#go and listen to cemetery drive by mcr because it’s super good
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sanjiswetcigarettes0 · 10 months ago
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Picrew chain because it’s super fun!
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( i have an afro-looking curly hair rn but this is how it exactly looks when i cut them!)
Save me mcr hoodie.. mcr hoodie save me..
No pressure tag! :
@latinokokonoi @jaggy-ya @beanghostprincess @hyperbolicgrinch @lavendead @rainbownixie @1pcii @sillycathorrors @bowlinggwithmargo and anyone who sees this and wants to join!
picrew chain because i’m boreddd
this picrew
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this hoodie is what i need in life
@princessg3rard @faggyv4mpire @gay4way @thnks--fr-th-vnm @demigoddess-of-ghosts @notchemicallybalanced @fr4nksgr33nt34 @silly-kid @ineffableemo @venom-bitez @fungh0uls @just-another-bored-killjoy @p0is0n-is-th3-cur3 @feeble13 @gerardwayenjoyer @emo-raco0n @piercemyballz @melpomene-darling @bitchboy and anyone else who sees this and wants to join !
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crave-mp3 · 2 years ago
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where should i start /gen
Ooooo good question!! Ill give you two types of rec depending on if you like to listen by album or individual songs (edit: this turned ridiculously long i am SO sorry but i lovelovelove sharing my interests :3):
By album: id say start with Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge bc most ppl (including me) sort of consider it the quintessential mcr album--its super fast-paced and leans to the rougher, firey punk side of their discography. From there, id say go to The Black Parade, which has a more polished sound and is i guess what wider pop culture/non mcr fans tend to think of when they think of mcr bc it was their height of commercial success and cultural notoriety. This one leans more into the sweeping-rock-anthem side of things and u get some iconic bangers like welcome to the black parade and famous last words.
Then, you can either go to I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, their debut album--this one is the roughest around the edges, but its an incredible foundation to the rest of their discography and its very dear to my heart lol. Or, you can go to their (as of yet) last album, Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys! This one is definitely their poppiest and its so soooo good--super catchy, great lyrics, and a load of super fun musical moments. Listen to it on a long drive, its perfect :DDD
(Those are the four main ones, tho theres also Conventional Weapons, a compilation album released after their breakup that is definitely worth a listen!!)
And a note about all these albums: i definitely definitely recommend listening to them in order, especially because they all have plotlines that accompany them, and thats a whole other library of lore thats super fun to get into :D!!!
I have two main categories for the individual songs, those being the hits (or ones that arent technically hits but are still significant) and the fan- or personal-favorites :3 here goes:
Hits: skylines and turnstiles, vampires will never hurt you, im not ok (i promise), helena, thank you for the venom, welcome to the black parade, teenagers, famous last words, na na na, sing
Personal/fan favorites: headfirst for halos, early sunsets over monroeville, demolition lovers, cemetery drive, hang em high, i never told you what i do for a living, the sharpest lives, cancer, mama, bulletproof heart, party poison, summertime, the kids from yesterday, heaven help us, f.t.w.w.w.
And finally, not matter which method you use, id recommend their newest song, The Foundations Of Decay!! Musically, its fairly different from anything they've done (except maybe on bullets? Sort of?) and i think it points in a really interesting direction for any music they may make in the future!!
Ugh, this got SO long im so sorry ^_^' ik you asked for a starting point and i gave you more of a complete overview, so im really sorry if its too much lol, i just get super excited. But i hope you enjoy!!! <3
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twowivestwoknives · 4 years ago
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Album thing:
I want more mce onions so three cheers for sweet revenge pls
oh Hell yeah aighty here we go: Revenge, best to worst as deemed by this bitch (me)
1. Cemetery Drive
I’m completely bias as it’s one of my all time favourite MCR songs BUT i have a reason. Revenge is a song known for it’s roughness and it doesn’t do the merging of soft and hard together as well as the band grows to be able to do (see Sleep or Save Yourself later on). Cemetery Drive is really the song on the album that marries the emotional intensity and desperation the band has been known for up to this point with the utilization of musical stylings that stand out from the rest of the tracks but still sound distinctly My Chem. It’s the Halos of Revenge and I fucking adore it. Plus lyrically? Fucking poetry 2. Hang ‘Em High This Song Fucks. It’s lyrically all over the place but terrifying and you can tell Gerard believes every word in how they sing it even if he has no clue what it means. It’s all the theatrical, violent drama the band is known for, and it in my opinion epitomizes Revenge as an album. Which is a big statement especially with songs like Venom and Helena on it, but I think it touches on all of the thematic cores (rebirth, being hunted to death, dead women, catholic guilt, murder), and I think as a “scene” of a song, as the album is concept, it really frames the frenzy someone who’s rolling with the punches of coerced serial murder would be going through. Plus murder goth cowboys. Woohoo. 3. It’s Not A Fashion Statement, It’s a Fucking Deathwish One of the most impressive opening lines of any song I’ve heard in my 25 years. It earns the spot in top three just for “For what you did to me! For what I’ll do to you! You get what everyone else gets....you get a lifetime!” Way to make a lyric sound like a prayer and a threat in the same breath. From there on it’s just a banger. A drag race of an MCR song that does 3 more laps than you’d ever expected to. Really embraces the energy MCR has in it’s speed, and not afraid to use a major sound here or there. 4. Helena It’s super weird for me to put a release this high on the list but Helena holds up as one of the most beautiful songs of the mid oughts. It shows “revenge” for what it is thematically on the album, a revenge on death. That is the running theme. i saw someone say Bullets is Gerard being terrified of death, Revenge is them being pissed about it, Parade is an acceptance of it, and Danger Days is a preoccupation with after-life in the form of memorium. Helena is also musically so outfield for the band at this point that really for the innovation gets it put here. The music video is also one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing videos of all time imho.
5. To The End
You gotta love an anti capitalist homoerotic murder mansion anthem. I also believe the plot of this song was based off a book of the same name? Cuz Gerard really loves their cultural references. This song is so fun and hauntingly beautiful and I would Not want to be at this houseparty. Bonus points for the explicit gay lyrics and also Ray’s harmonies. That man has a voice of gold my lord. 6. The Jetset Life Is Going to Kill You I don’t know if this will make sense outside of my own brain but Jetset is what Prison could’ve been. Like Jetset is beautiful and haunting and absolutely about things that are not PG or even PC these days to talk about, but it weaves the themes so deftly with the music that it just works. Also did anyone else see that Sims2 youtube video of Jetset where Gerard was like...a secret ghost murderer of abusive boyfriends? No? Just me and my 6th grade class that I forced to watch it for show and tell? Cool. 7. Give ‘Em Hell, Kid This song just straight up fucks. I feel like it hones a lot of what MCR’s vibe was in revenge era (though I was still a little young for them at that time, I came into the band when I was 11 so that would be 06). It really does sum up the nonsensical metaphor, the hyper-drama, the almost drag levels of camp, the violence, the viscerality. Also points for a call forward lyrically to The Sharpest Lives. 8. I Never Told You What I Do For A Living This song is here because of the chorus, firstly, and the viscerality secondly. I scared the shit outta sixth grade teachers singing this one. But it is such a fun and interesting vocal line throughout the entire song and I’m a singer so I’m bias. Plus it’s such a phenomenal song to end the album just top tier. “The kinda dirty where the water never cleans off the clothes” is also just a to-the-core line 9. Thank You For The Venom Venom is actually a really good song, and I feel weird having it so low considering I have a tattoo from it. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that I guess the songs above I like more? Venom is absolutely a fan favourite so it might just be a case of I’ve heard it too much. Lyrically and musically very fist-fight gut-punch. Fight with glass shards stead of knives type vibe. It’s really interesting to listen to a song critiquing substance use and forced medication because I remember back in the oughts when everyone was so anti-meds (some for fair reasons and some for not), and just seeing a song that lays prescribed medication and self medication on the same table saying “either could kill me but I wont let it” is....that’s a cultural moment right there. 10. Ghost Of You The song is beautiful and that chorus is fucking gutwrenching, I’m just so incredibly not here for war music videos. Doubly not if it traumatizes people to film them? Like...no need to give the state more propoganda boys just let the song be pretty. 11. You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison? Okay this song had so much potential, and it was pretty fucking radical at the time not gonna lie. Rape analogies ain’t it. The song was really written from how I understand it to do the kinda stage-gay MCR was known for in the oughts. Hearing them talk about it, 2004 wasn’t a time homophobes were shy in hardcore, so songs like Prison paired with the stage antics made Homophobes...not wanna be there. Which gave them more space for the actual queers in the audience (and arguably on stage) to rock out without getting hate crimed. Also lyrically a lottta critiques of the prison system but yeah, coulda thought it through a bit more. We coulda had another Jetset but alas. 12. I’m Not Okay (I Promise) This song is fun as hell and you will catch me singing every word when it comes on. It’s only down here as it is just...a little underwhelming compared to the rest of the album. It’s fun and lyrically pressing and great to headbang to, but a lot of the rest of the album is more complex or intense in ways that I’m Not Okay just fails to fill out 13. Interlude Like it’s pretty but it absolutely sounds like a “we need 13 songs cuz frank said so” song. It’s filler.
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cjostrander · 5 years ago
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My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
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Good morning everyone! Today i was feeling motivated to scratch off one of my crucial anniversary albums for the year. This album turns 15 years old and is one that would be a shame if i let slip through the year. It is arguably the band’s most iconic release though it would be a hard debate between this and The Black parade in terms of overall popularity. I feel that the latter will be picked out by future generations but this one will be the one for their original fanbase. Let’s get started because i’m really going to enjoy this one today!!
Helena (Single): We begin with the first of the band’s many staples on this album. The music video for all of the singles are amazing and definitely worth viewing if interested. Gerard begins with a soothing vocal harmony that creates a fitting sense of mourning before the guitars and drums arrive to infuse a moving rock edge. Gerard’s vocal presence infuses a very firm level of emotion that delivers a very powerful chorus; which will be very hard not to sing along to during a live performance. The lyrics are easy to follow along to and provide heavy substance into the track. I believe the track deals with his grandmother’s passing but i’m not exactly certain. Either way; the instrumentals do a solid job of standing out on their own and delivering a high dose of punk rock energy for a first time listener to fall in love with. It is direct and straightforward and perhaps a direct benefactor of middle school nostalgia on my behalf; but it begins the album rather solidly and sets the listener up for a very engaging listening experience. 10/10
Give ‘Em Hell, Kid: This next track begins with a groovy bass line and joins with the guitars to shift the album into a more aggressive jam direction; thus fitting of the song title. Gerard delivers a very energetic performance that would be amazing to see being done live. He is a bit muffled at times but it creates an authentic sense of chaos that translates nicely what their live energy would be like. Naturally the lyrics will not have much coherency as a result but the chorus will clean things up enough to help balance out this short two minute jammer with ease. 9/10
To the End: Gerard begins over some sinister guitar riffs to create a dark demeanor that still retains a building energy. The instrumentals build up firmly into another very lively jam track that benefits from emotionally raw backing vocals. Gerard as a result achieves a layered vocal presence that helps to keep their signature chaotic foundation intact. The lyrics are decent to follow along to but the overall atmosphere and emotion is what makes this track really stick out. The jam solo segment towards the latter half is a nice stand out moment that will showcase the band’s technicality quite nicely. 9/10
You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison: Keys begin this piece with a nicely classical vibe before the instrumentals arrive to further infuse it with a very groovably rhythm. Gerard warms the track up nicely and once the guitars go into full motion he pours more of his emotionally crazed vocals into the chorus. It helps the band to really achieve a proper jam foundation that other band’s would find hard to replicate on an album without feeling rehearsed. It definitely is a bit more raw than the previous tracks but the jam solos will help this one to stick out nicely during a first time listen. 8.5/10
I’m Not Okay (I Promise) (Single): This next band highlight begins with an emotional guitar opening and is supported by energetic drum beats. Gerard enters with an emotionally high powered vocal demeanor that delivers his lyrics with a very honest sense of emotional despair. These lyrics are some of the strong on the album to follow along and keep things simple but highly substance filled. This will make them the primary focal point of the single but the solos will stick out very nicely to give you a dose of blissful melody. They build up a nice emotional breakdown segment that really brings home a state of mind from that narrator that rings true even today with the mentality of somebody in school. 10/10
The Ghost of You (Single): This track begins with a somber guitar/ key opening that Gerard uses to deliver a more serious sense of turmoil to the listener. The chorus is direct and very powerful in tone and emotion. The lyrics fit very well with the music video and i highly recommend checking out during your first listen; because they really represented this single perfectly with it. Instrumentally it will be straightforward but it’s simplicity enables for Gerard to really pour his heart into his delivery; which is really where this band shines when you deconstruct everything. I’m not knocking the instrumentals of course but without that emotional connection; they wouldn’t have the same impact by a longshot. 10/10
The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You: This track picks up from the last song and leads into a nice organ opening before the instrumentals construct a rather soothing opening. It is blissful and danceable while Gerard warms the track into a nice rocker. The chorus is direct but works with the instrumentals to create a nicely balance energy that will keep the listener from getting overwhelmed or bored. It keeps the album flow consistent as result without the risk of getting stale and would be another decent addition during a live performance. 8.5/10
Thank You for the Venom (Single): This final single begins with an energetic guitar opening and develops a nice foundation that would be very nice to dance along to during a live performance. Gerard thrives on the energy of the instrumentals to deliver a firm rock n roll presence that would be amazing to see live. The chorus is perfect with firm instrumental support and demanding emotional control from Gerard as well. This will be a highlight for the jam tracks in the album and lyrically is very engaging to follow along to during a first time  listen. The little solo segment towards the end builds up some nicely melodic tension before shifting full speed into a nice finish before Gerard takes the reins again to nail this song down perfectly. I really miss this Band! 10/10
Hang ‘Em High: This track begins with a fitting western tinge before shifting into a chaotic drum bash. Gerard takes over and delivers an equally choatic vocal performance that will rile up a live audience with ease. The lyrics are very easy to follow along to and will have very little difficulty in giving the listener ample elements to focus on throughout it. The chorus is a bit more muffled but creates a layered vocal presence as a result that further showcases their live elements. 9.5/10
It’s Not a Fashion Statement; It’s a Deathwish: Guitars begin this song with a climatic level of tension that Gerard naturally jumps into with ease. The instrumentals create a very energetic jam approach that falls in line with the rest of the album without being a detriment as a result. Gerard continues to thrive in this atmosphere and uses a dire level of angst to really impress the lyrics onto the listener. These lyrics are very strong and focus driven; which creates a finale setting which would of been a perfect choice for a closing track if needed; but i firmly pick this as a track to listen to if for some god forsaken reason you decide to only browse listen. Trust me; this album is too good for that; so treat yourself right and blast the whole album during your first listen. 10/10
Cemetery Drive: Drums begin with a nice marching vibe and guitars create a soothing atmosphere that enables Gerard to deliver some very blissful harmonies. His lyrics are pretty fitting with the nature of the track and help to create an atmosphere very representative of someone transitioning from a tortured life into eternal rest. This helps to set up the album for its finale track and wind things down a bit without taking away any sense of emotional strength or purpose. 9/10
I Never Told You What i Do for a Living: This finale track begins with another healthy heaping of chaotic instrumentals and angsty punk vocals from Gerard. He uses the tempo of the instrumentals to really lose himself in his performance. The lyrics are easy to follow along to and space things out enough to keep subtle moments of melody to seep through the guitar strings. It will help to keep things feeling fresh and climatic for this closer. They have a build up segment that leads into a decent breakdown segment that showcases their angsty side at full force. 8.5/10
Overall album rating: 9.3/10
Well it easily took the spot as my highest rated MCR album and for good reason. It is a nostalgic album that culturally stood out as significantly in the mid 2000′s as Green Day’s American Idiot did. I highly suggest checking this album and band out if you haven’t already because they are a band that ended arguably at the top of their game. Their more experimental Super hero themed Danger Days albums was probably their weakest release but was still an interesting one in the end. At some point i’ll have that one on here for you; but i’m really hoping Gerard Way comes out with another solo album soon because it’s been too long for him to not use his amazing vocals.
*Reviewer’s Pick*
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almostsweetangel · 5 years ago
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1,3,5,6,7,11,22 & 23 for the Return asks!
1.Romance - What was the first MCR song you remember hearing?
Helena. I spent my childhood in a town where most of everyone had their side hustle to pay bills and some neighbors played in bands. Grew up singing songs I didn’t know the titles of until I was granted internet access and could finally look things up and get into them. shout out to the lads who would not stop singing she will be loved and so i know the lyrics but didn’t even know it was by maroon 5 until like, sophomore high school
3.Vampires Will Never Hurt You- Favorite MCR aesthetics?
Oh god, the red smears around the eyes and then the eyeliner. Red undershirts and black jackets. I perfected that red-smear-eyeliner look that Gee had for Revenge. I already look like I never have enough sleep, but at least with the make up it looks like it’s on purpose kdjfhssf
5. Our Lady of Sorrows- Has MCR influenced any of your spiritual practices?
I don’t think so, really, although the entire BP album does make the idea of death a little more comforting than scary.
6. Headfirst for Halos- Which MCR song makes you the happiest?
Oh, that’s a hard one. But if I had to choose one song that makes me go batshit, it would be I’m Not Okay. That ‘trust me’ makes me laugh every time.
7. Skylines and Turnstiles- Which song do you associate with a major life event or period in your life?
FAMOUS LAST WORDS. A couple of years back, I was in a tough time and I was not in a good place. I tend to sing whenever I’m frustrated since it gets a bit of energy out but for a long time, I didn’t really hear anything I was singing or feeling it, and then I said the words ‘I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone’ and just froze and sat up straight, shocked like someone had taken a fish and slapped me in the face with it and went, “Wait a second......HE’S FUCKIN RIGHT”. That song single-handedly pulled me out the muck and had me recite to myself that yeah, I’m gonna keep going. Faked it til’ I made it.
11. Demolition Lovers- Do you believe in ride or die romance?
Listen, I wrote This Is Love. I’ve read and seen Good Omens. Abso-fucking-lutely. 
22. It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Deathwish- What’s the most outrageous clothing item you want to own?
That one red riding hood-inspired cloak that was really huge and flowing. I think it was for a fashion show, but I want to own that and walk around town in it every 3 am.
23. Cemetery Drive- Describe a paranormal experience you’ve had
Hm, that’s a hard one since I lean more on the skeptic end of the scale even if I am open to the idea of the paranormal. I was in a division meet once and we had to travel and we stayed at this old school. My friends went out to get food, and because I got sick in the middle of this trip, I stayed behind and was the only one in the room. I was drawing on some eggs my friends had bought earlier than morning because I was bored, saw someone in pajamas pass by me and go into the dressing room. Thought it was my classmate. I called out and asked her why she was back early. No response, thought she didn’t hear me, decided to wait until she came out. 
She did not. In fact, she wasn’t even in the room. Friends came back an hour later from the store. I got super confused, told them what happened, and they all grabbed me and told me we should stay out the room. We did, but we still had to sleep there in the evening bc we didn’t have a choice lmao. 
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the only mcr songs i’ve listed to r black parade and na na na na na but u make me wanna listen to them lol do u have any suggestions? what r ur favorite songs of theirs?
Oh boy. Alright. Ok. Everybody sit down, we’re about to have a masterclass in everything MCR.
The thing about My Chemical Romance is they’re a concept album band, which means each of their albums tell a story as a whole. For that reason, I can’t just recommend my personal favourite songs because they’re all part of a big whole. I’ll do my best to break them down in order of personal preference.
TL;DNR: For those of you who don’t have all day to scroll through full album analyses:
My Faves:
(Absolute all time faves are in bold; *** indicate I love these songs too much for my own good and I must be stopped.)
The Black Parade:
***Teenagers***
***Mama***
***Welcome to the Black Parade***
Famous Last Words
Cancer
Disenchanted
The end. / Dead! (you can’t really listen to one without the other)
Kill All Your Friends (TBP B-side)
Heaven Help Us (TBP B-side)
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge:
***Helena***
***I’m Not Ok (I Promise)***
Ghost of You
***Cemetery Drive***
You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison
Thank You For the Venom
To the End
The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You
Hang Em High
I Never Told You What I Did for a Living
Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys:
***Planetary [Go!]***
***Na Na Na***
SING
Bulletproof Heart
The Only Hope For Me Is You
Party Poison
Vampire Money
Conventional Weapons:
***Tomorrow’s Money***
Boy Division
AMBULANCE
Kiss the Ring
Make Room!!!
Miscellaneous:
***Desolation Row***
Fake Your Death
Common People (BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge Pulp cover)
***Hazy Shade of Winter***
Happy Together*
*these last two are just Gerard Way covers, but considering they’re featuring Ray Toro, that’s half the band right there…
The Black Parade
Concept: A man known as The Patient dies and accounts his life and death, dealing with his struggles with war and disease, and his fears about where he’s going to go in the afterlife.
Track Listing:
The end.
Dead!
This is How I Disappear
Sharpest Lives
Welcome to the Black Parade
I Don’t Love You
House of Wolves
Cancer
Mama
Sleep
Teenagers
Disenchanted
Famous Last Words
Blood
The whole album is honestly so good. It’s worth a listen from start to finish at least once. I’ve got absolutely no bad things to say about the songs that aren’t my faves, as they’re equally as explosive as everything else. That said…
Personal Faves:
Mama
Teenagers
Cancer
Famous Last Words
Welcome to the Black Parade
Dead!
Disenchanted
If you want the stuff that’ll psych you up/empower you, go for Welcome to the Black Parade, Teenagers, Famous Last Words, Mama, and Dead. If you want some real sad shit, go for Cancer, Disenchanted, and I Don’t Love You. I have yet to find out how to not weep all the way through WttBP, Famous Last Words, or Cancer, so you have been warned.
Dip your Toe in the Water With…
Welcome to the Black Parade
Teenagers
Famous Last Words
Things to Keep in Mind
Mama’s got an extra special guest appearance by one Liza Minnelli, and oh man, is it absolutely worth checking out. Next to Welcome to the Black Parade, this one might just be the most theatrical song in the entire album??? Bold statement, but I like to call it the Bohemian Rhapsody of MCR. It’s SO. GOOD.
Blood is the hidden track at the end of the album. There’s about 2 minutes of silence in the original album before it starts. If you want the version without the false start, nab the version from The Black Parade is Dead live album.
If you’re madly in love with this album, you can find their Black Parade concert live in Mexico, The Black Parade is Dead for free on their youtube channel. Throw it up on your tv screen and it’s like you’re there in person.
B-Sides
Kill All Your Friends
Heaven Help Us
My Way Home is Through You
All the Black Parade B-sides are great, but Kill All Your Friends is the real standout (and has the biggest connection to Umbrella Academy, if that excites you reference-wise).
Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
Concept: This is a bit of a split narrative, partially a loving tribute following Gerard and Mikey Way’s grandmother’s passing, and partially a revenge plot. The full plot Gee had in mind took a bit of a backseat after they shifted focus on the grief side of things, but the full original concept is worth the price of admission either way. The revenge plot follows a man who makes a deal with the devil to reunite with his lost lover, if he can collect 1,000 evil souls. He sets out on his murder quest and finally reunites with the woman he loves, only to find she never loved him. He vows to take her down with him, but discovers he’s the 1,000th soul.
Track Listing:
Helena
Give ‘Em Hell, Kid
To the End
You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison
I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
The Ghost of You
The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You
Interlude
Thank You for the Venom
Hang 'Em High
It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Deathwish
Cemetery Drive
I Never Told You What I Do for a Living
This one is loud and dark, and fast as fuck. I use it almost exclusively as workout music because it will make you want to punch everything in the face. You wanna feel like you could take down all your enemies at once? Listen to this album. This one’s a lot easier to break down in terms of listening to songs here and there instead of all at once.
Personal Faves:
Cemetery Drive
You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison
Thank You For the Venom
I’m Not Ok (I Promise)
Helena
Ghost of You
Some Underrated Gems:
The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You
To the End
Hang Em High
I Never Told You What I Did for a Living
Dip Your Toe in the Water With…
Helena
I’m Not Ok (I Promise)
Ghost of You
Things to Keep in Mind
Helena is essentially what got the band off the ground. The music video is really something and really set the tone for what early 2000s emo culture would become. If I didn’t love The Black Parade as much as I did, I’d recommend starting with Helena above everything else.
The Ghost of You music video is also a masterpiece. Gerard went to his director and asked for Saving Private Ryan, and that’s what he got! This video also happened to come out around the same time Green Day’s Wake Me Up When September Ends video came out and Gee was worried the anti-war rethorics in both would be too similar, but Billie Joe Armstrong sat him down and gave him a pep talk about how even though their concepts are similar, they’re always going to be coming at it in different ways. 
If you want to get a really solid insight into where the band came from, see the boys goofing off, and see how Gerard’s struggles with mental health and addiction drives so much of what he does, check out Life on the Murder Scene, also free on youtube. It also gives a brief sneaky peek about early days concepts for the Umbrella Academy comics!
Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
Concept: In a post-apocalyptic California in 2019(!!!), four rebels who call themselves the Killjoys (Party Poison, Fun Ghoul, Kobra Kid, and Jet-Star) set out to recover a young girl from the evil corporation, BL/ind. Their progress is narrated by Dr. Death Defy, a radio dj who maintains public morale in an otherwise gloomy new world where electricity is a rare commodity and people worship at the hands of Destroya, a giant dormant robot expected to deliver everyone from evil.
Track Listing:
Look Alive, Sunshine
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
Bulletproof Heart
SING
Planetary (GO!)
The Only Hope For Me Is You
Jet-Star And The Kobra Kid/Traffic Report
Party Poison
Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
Summertime
DESTROYA
The Kids From Yesterday
Goodnite, Dr. Death
Vampire Money
This album is radically different than the others in that it’s much mellower. The songs are interspersed with narrative interludes by Dr. Death Defy to better explain the storyline. Danger Days came after one scrapped compilation album (which I’ll get to soon enough…) At this point, Gee’s comic career had started to take off with Umbrella Academy, and things had started to naturally wind down with the band. Gee’s mindspace was clearly in comic-mode, and he upcycled a comic book idea he had kicking around with a comic writer friend of his, Shaun Simon for the new album. After the band’s breakup, Gerard took whatever concepts they couldn’t realize through the lyrics and music videos back to Shaun Simon to make a Killjoys comic. Much of the concept backstory explained above is pulled from this.
Personal Faves:
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
Bulletproof Heart
SING
Planetary [GO!]
The Only Hope For Me Is You
Party Poison
Vampire Money
This is the album where I tend to get bored halfway through and switch over to The Black Parade (whoops…) But it is 100% worth listening to it from start to finish, again, at least once, if anything, because Destroya and Vampire Money are something else… Bulletproof Heart, SING, and The Only Hope for Me Is You are, at least in my opinion, the standouts of the more mellow songs. S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W, Summertime, and The Kids From Yesterday are also super mellow if you’re into the vibe of the previous three and want more of that. 
Planetary Go! is… possibly one of my favourite MCR songs of all time??? (Considering how much I love The Black Parade, that’s a pretty bold statement). It’s the only dance track they ever made, and is it ever a Bop. This is one of my go-to’s when I just need to take a break from whatever’s stressing me out and have a silly little dance party. 
Dip Your Toe in the Water With:
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
SING
Planetary [Go!]
The Only Hope for me is You
Bulletproof Heart
Things to Keep In Mind:
Danger Days is an incredibly visual album! You really need the music videos to get the whole story. Na Na Na and SING tell the whole story pretty succinctly.
If you’re really feeling that cliffhanger from the end of the SING music video, check out the Killjoys comics. It’s a single volume under the same name as the album, following The Girl a few years after the music videos’ timeline.
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W was inspired by Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds by the Beatles, which really speaks to the overall vibe of the song.
Something I literally just discovered now, looking up the album, there’s an EP of basically fight scene tracks off a special edition of Danger Days called The Mad Gear and Missile Kid. I’ve not listened to them yet, but from the looks of things, it’s got a pure punk rock vibe and they’re apparently what the band imagined the killjoys listened to on the road.
Fun trivia that I personally get a kick out of: Vampire Money was written out of spite after Gerard refused to contribute a song to the New Moon soundtrack for Twilight (Stephenie Meyer was a huge MCR fan and approached them numerous times to get involved in the films). 
Conventional Weapons
Here it is! The scrapped compilation album! These songs were written pre-Danger Days and were presented at a concert in Japan, at which point, Gerard realized it wasn’t the sound they were after and it was promptly nixed. It’s a real shame, because there are some jams up in here, but at least they (or their record label, I can’t remember which at this point) eventually did decide to release the full “album” in 5 two-single EPs at a time.
Number One:
Boy Division
Tomorrow’s Money
Number Two:
AMBULANCE
Gun.
Number Three:
The World is Ugly
The Light Behind Your Eyes
Number Four:
Kiss the Ring
Make Room!!!
Number Five:
Surrender the Night
Burn Bright
Personal Faves:
Tomorrow’s Money
Boy Division
AMBULANCE
Kiss the Ring
Make Room!!!
Things to Keep in Mind:
I often like to give a shout out to AMBULANCE and Kiss the Ring for having opening chords that sound exactly like they’ve come straight off a Queen and Green Day album respectively.
See Tomorrow’s Money for the spectacular way they rhyme “vampire/empire/brush fire/tap wire” all in one verse.
See also Gun. for the far sillier way they rhyme “gun/sun/fun/run”. 
You can tell with some of these songs that there was the stirrings of Danger Days in here. Make Room!!! is the most obvious, with the same mantra of “everybody wants to change the world” from Na Na Na making an appearance toward the end.
I think in some iteration between Conventional Weapons and Danger Days, there were some songs that did make it to the Danger Days album that were called something else. Party Poison, for example, had originally been Death Before Disco.
Covers
My Chemical Romance, in one form or another, have done some spectacular covers over the years. I’m including the Umbrella Academy covers Gerard did with Ray because that’s basically half the band right there.
Desolation Row (Watchmen soundtrack)
Hazy Shade of Winter (Umbrella Academy)
Happy Together (Umbrella Academy)
Common People (BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge)
Under Pressure (ft. The Used)
Those are the ones I’m aware of. If there are more good-quality covers I’m missing, please, send them my way– I would love that!
I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love
Ok, look, I’m gonna upset some people by having this on the bottom of my list. I’m sorry, I feel bad about it, but the fact of the matter is, I’m only now getting into their earliest stuff. Bullets is a bit of an acquired taste because it’s incredibly raw both sound-wise and in terms of content. They recorded it before they had the resources to really put out a crisp sounding album, and they were still learning about how to construct songs, but there’s still a lot of beauty in that that I know plenty people appreciate far more than I do. MCR wouldn’t have gained an underground following without this album, after all!
I have exactly zero stakes in this album, so I’m sure someone else out there has a better grasp of this one than I do.
Concept: I know very little about what’s going on in this album, aside from the fact that Gerard was driven to create the band after being in New York, watching the Twin Towers fall during 9/11. A bunch of his more end of the world storylines from many of his works (including Umbrella Academy) are inspired by 9/11. This is a prevalent thread throughout the album, though I’m not familiar with the how beyond Skylines and Turnstiles.
Track Listing:
Romance
Honey, This Mirror Isn’t Big Enough for the Two of Us
Vampires Will Never Hurt You
Drowning Lessons
Our Lady of Sorrows
Headfirst for Halos
Skylines and Turnstiles
Early Sunsets Over Monroeville
This Is the Best Day Ever
Cubicles
Demolition Lovers
Personal Faves:
Headfirst for Halos
Honey, This Mirror isn’t Big Enough for the Two of Us
Vampires Will Never Hurt You
Our Lady of Sorrows
I’m playing fast and loose with my faves here. I’ve only heard these songs a handful of times, but they’re the ones I’m inclined to at least listen to for the guitar work, which at times, is quite fantastic. I will say though, from what I’ve seen of the lyrics, there’s some stellar stuff in here I hope to properly get into some time soon.
All the guys are still plugging away and releasing music either in their own bands (most recently, Frank Iero andthe Patience and Mikey Way’s band, Electric Century) or solo (in the case of Gerard Way and Ray Toro). I wish I was more well-versed in their goings-ons, but I’ve not been following their musical careers beyond Gerard’s (come back and talk to me if you want to get into his Hesitant Alien solo album and his more recent releases).
And that is your crash course in all things MCR.
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chemicalfuckboys · 7 years ago
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If MCR Songs Were People
This probably already exists but I spent two hours doing this instead of sleeping. Tell me which song you’re most like.
Welcome to the Black Parade: has a flair for the dramatic, doesn't know how to do a smoky eye, was in the marching band in high school, daddy issues. Sleep: has insomnia, PTSD, nightmares, is self deprecating, just wants to go the fuck to sleep Destroya: probably gay, moans like a bitch during sex, pretty fucking hardcore, shit immune system though, lives for anarchy House of Wolves: will burn in hell (or believes they will), is a bad mother fucker, has a sister who should be scared, pyromaniac, "Catholic" Vampire Money: all over the place, drinks a lot but parties like a beast, has a Bowie obsession, likes driving fast and loud music Na Na Na: really artistic, pansexual, likes to scream lyrics, rebel at heart, probably still wears bandanas, sunglasses and boots all day every  day, fuck the government Cancer: is dying, will die, all of your friends will die, actually doesn't have any friends, really depressed, in pain, martyr S.I.N.G: activist, owns jeggins, would join an underground gang if they had the balls, likes neon things for some unknown reason Early Sunsets Over Monroeville: loves zombies, probably owns a Hawaiian   shirt, really quiet and doesn't talk much, hangs out in shopping centres/malls but never buys anything Demolition Lovers: is probably part of an underground gang, has to go away for "work" a lot, has a shotgun in the trunk of their car, teal,  unrequited love Helena: recent death in the family, super fucking dramatic, lots of makeup, always wears black (maybe some red), nail polish is always chipped, imagines/fantasises things that will never happen all the time Teenagers: super punk, goes to concerts all the time, will break shit just for fun, has authority issues, probably friends with a lot of delinquents, is a delinquent, doesn't read books, drinks a lot Famous Last Words: is constantly having an existential crisis, really   committed when it comes to relationships, cowboy boots, goes outside at midnight for no reason I Don't Love You: always heartbroken, never cuts hair, plays guitar,  goes on road trips when things get difficult, super emotional, cries a lot I'm Not Okay: is still in high school, I don't care if they're 39  they're still in high school, hates high school, does stupid shit all  the time because fuck it, high school, is not okay, is friends with  weird people, high school Mama: PTSD, self deprecating, mama's boy/girl/person, has a sick sense of humour, laughs manically for no reason, cutthroat You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison: probably gay, went to prison, had a fuck tonne of bitches (I'm kidding, they were actually the  bitch to a fuck tonne of other people), can't adjust, has issues with  family Headfirst for Halos: epic, is not okay, always trying to think  positively but is screaming inside, thinks about doing stupid shit all  the time (i.e. Putting a gun to their head) Vampires Will Never Hurt You: screams a lot, has a vampire fettish, hates Twilight with a passion, has never gone outside, wouldn't mind dying if I was a wooden stake to the heart, sucks dick The Ghost of You: fought in WWII, had a pretty girlfriend, wears round glasses with gold rims, is tall and lanky, has a brother, gets shot in  the chest, screams, dies The Light Behind Your Eyes: is finding ways to deal with severe depression, cries a bit but quietly, reads a lot of books, all their friends are dead, trying to stay strong despite the fact they're dying inside, sings like an angel Give 'em Hell Kid: lives life fast, probably has killed someone, wears red and like khaki green, shouts a lot, belongs in a 2005 MTV short, lives life on the edge, fatalistic To The End: has read Dante's Inferno, is a mafioso, fatalistic, has  probably organised the death of many people, likes to drink cyanide, sleeps a lot, owns diamond jewellery, likes cake The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You: has no faith in life, likes western movies, will yell at you, has  applied for a license to kill, likes to sleep with people (like nap I  mean) Thank You For The Venom: likes snakes, has probably almost OD'd, hates  the doctors, is stubborn, death obsessed, has probably stabbed someone, wears striped long sleeve t-shirts, hates running, hopes to be shot one day Hang 'Em High: is death obsessed, clinically insane, screams a lot,  always makes a lot of aesthetic statements about things with black and  white connotations, Catholic, fuck off It's Not a Fashion Statement It's a Fucking Death Wish: swears in front  of their parents, wears their mum's clothes, is obsessed with killing  enemies, is always predicting their death to be soon. Cemetery Drive: all too real, has a girlfriend, likes to hang out in  cemeteries, girlfriend has issues and ended her life, now has issues  because of it, drinks a lot, really fucking depressed I Never Told You What I Do For A Living: is 100% a serial killer, sociopath, also has OCD, scary as shit The End: is dying, but isn't too sad, wishes to attend their own funeral  as a ghost, has no self confidence, can't be fucking bothered growing  up, doesn't give a shit, is very chill, wears yellow accessories Dead!: Is dead, is having a party about being dead, wondering if all the  assholes in their life are in hell, no one actually likes them, laughs  at inappropriate moments, is a great dancer This Is How I Disappear: really fucking dramatic, will be upset and   disappear if you break up with them, dramatic, is a part time satanist, will make a voodoo doll of you if you fuck with them, candles The Sharpest Lives: goes out late at night, never showers, drinks   heavily, would probably go cannibal if it was legal, always in pain,   lives life on the fucking edge, will burn large objects, has sinus   issues Disenchanted: is constantly torn, never actually cries, writes books,  likes to take chances, likes birds, got in trouble with the police for  some stupid but really fun shit, friends need to get their shit together  and learn a lesson Bulletproof Heart: Gravity doesn't mean to much to them, has self  confidence but not enough to stop running away, runs away a lot, wears  really funky colourful clothing, is very kind but misunderstood Planetary GO!: goes to a lot of cool night clubs, knows how to fucking  party, is still very punk on the inside, sweats a lot (bc they dance a  lot), jumps up and down for no fucking reason The Only Hope For Me Is You: is obsessed with being remembered, only has  one friend, is kinda depressed and really needs someone to hold onto,  but is also really questioning life and society, wants to run away to a  more aesthetic place Party Poison: speaks fluent Japanese (cough I mean Weeaboo), watches a  lot of anime, loves Kpop and Jpop fashion, will party but goes to the  weirdest parties, dyes their hair, fuck the bullshit meaning of life  they do what they want Save Yourself I'll Hold Them Back: is a badass, known for being a  badass, stole your mum's car and took you on the best date ever, wears a  lot of leather, ready for a fight, probably gets into a lot of fights  anyway, probably once looked like Danny from Greece SCARECROW: is probably on LSD, smokes a lot of weed, is really chill,  too fucking chill, wears psychedelic t-shirts, is actually a  philosophical genius, reads a lot of poetry Summertime: they might go outside if it's summer, listens to music with  headphones on full blast, goes on the train a lot, likes to walk around  listening to music and pretends they're making the aesthetic parts of  the music video they're listening to, soft kitty The Kids From Yesterday: is constantly nostalgic, loves Star Wars and  Queen, always having flashbacks, wears yellow and read things, feels  misunderstood, trying to figure out the meaning of life Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough For The Two Of Us: likes Fall Out  Boy when they had long song titles, has issues, a lot of issues, ugly  screams a lot, doesn't care, wears dark denim jackets, hates this girl  who fucked their brother Drowning Lessons: has a lot of anxiety, constantly worried, always  running away from problems and situations, can't swim, always has  regrets, has pink things Our Lady Of Sorrows: was in a gang once, loves to get into switchblade fights, is really scary and bloodthirsty, believes in pagan gods, but   will protect you, blood blood blood. Skylines and Turnstiles: saw 9/11 happen, life was changed because of  it, decided that they wanted to be in a band, made a band with brother  and his fren, got some dreadlocked weed smoking fanboy to join, the  drummer is an asshole x3, breaks up after 12 years, deems it to be a  good idea, scared of butane This Is The Best Day Ever: this is the worst day ever, has no rhythm, is  really confused with what is going in, went to hospital a lot and hated  it, screams a bit, is a bit scared of needles, studded belts, suck dick Cubicles: will die alone (or at least they think), hates their job, the  only thing that entertains them at work is people gossiping at the water  cooler, is actually having a severe existential crisis Boy Division: is friends with people who would have a fucking rocking  funeral, stalks school girls, looks dead but only dresses that way,  likes to sing about California, paranoid all the time Tomorrow's Money: fell in love with a vampire, slightly aggressive, can  surf, stopped screaming three years ago, wants to be a doctor, hates   people who are thought of as heroes, ruined converses AMBULANCE: screams in an aesthetically pleasing way, thinks you know  nothing, super weird, goes out after dark, likes to drive big cars,  wouldn't mind driving, is super reliable even when they let you down Gun.: was probably conscripted into the military, actually hates   violence and guns, wants to stay at home all the time, likes to call the  shots, owns an old uniform that they'll never throw out The World Is Ugly: likes Blade Runner and fairy lights, thinks weird  people are very beautiful, insanely observant of other people's  behaviours, wears knee high socks and converses, hates the world because  it's terrible Kiss The Ring: belongs in an alternate universe where it's still the  medieval time but rock bands exist, is probably a contract killer, likes  to overthrow the king every five years, has really fucked up logic  about why it's okay to kill a lot of people, cutthroat Make Rooom!!!!: probably goes to discos, does not panic at them,  actually has some self confidence but always gets into stupid situations  and flails, wears the tightest pants in the world, wears earrings with  crosses on them Surrender the Night: constantly lonely, likes to drive long distances to  think, lost a loved one, has cool patches on their jacket, has been to  hospital twice, likes to listen to you, always keeps secrets unless you  fuck with them Burn Bright: likes going to the city just to look at all the lights,   walks around and thinks that certain things would look nice on Tumblr,   unstable, can be aggressive, very in tune with their surroundings, kind of a Buddhist Common People: your average person, always struggling financially, wears  a lot of blue, always falls in love with shallow rich girls for no  reason, really just wants to live however the fuck they want Every Snowflake Is Different: loves children's TV shows, goes to the  snow every year, loves winter and hot chocolate, will cry if you take  their toys away, will be a good parent, too busy having fun to give a  fuck Desolation Row: got beat up at school, is now in a cutthroat gang, spits  a lot, wears a lot of eyeliner, likes Grease but is also super punk  rock, hates wearing underwear, likes to break shit all the time Desert Song: is recovering from a drug addiction, is still in a really  dark place, trying to stay strong, is questioning the meaning of life,  probably had teal roots at some stage Black Dragon Fighting Society: drinks juice when they're killing because  it's fucking delicious, really likes dragons, reads too much, hates  society, would run away but that would mean no books and no juice so no  fucking way, likes hot pink and black Zero Percent: hates everyone, would kill everyone, really hates people,  does whatever the fuck they want, will kill everybody, will put zero   effort into school or work, does their own thing. Mastas of Ravenkroft: worried about growing old, has no self confidence,  will only have sex if the lights are turned off, feels very old at a  very young age because of shitty bones, also has no fucking chill F.T.W.W.W.: fuck society, is super digital, but also really retro,   always tells people to kiss their ass, lives in a futuristic society,   likes robots, has a licking fettish, likes to destroy shit, will   probably spit randomly We Don't Need Another Song About California: Summertime's long lost  twin, really doesn't give a shit about California, but likes the sun,  probably lives in Florida, hates magazines, probably has a fake name,  thinks that nothing matters All The Angels: is dying, has minutes left, girlfriend has issues   because she's a little risky, everything has gone wrong, everyone is   upset, probably died three years ago, never went to heaven, likes pretty  flowers and dead things Romance: a complete and utter 1800s Romantic, has probably ready  Frankenstein, wants to go on epic journeys, never showers, likes spices,  old fashioned, would probably get into the steampunk fashion thing Blood: is forever in the 1920s, was a war hero but hates themself,  laughs manically sometimes, has a thing for blood but hates vampires,  90% human wreckage, 23% awful fuck, 8% bad at math, 14% clueless
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