Headfirst for Halos

"Headfirst for Halos"
Single by My Chemical Romance
from the album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love
B-side "Our Lady of Sorrows" (live)
Released April 5, 2004
(see release history)
Format 7" vinyl, CD
Recorded May 2002
Genre Post-hardcore[1]
Length 3:30
Label Eyeball, 20:20
Writer(s) My Chemical Romance
Producer(s) Geoff Rickly
My Chemical Romance singles chronology
"Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us"
(2003)
"Headfirst for Halos"
(2004)
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
(2004)
I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love track listing
I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love track listing
"Our Lady of Sorrows"
(Track 5)
"Headfirst for Halos"
(Track 6)
"Skylines and Turnstiles"
(Track 7)

"Headfirst for Halos" is the sixth track and third single from My Chemical Romance's debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. It is also their third overall single. The cover of the single was seen in the "old school" music video for the song "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", featured on the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. The song peaked at #80 in the UK. The single has been released on CD format as well as a limited press on 7" vinyl.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by My Chemical Romance. 

UK promotional CD
No. Title Length
1. "Headfirst for Halos"   3:28
UK 7" vinyl and CD single
No. Title Length
1. "Headfirst for Halos"   3:32
2. "Our Lady of Sorrows" (live) 3:05

Song meaning

The song is about depression and contemplating suicide. The lyrics, "Now the red ones make me fly, and the blue ones help me fall" may refer to antidepressants or other drugs ("Reds & Blues" in particular is drug slang for the color of commonly abused amphetamine & barbiturate pills respectively, uppers & downers). According to lead vocalist Gerard Way, "This song is about suicide - don't do it."

The band stated in their 2006 Life on The Murder Scene documentary that the song had been originally conceived as a joke and was not going to be developed for the album. However, in realizing the potential and challenge the song would present to the band artistically, it eventually made the album. Gerard expressed that the group needed the challenge to prove that they could succeed as a band. In 2006, Frank stated in this interview that it was his favorite song to play live.

Charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 80

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
United Kingdom 2004 20:20 CD
April 5, 2004 Eyeball, 20:20 7" vinyl TWENTY7S004
CD TWENTYCDS004

References