminem’s Encore leaked online. In response, Eminem and his team scrapped several songs, rushed to record new, goofier tracks (like “Big Weenie,” “Rain Man,” “My 1st Single”), and relegated the original, more serious material to a bonus disc (later known as Straight from the Lab) or the deluxe edition.

The original tracklist (circa spring/summer 2004) looked something like this (order varies by source, but the core songs are agreed upon):

(Note: “Bully,” “Come On In,” and “Monkey See, Monkey Do” were also part of the leak but not always on the main album sequence.)

Introduction Released in November 2004, Eminem’s Encore arrived at the peak of his powers—but also marked the beginning of a critical decline. Often remembered for its goofy singles ("Just Lose It") and the infamous "Accents Era" (which would later plague Relapse), the album is frequently cited as Marshall Mathers’ creative low point. But for hardcore fans, there has always been a lingering question: Was the album we got the album he intended?

Let’s take a deep dive into the Encore era, the "original tracklist" theories, and the lost tracks that could have shifted the album's narrative.

The "Official" Released Tracklist To understand the changes, we have to look at what hit the shelves. The standard edition ran 20 tracks deep, bloated with skits and comedic filler.

The Myth of the "Original" Sequencing While a completely different "beta" tracklist has never been officially confirmed by Shady Records in full, leaked snippets and industry insights suggest that Encore underwent significant surgery before release.

The most famous deviation from the final product centers around the song "We As Americans."

Originally leaked in high quality prior to the album drop, "We As Americans" was widely believed to be the original opener or a centerpiece of the record. The track contained the controversial line, "I don't rap for dead presidents, I'd rather see the president dead," which forced the label to reconsider the song's placement. On the final retail version, it was relegated to a "Bonus Disc" (along with "Love You More" and the Ricky Martin parody "Rickidy").

If "We As Americans" had taken its rightful place in the main sequence, it would have provided a jarring, serious political tone that the album desperately lacked.

The Lost Tracks & Leaks The Encore sessions are legendary for the amount of quality material that stayed on the cutting room floor (or ended up on mixtapes). If the original tracklist had incorporated these tracks, the "joke" factor of the album would have been significantly reduced:

The Sequencing Theory Many fans theorize that the "Original Encore" was a darker, more serious follow-up to The Eminem Show. The prevailing belief is that Em—or the label—panicked due to political pressure (the Bush administration era) and legal threats. As a result, the serious political tracks were swapped out or pushed to a bonus disc, and the comedic/gimmick tracks were pushed to the front to secure radio play and safety.

Imagine an Encore that opened with "We As

The "original" tracklist for 's 2004 album was famously scrapped and reworked after several key songs leaked online roughly a year before release. This leak led Eminem to record replacement tracks—like "Big Weenie" and "Rain Man"—which many fans consider to be of lower quality due to his struggle with drug addiction at the time. The Lost "Original" Tracks

Before the leaks, the album was intended to feature several songs that ultimately appeared as bonus tracks or were held for years. eminem encore original tracklist

What was the original Encore tracklist supposed to look like? - Reddit

i think it probably wouldve been a little something like this with some alterations to some songs and skits: * curtains up (skit) ... Reddit·r/Eminem Big Weenie

The worst songs on the album like Big Weenie were all last minute replacements for the leaked songs that he ( Drake ) made when he... Big Weenie

" Mosh ( Mosh (song ) " is a protest song by Eminem from his fifth studio album, Encore. The song debuted on Eminem ( Eminem as ) ...

's fifth studio album, Encore, underwent significant changes after several key tracks leaked online via the Straight from the Lab bootleg in late 2003. To protect the album's commercial viability, Eminem pulled the leaked songs and replaced them with last-minute recordings, many of which were criticized for their "goofy" or "drugged-out" quality. The Reconstructed "Original" Tracklist

While an official original tracklist was never released, Eminem has confirmed in interviews with Shade 45 that certain songs were intended to be centerpiece tracks before the leak. 1. Curtains Up (Skit)

2. We As Americans: Confirmed as the original opening track.

3. Bully: A diss track targeting Benzino and Ja Rule; confirmed for the original list.

4. Evil Deeds: An early version without the "drugged" vocal delivery. 5. Never Enough (ft. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg). 6. Yellow Brick Road. 7. Like Toy Soldiers. 8. Mosh: Included to double down on anti-Bush themes.

9. Christopher Reeves: Scrapped following the actor's death; later reworked as "Brand New Dance". 10. Paul (Skit).

11. Monkey See, Monkey Do: A leaked diss track likely intended for the mid-section. 12. Spend Some Time (ft. Obie Trice, Stat Quo & 50 Cent). 13. Mockingbird.

14. Love You More: Confirmed by Eminem as a track meant for the main album.

15. Come On In (ft. D12): Later renamed "6 in the Morning" and moved to D12 World. 16. Final Thought (Skit). 17. Encore / Curtains Down (ft. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent). Songs Removed and Replaced

The following table highlights how the final 2004 release differed from the "intended" version due to the leaks: Original Intended Song Final Album Replacement Reason for Change We As Americans (Moved to Bonus Disc) Leaked early; replaced by new recordings Love You More (Moved to Bonus Disc) Leaked early; replaced by "Crazy In Love" Bully Big Weenie Last-minute replacement after "Bully" leaked Monkey See, Monkey Do Rain Man Last-minute "goofy" replacement Christopher Reeves Ass Like That Scrapped due to Reeve's death Come On In One Shot 2 Shot Swapped with the D12 collaboration

Eminem later reflected on Facebook that if the leaked tracks had stayed, the album's caliber would have rivaled The Eminem Show.

What was the original Encore tracklist supposed to look like? - Reddit In hip-hop mythology, few artifacts are as discussed

i think it probably wouldve been a little something like this with some alterations to some songs and skits: * curtains up (skit) ... Reddit·r/Eminem Encore (Eminem album) - Wikipedia

Table_title: Track listing Table_content: header: | No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | row: | No.: 1. | Title: "Curt...

What was the original Encore tracklist supposed to look like?

curtains up (skit) evil deeds [less drugged out flow and delivery from em] never enough. yellow brick road. we as americans. mosh. Reddit·r/Eminem OG Encore Tracklist? : r/Eminem - Reddit

* We As Americans. * Bully. * Never Enough (feat. Nate Dogg & 50 Cent) * Yellow Brick Road. * Mosh. * Evil Deeds. * Ricky Ticky To... Reddit·r/Eminem

Does anyone know the songs that were originally supposed to be on ...

Eminem's hooks from this time period are too good. ... I like both songs, but I agree that 6 in the Morning goes harder. ... Most ... Reddit·r/Eminem Big Weenie

The worst songs on the album like Big Weenie were all last minute replacements for the leaked songs that he ( Drake ) made when he... Big Weenie

" Mosh ( Mosh (song ) " is a protest song by Eminem from his fifth studio album, Encore. The song debuted on Eminem ( Eminem as ) ... Like Toy Soldiers

“Like Toy Soldiers” is a significant track from Eminem's 2004 album “Encore.” The song is notable not only for its emotional depth... Like Toy Soldiers Paul (skit)

Fun fact - the "Paul" skit on Encore was originally about "Christopher Reeves", only to get replaced after the song was cut from t... Paul (skit) Just Lose It

Eminem ( Marshall Mathers ) was prepping the follow up to the eminem ( Marshall Mathers ) show in 2004, the album was to be called... Just Lose It Mockingbird

A Blind Audition That Left Every Chair Turned 🎤✨ A breathtaking moment from The Voice Kids when Emma stepped onto the stage in 20... Mockingbird Evil Deeds

“Encore's” first track, “Evil Deeds,” acknowledges these pitfalls, as Eminem speaks of himself in the third person, “whining about... Evil Deeds Spend Some Time

"Spend Some Time" is a track from Eminem's fifth studio album, "Encore," released in 2004. The song features Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Spend Some Time What If Encore Never Leaked? - fLaMEd fury

We As Americans (Bonus Track) - Eminem. Bully - Eminem. Evil Deeds - Eminem. Never Enough (feat. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg) - Eminem. Ye... fLaMEd fury What tracks on ENCORE were recorded to replace leaks??? (Note: “Bully,” “Come On In,” and “Monkey See,

Leaked songs: Monkey See Monkey Do, We as Americans, Love you More, 6 in the Morning, Come on In, Can I Bitch, Bully. Replacement ... Reddit·r/Eminem

What Other Songs were Leaked/Cut from Encore? : r/Eminem - Reddit

What Other Songs were Leaked/Cut from Encore? I know that "We As Americans" and "Bully" were supposed to be the first two songs pl... Reddit·r/Eminem Eminem thinks Encore could have equaled The Eminem ...

🚨 Eminem thinks Encore could have equaled The Eminem Show if it weren't for the leak. He mentioned that many songs didn't make it... Facebook·BirdBeat

In 2004, Eminem was on top of the universe. The Eminem Show had sold 10 million copies. 8 Mile had won an Oscar. He was a global pariah and a pop hero simultaneously. Then came Encore — an album fans have spent nearly two decades debating: brilliant finale or bloated farewell?

But the album we got isn’t the album he made.

The original tracklist for Encore leaked months before release. It was darker, tighter, and more personal. Here’s a reconstruction based on interviews and session leaks:

Original Encore Tracklist (circa early 2004):

Then everything changed.

In mid-2004, the unfinished album leaked onto peer-to-peer networks. Eminem was furious. In a panic, he scrapped three of the most aggressive, political tracks: "We As Americans," "Love You More," and the infamous "Bully" — a venomous, homophobic attack on critics and (allegedly) Michael Jackson. He rushed into the studio and recorded three new, goofier tracks to replace them: Rain Man, Big Weenie, and My 1st Single — songs that fans now routinely call the worst of his career.

The result? The Encore we know is split in half. Disc 1 (tracks 1–11) is classic Eminem: political rage, pop satire, and heartbreaking addiction confessions (Like Toy Soldiers). Disc 2 (tracks 12–15) is a fart-joke carnival, where he mocks his own legacy.

Had the original tracklist survived, Encore might be remembered differently — a lean, angry sequel to The Eminem Show. Instead, it became the first true sign that the pills were winning. The leaked originals eventually appeared on Encore’s bonus disc — buried, like ghosts of a better album.

In a way, the leak saved Eminem. The rushed, silly tracks were so poorly received that even he seemed embarrassed. He went quiet for four years. When he returned with Relapse, he was sober. But Encore — in both its leaked and released forms — remains the perfect, messy monument to a genius starting to crack under his own weight.

Write-Up: The "Lost" Classic – Reconstructing Eminem’s Original Encore Tracklist

Release Year: 2004 Album Status: Certified Multi-Platinum, Critically Divisive The Narrative: A masterpiece sabotaged by leaks and narcotic indulgence.

"Bully" is arguably one of the most vicious diss tracks Eminem ever recorded—directed at Ja Rule and Irv Gotti, with a hook about Columbine that was so controversial it never saw a proper commercial release. "When I’m Gone" is one of his most emotionally devastating songs. Removing these from the standard tracklist weakened the album’s emotional backbone.

| Original Encore (Leaked) | Official Encore (2004) | |------------------------------|---------------------------| | “We As Americans” | “Evil Deeds” | | “Love You More” | “Never Enough” (kept) | | “Bully” (bonus/b-side) | “Yellow Brick Road” (kept) | | No “Big Weenie” | “Big Weenie” (added) | | No “Rain Man” | “Rain Man” (added) | | No “My 1st Single” | “My 1st Single” (added) | | Tone: darker, political, sad | Tone: goofy, erratic, rushed |