My Chemical Romance: Famous Last Words Meaning
Song Released: 2007
Famous Last Words Lyrics
That I can't make you stay
But where's your heart
But where's your heart
But where's your
And I know
There's nothing I can say
To change that part
To change that part
To change
So many
Bright lights they cast a...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:This song saves lives. A lot of people here have talked about the meaning of this song within the album, and they're right, but I think it's so much more than that. It's about more than a cancer patient.
I think it's basically saying that, yes. There are going to be times where you are going to want to die, and just end it all because you can't take it anymore and you want it all to just go away. And yes, there are going to be times when you are going to be left alone, out in the cold of a sharp, cruel, merciless world. There are going to be times where you don't think you have the guts to keep living through all of the horrors that life can and will throw at you at every turn. Life is a terrible place to be sometimes... But you should never be afraid to keep walking yuor own path, and you shouldn't worry if others follow you or love you or hate you. You need to live your life, be yourself, walk your own way, be your own person. People will try to knock you down because you're different but as long as you are strong and believe in yourself and know that life is worth living, then they can't touch you. You always have something to live for, even if it's only to spite the people who are making your life a living hell. Life is worth living, even if you're living it alone.
That's just how I see it... -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:This song's meaning is generally open for interpretation. When you first hear it it sounds like a desperate song and that the patient is very ready to die. But he is saying that if I live I will live and am not afraid to. This song also shows great courage and determination as the patient seems determined he is not going to die.
Although there are many meanings, a popular one among fans is that the Patient is ready to go to Heaven, and as 'the lights are blinding' him, he appears there, however, when he opens his eyes, he sees him self laying next to his lover. He speaks the words that he never though he would, "I love you/I'm sorry" but he does not know if he is dead or is alive. He then realises that there is nothing to fear in life, only times that he should grieve and that he is "Not afraid to keep on living" and regardless of what could happen, he is "Not afraid to walk this World alone", he will keep going in life no matter what, because he now sees the beauty of it. The two final lyrics are very debatable. There are two ways that this could be taken, that the Patient was allowed to say a final goodbye to his lover and then pass on to the afterlife, whether it is in Hell or Heaven (Now that he is forgiven), or whether he is allowed a 'second chance' for lack of a better phrase. Following the second chance, it seems that the Patient's lover does not yet realise he is going to stay and live, so she says that she will be forgiving of what he has done if he stays, the Patient then replies, maybe even in a jokey sort of way, that there is nothing you can do to stop him living anymore, he is back and is staying. If you follow the fact that these are his 'Famous Last Words' and that he is now going to the afterlife, then his lover would be replying to him saying that she does not want him to go and she will forgive him if he stays, but the Patient has to go, and seals his death by saying that nothing she is able to say will be able to bring him back to life, or as the song says, 'home'. Please note that there are many ways that the song can be interpreted and that this is also open to interpretation, as is any other song and the ending is a very crucial point in the songs meaning, but unless a member speaks out truthfully about what the song means in detail, we will never fully know the Patient's destiny.
In an interview, Gerard Way was quoted as saying, "At first I thought [the patient died], but the more I think about it, the more I think he's not dead. Maybe this is all in his head. Maybe he can fight. Now I think he has a choice to live." The song's meaning is generally open to interpretation, as said before, because its lyrics never really tell one way or the other whether the patient dies.
The last lines of the song imply that the patient's lover is in fact the person who has died. "I see you lying next to me with words I thought I'd never speak" suggests that the Patient's lover is lying next to him in a coffin, as he speaks about her during the funeral service. The line "Awake and unafraid, asleep or dead" is further evidence that the Patient is alive and has entered into some new state of self-perception, that he has cleared himself of regrets. However there is no mention of the Patient's state; whether he has recovered from his illness or not. -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:I think the message of the song is "LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST"
Whatever problems you encounter will test your ability to solve it. This determines your strength, your determination as said in the song "I am not afraid to keep on living" is purely words of courage and determination, to cope up in what you lack and to enrich what you have.
You don't know when you're going to die. I mean, as early as now, fix your life. All of the things you do will reflect on what would you possibly end up in the after life.
The comfort shared with peers, family and others will be nothing, because in the end.... You will face your creator ALONE... Who know's where you'll go in the end? so... be PREPARED... -
I always interpreted it as sung from a man's perspective, and his lover wants to kill herself. She asks the man to follow him. (I thought of this before I was a big fan, the first time I heard the song.)
'Now I know that I cant make you stay. But where's your heart?' He already knew that she'd leave, but he didn't expect her to ask him to come with him.
The 'I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone' part is him explaining to his wife why he won't kill himself with her. 'Honey if you stay, you'll be forgiven, nothing you can say can stop me going home.' He is telling her that she doesn't have to kill herself: everyone will forgive her if she stays. And he's telling her that it doesn't matter how much she begs him to come with him, he will stay alive and go home.
'I see you lying next to me, with words I thought I'd never speak: awake and unafraid, asleep or dead!' I thought that this was after she killed herself. He is awake and unafraid ('I am not afraid to keep on living') and she is asleep or dead (he doesn't know) -
Gerard said that this song is about how Mikey was planning on leaving the band. Gerard was upset about it so he wrote this song for Mikey. Mikey heard the song and couldn't leave the band. The line "I'll see you lying next to me" refers to how Mikey would sleep on the floor next to Gerard.
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As I was listening to this song and reading other interpretations of the song I decided to read more into the lyrics.
I believe one way to look at the song is that the Patient and their lover are arguing in a car, possibly a near breakup moment.
"Bright lights, they cast a shadow
But can I speak?"
This can imply the another car is coming towards them, and the question could be part of the argument. Which happens before a car crash.
The chorus is the picturing life without the other partner; while the part,
"Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home"
Seems to be the Patient wanting their lover to stay alive to get rid of their guilty conscious as they were the one driving, but since the Patient isn't in as critical condition as their lover, it doesn't matter what the lover says as the Patient will be going home.
Finally, the last part of the song,
"Cause I see you lying next to me
With words I thought I'd never speak
Awake and unafraid
Asleep or dead"
Signals that the Patient is looking at their lover lying in the car next to them, with words they never thought they would speak because the Patient was not expecting to see their lover die. Where as the last two lines could be describing the state of the lover, and the Patient questioning if they are asleep or dead.
I thought it was a different take on the song, hope you enjoyed. -
The song is about mikey leaving the band. He was in a deppressed state and they went to stay at a hotel and Mikey and Gerard had to stay in the same room (I see you lying next to me With words I thought I'd never speak Awake and unafraid Asleep or dead) thinking Mikey could have been dead.(I'm not afraid to walk this world alone)Mikey leaving him and him being alone without his brother Mikey.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Songs can be interpented in so manny ways.
I think the main message is "Just keep on living because it gets better."
I think they wrote this song for Mikey. I know for a fact that he had some issues - I don't know the label and I also really don't believe in labeling people to understand things. So anyhow I think it is just about his issues and I also herd that he used to just go in to Gee's room because he would just be so freaked out. Hence "See you lying next to me -" Yeah, I think it is a song they wrote for Mikey.
It is a good song though, it saved me so manny times. My sister also loves it to. She says it is a good song that just wants to make you get up and fight for something. -
I see the song as a conversation between the patient and his girlfriend. I will explain what I see and tell you what is open to interpretation or not. "Now I know that I can't make you stay, but where's your heart" This is his girlfriend saying I know you have cancer and you can't make it go away, but it still hurts me. "And I know, there's nothing I can say, to change that part" That's the patient saying I wish I treated you better. "So many bright lights that cast a shadow but can I speak, well is it hard understanding, I'm incomplete." I think that means the bright lights showing him death is near may have made him realise somethings he never realised before, but even then his girlfriend was a bit nieve to his problems. "A life that's so demanding, I get so weak, a love that's so demanding, I can't speak." So much pressured him in life, his girlfriend never saw it, and he had to be tougher through the times. Then comes the chorus, which is pretty self explanatory, he is not afraid of his problems any more and wants to live again. The second verse means that even though he is not currently awake, he can still tell what is going on, and it basically talks about how weak he is getting. Then comes the part where you decide what happens. Obviously the lines during the solo reference the patient dying. The bright lights are always a sign of death. Some people believe the patient dies right here, and some people believe he wakes up from a dream and sees his girlfriend right next to him in his bed, or he wakes up from a day dream and sees she is actually the one with cancer. The bridge part mentions that somehow, out of a miracle, he sees her lying next to him. And he asks is she awake, and unafraid, asleep, or dead. I think that line makes enough sense. And then the last part of the song is the chorus. I always saw that part as the patient sitting in the hospital bed screaming the final chorus, but that's just me.
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Patient has come to terms with death, and nothing can stop it (Nothing you can say can stop me going home).
The song is a message to Patient's Lover (I'll refer to her as "Lover"). Patient knows he can't make Lover stay, and that he can't change his condition or Lover's decision.
Patient is completely prepared that Lover may abandon him because of his condition and looming death.
However, Patient also makes it clear that if Lover does abandon him, he'll still try to make it, and he's okay going through this alone. Still, he would rather Lover stay (I am not afraid to keep on living... If you stay I'll be forgiven).
The "I see you lying next to me" verse is where the Patient is saying his final goodbyes to Lover.
During these goodbyes, Patient can't tell if he's "awake and unafraid", "asleep", or "dead." In the end, it's never revealed which of these is the case. -
The song is actually a song the band wrote to convince mikey to stay after a fight they got into when he says I know I cant make you stay but wheres your heart he is saying I know that I cant make you stay but we have been through so much dont leave have a heart and accept that we will fight we will disagree but thats what friends brothers and bands do.
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I heard that Gerard wrote this for Mikey when he was alone (single)and he was depressed and suicidal. Apparantly Mikey got scared and got into bed next to Gerard for comfort from his brother, hence 'i see you lying next to me, with words i thought i'd never speak, awake and unafraid, asleep or dead' because he never thought Mikey'd get depressed. He's basically trying to get Mikey to apreciate life again, trying to make him think in a positive way again, 'i am not afraid to keep on living, i am not afraid to walk this world alone, honey if you stay you'll be forgiven, nothing you can say can stop me going home' This is saying that he shouldn't be afraid, shouldn't be afraid to carry on and that he can carry on with life. This is just what i've heard, but it makes sense to me :)
I actaually love mcr so don't hate on them or i'll get pissed :D -
I think the main idea of this song is that the patient learns a life lesson through a twisted memory. The Black Parade taught him he can live and now he has a choice to. The whole point was that he actually tried to cope with his girl friend's death. She was the one who really died and the lines I see you lying next to me with words I thought I'd never speak, awake and unafraid asleep or dead? Implies that he wakes up from his dream to find she is dead. He misses her but will live even if he has to walk the world alone.
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I almost think that this is in the perception of the patient who is dying's love because the patient is lying next to her and she has words she thought she'd never speak and she is awake and unafraid whether he love/the patient is asleep or dead. She then talks about how she'll be forgiving if he somehow lives even though he has broken her by getting sick ect.And at the end the girl finally is able to say the words that she thought she could never say that she can live without him even though he was her true love. The girl is determined to push through the pain and she going to keep living even though this has happened.
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This song is actually all about choosing what happens to the patient. Some wish to believe this was all a state of mind and he woke up and realized how beautiful life is through his dream. Others believe he was laying in his coffin next to his lover showing she forgave him and they died together. (How she died is unknown) Another theory is that she forgave him and he says in the last line that he loves her but no matter what she says he'll die but he did in fact learn a lesson. Basically, the only thing that is confirmed is that the patient has learned his lesson but much like all the MCR songs, the meaning is up to the listeners to decide and the patient's fate is in your hands.
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this is about mikey. gerard and ray wrote it after he left. and as he heard it...he came back. good story behind it,actually. i can never picture mcr without mikey way. i'm even depressed now that bob's gone. what more if mikey's gone? but im also kind of happy they're all happy now.
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