My Chemical Romance: Helena Meaning
Song Released: 2005
Helena Lyrics
Just like the hearse you die to get in again
We are
So far from you
Burning on
Just like a match you strike to incinerate
The lives
Of everyone you know
And what's the worst can take
From every heart you break
And like the...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:This song was for Gerard and Mikeys grandmother, Elena Lee Rush. When she pasted away, Gerard regretted not spending enough time with her in her last few years of her life. She also taught him almost every talent he has: singing, drawing, etc. She did alot for him. So when she died (and went to heaven because she deserved it) Gerard wanted to pay a tribute to her and her good ways, so, by combing the two names Elena, and Helen (that's what all her friends called her) he came up with Helena.
In the video, I still think it's about Elena. She's just in the form of a younger person. The video tells the story of Helenas funeral, with Gerard conducting and not believing she's gone, and that's why she gets up to dance. When she falls back in, it means Gerard finally realizes she's gone to rest, and he knows it. So he feels peaceful about it. After they put the coffin in the hearse, Gerard knows she's in a better place, and he'll see her again one day.
Rest in Peace, Elena Lee Rush, and long live MCR. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:'Things are better if I stay' could suggest that he felt so bad about her death that he wanted to join her, ie kill himself, but then he decides not to, realises that he can still survive and says 'things are better if I stay'.'Can you hear me/ Are you near me?'reflects him still believeing that she is nearby and some vain hope that she can in fact hear him, and will respond. His plea 'Can we pretend to leave and then we'll meet again...' appears to him him assuring her that although he won't be joining her just now, he'll be with her again someday. In this way, he is able to put himself at peace.
Other points:
'When every star fall brought you to tears again' is a reflection on the pain she went through while alive, and probably expresses regret that he was not there for her more
'We are the very hurt you've sold'could be something to do with manipulation
There are several stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. His harsh comments towards her ('Every heart you break' 'ther very hurt you sold')reflect the anger stage. Typically, this is comprised of 'how dare they leave me', so he could be masking bitterness at this. Bargaining is not a huge theme, but 'can we pretend' reflects this to a small extent. I think depression's an obvios one (=P). Therefore, we could say that it is a song about grief. And it does appear to me that he eventually accepts her death.
I think the video reflects this. Her rising again to dance is his inability to accept that she is dead, but when she falls back in the coffin, he is at peace with her death and has grown to accept it. At the end, the placing of her in the hearse puts an end to it. Mind you, I think this is irrelevant to the song itself as I read somewhere that Gerard did not really want to have her dance, just thought it was an interesting side-point.
So, in the end it is irrelevant whether it's about his grandma or some secret girlfriend or whatever. It's a song about loss, and surviving that loss.
(Btw, when I say 'he' I don't mean Gerard necessarily, I mean the man in the song, just before we all gather to bite my head off =P Although this could be the story of him trying to get over his grandma) -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:Yes, the song is primarily about Gerard and Mickey's grandma, Elena. But the band has also said that there is another story here that most don't seem to pick up on because it ties in so well. Other than his grandma, it's about the theme of the CD: a man and a woman (Helena) die in a car crash (when both our cars collide), except Helena doesn't really die, the man only thinks she has. He's sent to Hell. The song is the man mourning her "death" in Hell, wishing he could see her again and giving his goodbyes (so long and goodnight). the part "can you hear me, are you near me?" is of course directed tword Elena. And during the band's 2005 American tour, before they played this song, Gerard would tell the crowd to look up and say, "Hey Grandma, what's up?" It's extremely touching, I love this song so much :) T-T
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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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Guys its not about lovers, it is a lot more than that. And BTW, Gerard and Mikey are related, so its both of theirs grandma
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It's about how mikey and gerard's grandmother changed their lives and the band's lives.
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This song is talking about Gerard's grandmother passing away. Her name was Helena.
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Well the song originally is about the loss of the lead singer's grandmother. There are also different stories about it being about a lover that committed suicide.
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Yeahhh... It's out Gerard and Mikey's dead grandmother, Helena. They even said so. Derp. :P
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Okay it is not about his girlfriend or anything! Gosh some of you people are just total idiots! If you would watch Life On The Murder Scene you would know that it's about Mikey and Gerards grandmother!! Even when their making the video Gerard says "This is kind of like reliving a really bad day." and that the song is a tribute to their grandmother! Use your fcking brains! At least watch the making of Helena, it tells you everything!!!!!
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About Mikey's grandmother passing away.
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I think that a lot of mcr's songs have more than one meaning. whether it's about their grandmother or gerards gf, idk. but the meaning that makes the song fit into the album (the "story", if you will), is that two lovers were in a car wreck "meet again when both our cars collide". obviously, the womans name is helena. The man was completely grieved by her death, and thinks abt suicide, but decides against it: "things are better if I stay". other references to his suicide: "like a blade you stain" meaning that she "stained" his life and he couldn't get over her death, causing the "blade" (suicide). also, the song is about the stages of his grief, like someone else said. The anger stage: "match you strike to incinerate the lives of everyone you know" "every heart you break", etc. He's mad at her for leaving. also, things like "there came a time when every starfall brought you to tears again" etc. That I think she was gonna commit suicide anyway, elaborated on in other songs. (maybe a reference to the suicide thing w/ gerards girlfriend I've read abt...) if I have to say it, "so long and good night" is the man saying goodbye to helena, tho also I think the final time he says that, it is him finally deciding to commit suicide.
-alex -
I believe this song starts the story of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, in which the two lovers get in a car wreck (when both our cars collide) and this song describes all of the sadness and others. And yes this song is partially about the Ways' grandmother that died previous to the record.
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Ok so everyone knows who keeps up with MCR that the song is in memory of the lead singers grandmother which I really have respect for. but as I listen to the song this is what I PERSONALLY get from it:
for me, the song is saying "how am I exactly supposed to feel"? when you lose a loved one, whether they passed away or you break up with a gf/bf, everyone is SOOOO encouraging. everyone is saying "oh they are in a better place" or "you were too good for him/her anyway, don't worry the right one will come". but the truth of the matter is NO ONE wants to hear that when they are feeling all these things. (What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay So long and goodnight So long and goodnight) this just means to me that maybe if I just say goodbye like everyone says to, it won't hurt so bad, but in reality it doesn't. you loved them and it will always hurt.
*to sum it up it's about how to exactly cope with losing someone you love. -
Helena was Gerard and Mikey Way's grandmother who passed away in 2005 (sorry geegee and mikey).
in the song it says
"we'll meet again"
he means all their family will be together someday again
So if anyone wants to know this is the real reason, Gerard said it himself -
I read that this was about Gerard and Mikey's late grandmother. According to Gerard "She has taught me everything I know" I.E. How to paint, draw, Act, and sing, So obviously he would've taken it pretty hard. He wrote this song in honor of her. And obviously, the music video is of a funeural (I can't spell)
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This song is about Gerard's and Mikey's grandmother, Elena( not Helena). She taught Gerard many things in life, so she was basically very close to him. When she passed away, Gerard wanted to make a tribute to her, so he thought this was the best way to do that.
All of the above were just my opinion. Thanks for taking the time to read this, I hope it helped! (:
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