‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ is part of a ‘Rock-Opera’ album by My Chemical Romance that describes the journey of a cancer patient through their last days of life and into death.
This song describes the patient dying in hospital and his journey to death is ‘The Black Parade”. The patient’s perception of his transition from life to death comes through a vivid memory, which in this person’s life was a parade they saw when they were a child. This person then becomes part of his own parade to the afterlife.
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?
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
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
You will be the savior of the broken
the beaten, and the damned?
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band
He said, son, when you grow up
You will 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
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
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
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
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)
(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
You can try
You’ll never break me
‘Cause I could not care at all
Do or die
You’ll never make me
Because the world
Will never take my heart
You can try
You’ll never break me
We want it all
We want to play this part
Won’t explain
Or say I’m sorry
I’m unashamed
I’m gonna show my scar
Give a cheer
For all the broken
Won’t explain
Or say I’m sorry
I’m unashamed
I’m gonna show my scar
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
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 your 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
We’ll carry on
And though your 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
Do or die
You’ll never make me
Because the world
Will never take my heart
You can try
You’ll never break me
We wanna know
We want to play this part
You’ll never make me
Because the world
Will never take my heart
You can try
You’ll never break me
We wanna know
We want to play this part
Do or die (we’ll carry on)
You’ll never make me (we’ll carry on)
Because the world (we’ll carry on)
Will never take my heart
You can try
You’ll never break me
We want it all
We want to play this part (we’ll carry on)
You’ll never make me (we’ll carry on)
Because the world (we’ll carry on)
Will never take my heart
You can try
You’ll never break me
We want it all
We want to play this part (we’ll carry on)
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Songwriters: Bob Bryar / Frank Iero / Gerard Way / Michael Way / Ray Toro
Welcome to the Black Parade lyrics © Blow The Doors Off Chicago