Desert Song

Album: Life On The Murder Scene (2006)
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Songfacts®:

  • My Chemical Romance had some rough patches in their first three years. To start, Gerard and Mikey Way's grandmother died. Then Gerard went from being a raging drug addict to a sober man, which took a bunch of effort. Gerard was also pretty suicidal when he was on drugs, so that was a definite problem. This song looks back on the band's troubles, but states that because they went through all of this, they're more hopeful for the future:

    "Did you come to stare or wash away the blood?" - They can either live with these problems or clean off the slate and make a new start.

    "We hold in our hearts the sword and the faith" - The sword is for courage to keep trying for freedom from the pain, and you need faith to be able to wield the sword.

    "From the lights to the pavement, From the van to the floor, From backstage to the doctor, From the earth to the morgue" - This explains how things would have been if they had given up.

    "Did we fall down?" - They don't know whether or not they'd hit bottom or are drifting toward it.

    "Spend the rest of your day's rockin' out just for the dead" - This means that if they hadn't of got through it all, they would of just been playing for all the dead ones, seeing as they'd be with them. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Lane - McKinney, TX
  • This was intended for the Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge album but didn't make the cut. Instead, the band included it on their live album Life On The Murder Scene, and the accompanying documentary of the same name.
  • During the making of Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, the band was experimenting with pills and drinking heavily outside of the studio, but remained professional during their recording sessions - usually. When it came time to record this tune, Gerard tried to sing drunk, which he says was the worst take he ever did. Frank Iero, the band's rhythm guitarist, recalled the session. "To record that song, Gerard just got wasted all night," he told Tom Bryant, author of Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance. "The final recording was just drunk. It fitted the mood of the song though. It was more like he was playing a character and, in order to play that person, he had to get f--ked up."

Comments: 13

  • Char from Usa@rae i feel the same way with bury me in black.
  • Rae from Buxton, NcThis is my favorite song ever, and I need it badly. Its so beutiful, I cried on the floor not knowing what to think, say, or do next. I love this song and I will never forget it
  • Trenton from Ypsilanti, Mithis is my favorite song by my chemical romance. i wonder why it was never released.
  • Ed from Rugby, EnglandThis is another song where it means something different to me than maybe what it was meant for the band.

    It makes me think about my depression and how the nights can be long and lonely but you pull through," did we all fall down?" makes me think of a relationship with someone, and when i didnt know whether i'd ever be with her again.

    And this line:Did you come to stare or wash away the blood?
    Makes me remember how my friends were when i was self harming, are you here to stare and bitch about it? or are you here to help me sort it all out??

    Sorry about the rant, song means alot though, beautifully written.
  • Aliya from Rocklin, CaI simply just love this song! It's so amazing!
    i can't believe natalie likes gerard with blonde hair! he looks way better with black hair. in black hair, he looks really cute. blonde hair: creepy!
    anyone agree with me?

    p.s. this song makes me cry!
  • Laura from Chicago, Ili absolutely adore MCR and this song! it is amazing lyricly and musically... it makes me feel, sad, yet stronger at the same time.... like i want to cry, but i want to "stand up f***ing tall" as well...anyways great song and band... and YAY for Gerard's black hair!.... again! but he always looks good...
  • Kayley from LondonI agree with everyone who has commented. This song is without a doubt MCR's best song. It took me a while to understand the Black Parade, but the first time I heard this song I got it. It has so much emotion I cried the first time I heard it and everytime I hear it, even if I hear it several times in a row, it hits me hard. I don't know how they did it, but this song is amazing!
  • Josh from Middleburg Hts., Ohthis song is sooooo better then the black parade and gerard looks like a (deleted) with blond hair.....SORRY GERARD!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Josh from Middleburg Hts., OrThis song is by far the best from my chemical romance,every time i hear it i start to think about life and why not to throw it away.
  • Natalie from Cornwall, Englandi actuall like black parade song bst its cool wiked outfits sexy lead singer dont go back to black hair blond so suits you. n i fink wat makes the song soo great is the well goodlooking singer but hes 12 years too old :p xx. it needs to be played more on tv i cnt get enoght of it. gerade way is soo georgous
  • Caroline from Montreal, Canadathis is definitly one of my favorite song. everything holds so much emotions and this song as a deep meaning to me and it shows how they evolued and how they changed and they help me change too. they really saved my life and this song only confirmed how they are awesome.
  • Rachel from Pikeville, NcThis song dosen't make me cry..it makes me want to be more..more of a person and less of a zombie like person

    This song has meaning. it shows how much they grew.
    and like them i have grew....so thats why it has saved my life
  • Ophelia from Jerusalem, Israelthis is no doubt MCR's best song. the guitar, the lyrics, everything. all of their music is good, but this song has so much personal meaning for me. i cry every time i hear it.
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