My Chemical Romance: Welcome to the Black Parade

Remarks:

This is my favourite emo rock song. It came out in 2006, when MySpace was still a thing, going to #1 in the UK, #9 in their native US. They are from New Jersey. MTV was so impressed with the music video that in 2017 they named it the “Greatest Music Video of the Century”. How could the remaining 83 years of the century possibly top it? Only time will tell.

Colleen Atwood was the costume designer for the music video. As you might imagine, she has worked with Tim Burton and Disney. In fact, she is working on Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid”, due out next year in 2023. Her work has appeared here twice before: she worked on Disney’s live-action “Dumbo” (2019) and Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” (2010).

Samuel Bayer was the director. He sticks to rock videos, so he has only appeared here once before: “Stupid Girl” (1996) by Garbage. But will probably appear again when I inevitably post “Zombie” (1994) by the Cranberries.

As a father, I love the opening words of the song.

See also:

• songs: the 2000s
• MTV
• emo
• rock music

Lyrics:

When I was a young boy, my father
Took me into the city to see a marching band
He said, “Son, when you grow up would you be
The savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?”
He said, “Will you defeat them? Your demons
And all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?
Because one day, I’ll leave you a phantom
To lead you in the summer to join the black parade…”

When I was a young boy, my father
Took me into the city to see a marching band
He said, “Son, when you grow up would you be
The savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?”

Sometimes I get the feeling she’s watching over me
And other times I feel like I should go
And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets
And when you’re gone, we want you all to know

We’ll carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re
Dead and gone, believe me, your memory
Will carry on, we’ll carry on, and in my
Heart, I can’t contain it, the anthem won’t explain it

A world that sends you reeling from decimated dreams
Your misery and hate will kill us all
So paint it black and take it back, let’s shout it loud and clear
Defiant to the end we hear the call

To carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re
Dead and gone, believe me, your memory
Will carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re
Broken and defeated, your weary widow marches

On and on, we carry through the fears (Oh, oh, oh)
Disappointed faces of your peers (Oh, oh, oh)
Take a look at me, ’cause I could not care at all

Do or die, you’ll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you’ll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part
I won’t explain or say I’m sorry
I’m unashamed, I’m gonna show my scars
Give a cheer for all the broken
Listen here, because it’s who we are
I’m just a man, I’m not a hero
Just a boy, who had to sing this song
I’m just a man, I’m not a hero
I don’t care!

We’ll carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re
Dead and gone, believe me, your memory
Will carry on, we’ll carry on, and though you’re
Broken and defeated, your weary widow marches

Do or die, you’ll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you’ll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part (We’ll carry on!)
Do or die, you’ll never make me (We’ll carry on!)
Because the world will never take my heart (We’ll carry on!)
Go and try, you’ll never break me (We’ll carry-)
We want it all, we wanna play this part (We’ll carry on…)

Source: AZ Lyrics.