Famous Last Words

... Old thread must have gone to the archive.

Ahkay. Now, take in mind, one that I suck at decoding hidden meanings in songs, and two that these are my personal opinions. ^__^
I think this is about a girl leaving her boyfriend, [Gerard speaking in the boyfriend's POV] and how the boy says that he will miss her and wants her there, and that it makes him weak when she isn't there, but he "is not afraid to keep on living, to walk this world alone"
[And I have to comment Mikey, Ray, and Frank, the guitar riff at the beginning is so complicated and to be able to play it and play it while putting movements and emotion into it is incredible. xD]

I think it's about someone having a close relative that is dying (or maybe a husband or wife), and not wanting them to die, but eventually accepting that the person will die and being okay with it.

I dont really see how, but my sister thinks it's about someone thinking about commiting suicide.

I think it's by this point, the Patient accepting that he's going to die. Not nescesarily that he dies, but more his friend/girlfriend/lover accepting it and saying goodbye. The last "or dead/i am not afraid..." could be them together saying goodbye. Iono.

its about saying goodbye but its reallyhard to do that

I believe its the band saying to their fans "Even if we're gone, we want you to carry on!". MCR are awesome like that.

There's a positive message in the song; Never give up when things get tough.


Gerard wrote Famous Last Words for Mikey when he was leaving the band during the making of The Black Parade. "Now I know that I can't make you stay, but where's you heart?"
"Now I know there's nothing I can say to change that part..." This suggests to me that Gerard might have said something to Mikey that he regrets. I can't really imagine Gerard being angry with Mikey because they're really close, but he obviously said or did something to him he regrets.
"So many bright lights they cast a shadow" To me this is a metaphor, like all the lights and attention on the band have dark sides, and the dark side he's referring to is that Mikey actually wanted to leave the band.
"But can I speak?" I dunno... Like, can he voice his opinion without being judged by people everywhere, maybe?
"Is it hard understanding i'm incomplete?" He's saying he's incomplete without Mikey in the band.
"A life that's so demanding, I get so weak" Pretty self-explanatory. He gets tired out by being in a band and the centre of attention so much.
"A love that's so demanding" I guess this is about his love for Mikey, and how it's demanding because they are together most of the time doing a hard job.
"I can't speak" He feels like he can't say anything to Mikey to stop him going?
"I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone." He's saying that if Mikey leaves he's not afraid to keep going, even if it will be hard.
"Honey, if you stay i'll be forgiven." Basically he's saying to Mikey "if you stay, it will mean you've forgiven me for what I did/said"
"Nothing you can say can stop me going home" I've always thought this was something Mikey might have said to Gerard when he decided he was leaving the band. So like, Gerard is quoting is words.. perhaps.
"Can you see? My eyes are shining bright, 'cause i'm out here on the other side of a jet black hotel mirror." I always think of this as Gerard saying to Mikey "I made it through a dark time in my life when I was addicted to alcohol and drugs, but I got through it. It's not impossible, like you may think."
"Is it hard understanding i'm incomplete?" Telling Mikey he's a part of him, and he completes the band.
"These bright lights have always blinded me." My interpretation is that all the attention has been alot for him to handle, but he's carrying on anyway.
"I see you lying next to me" Okay, I heard in an interview somewhere... or maybe I read it in one of the MCR books... that when MCR were making The Black Parade in the Paramour place, Mikey was depressed, so he slept on the floor in Gerard's room, next to his bed, so he wasn't alone and able to do anything stupid. So that's why Gerard sees him lying next to him...
"With words I thought I'd never speak" I can only assume that Gerard said something he never thought he'd say, like maybe he told Mikey that he needed to get his shit together because he was letting the band down, or just leave... And those were Gerard's famous last words, because then Mikey decided that he should leave.

Then of course, Mikey heard this song Gerard wrote for him and knew straight away he couldn't leave :')

At the Madison Square Garden concert, Gerard couldn't keep away from Mikey during this song! I guess it was cuz it was always a dream they both shared to play at MSG... And the song must remind them of what the went through to get to that stage! He kept putting his arm round him, and looking into his eyes when he sang the lyrics. Then he picked him up xD It was the cutest thing EVER!

I don't know what it means.
But people have told me it's about Mikey quitting the band.
So Gee wright this song.
And now he's in it!
So, I know that might not go up in there!

I'm probably reading way too much into this song, but I reckon it's got a double meaning; A) that the band, if they ever split up (heaven help us) wants us to carry on "I am not afraid to walk this world alone";
and B) it's a love song "but where's your heart", beginning with loss "now I know that I can't make you stay" and ending with hope and (hopefully) reconciliation. "Asleep or dead", which I personally take to mean Gerard (as the guy narrating) thinks he's either dreaming or in heaven, cause a girl this amazing can't be real. Cute, huh?
I think it's a really positive song, which like WTTBP encourages you to carry on through the bad times, "There's nothing I can say to change that part...I get so weak...I am not afraid to keep on living...nothing you can say can stop me going home" cause there's always gonna be light at the end of the tunnel.

i have no idea really...but didn't this song break up Eliza and Gee?

"a love that's so demanding" is he talking about her being manipulative?

I think this is one of My Chemical Romances songs that is to be takin as what YOU want it to be.
But, the main point of it all is, Too keep on living and You're life is way more important then any sorta shit that happens in you're live.
Always remember that...
But, it could to a very meaningful song to some and to others just an awesome from an awesome band..
It personaly is my most favourite song ever.
Never before has a song touched me, inspired and Helped me so much.
Know people say that all the time, but this really truly did.
Thank you My Chem.
<3

I think this is one of My Chemical Romances songs that is to be takin as what YOU want it to be.
But, the main point of it all is, Too keep on living and You're life is way more important then any sorta shit that happens in you're live.
Always remember that...
But, it could to a very meaningful song to some and to others just an awesome from an awesome band..
It personaly is my most favourite song ever.
Never before has a song touched me, inspired and Helped me so much.
Know people say that all the time, but this really truly did.
Thank you My Chem.
<3

sounds like someone who wanted to commit suicide or something suddenly realizes theres hope and a reason to keep on living and maybe theres someone to be there with them and help them so theyre not alone anymore

I think that it's based on the patient in The Black Parade and basically what he's saying is that he's okay with whatever is going to happen to him. He's not afraid to keep going to see what he'll have to face. I love this song and it's definitely inspiring. Sometimes when I'm down, it can just bring me up and make me want to keep going. I completely love it.

Hiiyaahh .. x.x.
i think it is based on what the press is sayin about mcr being a sucide cult and the main lines are " I AM NOT AFRAID TO KEEP ON LIVING! I AM NOT AFRAID TO WALK THIS WORLD ALONE!" i thnk it is about no matter how shitty life gets you have to keep on living because nothing is that BAD when you should give up on the world and turn away! no matter how depressed you are you will live again! xxx listen to gee! hes my god

Becki-xo-MCR:

There's a positive message in the song; Never give up when things get tough.


Gerard wrote Famous Last Words for Mikey when he was leaving the band during the making of The Black Parade. "Now I know that I can't make you stay, but where's you heart?"
"Now I know there's nothing I can say to change that part..." This suggests to me that Gerard might have said something to Mikey that he regrets. I can't really imagine Gerard being angry with Mikey because they're really close, but he obviously said or did something to him he regrets.
"So many bright lights they cast a shadow" To me this is a metaphor, like all the lights and attention on the band have dark sides, and the dark side he's referring to is that Mikey actually wanted to leave the band.
"But can I speak?" I dunno... Like, can he voice his opinion without being judged by people everywhere, maybe?
"Is it hard understanding i'm incomplete?" He's saying he's incomplete without Mikey in the band.
"A life that's so demanding, I get so weak" Pretty self-explanatory. He gets tired out by being in a band and the centre of attention so much.
"A love that's so demanding" I guess this is about his love for Mikey, and how it's demanding because they are together most of the time doing a hard job.
"I can't speak" He feels like he can't say anything to Mikey to stop him going?
"I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone." He's saying that if Mikey leaves he's not afraid to keep going, even if it will be hard.
"Honey, if you stay i'll be forgiven." Basically he's saying to Mikey "if you stay, it will mean you've forgiven me for what I did/said"
"Nothing you can say can stop me going home" I've always thought this was something Mikey might have said to Gerard when he decided he was leaving the band. So like, Gerard is quoting is words.. perhaps.
"Can you see? My eyes are shining bright, 'cause i'm out here on the other side of a jet black hotel mirror." I always think of this as Gerard saying to Mikey "I made it through a dark time in my life when I was addicted to alcohol and drugs, but I got through it. It's not impossible, like you may think."
"Is it hard understanding i'm incomplete?" Telling Mikey he's a part of him, and he completes the band.
"These bright lights have always blinded me." My interpretation is that all the attention has been alot for him to handle, but he's carrying on anyway.
"I see you lying next to me" Okay, I heard in an interview somewhere... or maybe I read it in one of the MCR books... that when MCR were making The Black Parade in the Paramour place, Mikey was depressed, so he slept on the floor in Gerard's room, next to his bed, so he wasn't alone and able to do anything stupid. So that's why Gerard sees him lying next to him...
"With words I thought I'd never speak" I can only assume that Gerard said something he never thought he'd say, like maybe he told Mikey that he needed to get his shit together because he was letting the band down, or just leave... And those were Gerard's famous last words, because then Mikey decided that he should leave.

Then of course, Mikey heard this song Gerard wrote for him and knew straight away he couldn't leave :')

At the Madison Square Garden concert, Gerard couldn't keep away from Mikey during this song! I guess it was cuz it was always a dream they both shared to play at MSG... And the song must remind them of what the went through to get to that stage! He kept putting his arm round him, and looking into his eyes when he sang the lyrics. Then he picked him up xD It was the cutest thing EVER!

I love this meaning, and that is so adorable !

Oh, and another thing. Was Mikey suicidal whilst depressed?

Because if so, "awake, and unafraid, asleep or dead" could be Gerard saying that while Mikey's awake, he's not as afraid for his safety, but when he's laying still or whatever, he doesn't know if he's sleeping or dead...

Very unlikely, but just a theory :s

I think that it is about someone leaving & that Gerard wants them to stay but that he does think he can keep & on living but he is incomplete without whoever is leaving. I also think that he doesnt think that it would ever end because where he says with words I thought I'd never speak, meaning that he never thought he would say that he would keep on living without her but he still will be incomplete! {i've never described a song 7 i never really can understand "hidden meanings" of them}

One Thousand Oceans:

Becki-xo-MCR - Do you have any citations? Because if this is true, that's so adorable.

I think that it's more about the Patient saying goodbye to someone that it'd be hard to say goodbye to, a.k.a, a wife/lover/parents, etc., and the person that isn't dying, saying that they wern't afraid to keep on living even after the Patient dies, and that they regret some things that they said but that they're going to keep on going.

Gerard has said himself it's about losing someone and being not afraid to move on. Her meaning is her speculation, it was never said.