Helena (song)
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| "Helena" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by My Chemical Romance | ||
| from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge | ||
| Released | March 3, 2005 | |
| Format | 7" vinyl CD digital download DVD |
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| Recorded | 2004 | |
| Genre | Alternative rock Disputed subgenres |
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| Length | 3:22 | |
| Label | Reprise Records | |
| Producer(s) | My Chemical Romance Howard Benson |
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| Chart positions | ||
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| My Chemical Romance singles chronology | ||
| "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (2004) |
"Helena" (2005) |
"Under Pressure" (2005) |
"Helena" is the third single and first track from My Chemical Romance's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. The lyrics describe lead singer Gerard Way's feelings for his late grandmother, Elena Lee Rush (friends called her 'Helen', and because of this, Way always thought of her as "Helena"). The single has become a best-selling hit, both in the US and internationally. Way said in an interview with Channel [V] the band got influences for Helena from the song "Aces High" by Iron Maiden and tracks by The Misfits. This song is also My Chemical Romance's seventh single.
[edit] Track listing
- "Helena"
- "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Live)
- "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (Live)
[edit] Music video
The music video was shot on-location in a Presbyterian church on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, directed by Marc Webb, and choreographed by Michael Rooney. The video has a simple plot, with Gerard Way as a priest/entertainer (and also the boyfriend of the departed Helena) at a funeral where the band is performing. There are also mourners who dance and mourn the death of Helena. Near the end, the dead body of Helena (played by burlesque dancer Tracy Phillips) rises and dances down the nave representing crossing over into the afterlife. After she falls back into the casket, the pallbearers (also played by My Chemical Romance) carry the casket to the hearse (in the pouring rain), surrounded by a phalanx of dancers.
Though the song in general is about the band members Gerard Way and Mikey Way's late grandmother, it was stated in an interview that the video told a different story. The music video shows the funeral of a young, beautiful, twenty-something year old girl named Helena, who, according to Gerard Way, died tragically. There is speculation that she could be the female of the "Demolition Lovers" that are chronicled in some of the band's songs, but evidence from the song leads most to believe that the video Helena died in a fatal car accident.
The video was nominated for four Moonmen at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards: Best Rock Video, Best Choreography, Best New Artist, and the MTV2 and Viewer's Choice Awards (both of which are chosen by viewers). Though the band did not win any awards, they did do a surprise performance of the song towards the end of the show. They also won an MTV Video Music Awards Latin America "tongue" for the Best New Artist - International. They also won a Best Video award in the 2005 Kerrang! Awards. In November of 2005, the video was nominated for two MTVU Woodie Awards (voted on by college students) and won the Woodie of the Year. In the Philippines, Helena has reached a cult-like status because of the popularity of Alternative music.
The video was also voted #1 by viewers of MTV latinamerica in the 2005 "100 Most Wanted Videos".
[edit] Trivia
- The first man to show up at the creating of the video was given the role of the sixth pallbearer, his name is Cameron.
- They hadn't intended it to rain during the shoot.
- "Helena" can be heard playing during the credits of the 2005 remake of House of Wax.
- The Misfits also have a song called "Helena". Its lyrics are much more violent.
- Frank Iero wasn't well during filming and is barely seen during the video. Aside from one or two close-ups, it could be a stand-in. No-one has ever asked the band about this on record, so we don't know for sure, but on Life on the Murder Scene, Gerard mentions in passing that "Frank isn't feeling well" so "he's sleeping" somewhere.
- During in the filming, it can also be noted that Frank was too short to carry the coffin so he pretended to while his bandmates had to hold the full weight. He joked in Life on the Murder Scene that he is 'about 4'9"'.
- An alternate version of the music video (with a completely different storyline from the original) was created for the song using the hit computer game The Sims 2. This viral video was subsequently posted on YouTube, and has become a massive hit among The Sims 2 and My Chemical Romance fans alike. Helena - Sims 2 version
- The congergation is actually made up of MCR fans that had received an e-mail asking them if they wanted to be in the music video.
| My Chemical Romance |
| Gerard Way | Ray Toro | Frank Iero | Mikey Way | Bob Bryar |
| Matt Pelissier |
|---|
| Discography |
| Studio albums: I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love | Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge | The Black Parade |
| Live album: Life on the Murder Scene |
| EPs: Like Phantoms, Forever | Warped Tour Bootleg Series |
| Singles |
| “Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us” | “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” | “Headfirst for Halos” | “Our Lady of Sorrows” | “Thank You for the Venom” | “I'm Not Okay (I Promise)” | “Helena” | “Under Pressure” | “The Ghost of You” | “Welcome to the Black Parade” | “Famous Last Words” | “I Don't Love You” |
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