When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band

He said "Son, when you grow up
Would you be the savior of the broken
The beaten and the damned?"

He said "Will you defeat them
Your demons and all the non-believers
The plans that they have made?

"Because one day I'll leave you
A phantom to lead you in the summer
To join the black parade."

When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band

He said "Son, when you grow up
Would you be the savior of the broken
The beaten and the damned?"

Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me
And other times I feel like I should go
And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets
And when you're gone we want you all to know

We'll carry on
We'll carry on
And though you're dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
Will carry on
And in my heart I can't contain it
The anthem won't explain it

A woman sends you reeling from decimated dreams
Your misery and hate will kill us all
So paint it black and take it back
Let's shout it loud and clear
Do you fight it to the end
We hear the call
To carry on

We'll carry on
And though you're dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
Will carry on
And though you're broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on

On and on we carry through the fears
Disappointed faces of your peers
Take a look at me 'cause I can not care at all

Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Though they try, they'll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part
I won't explain or say I'm sorry
I'm not ashamed, I'm gonna show my scar
Give a cheer for all the broken
Listen here, because it's only

I'm just a man, I'm not a hero
Just a boy who's meant to sing this song
Just a man, I'm not a hero
I don't care

We'll carry on
We'll carry on
And though you're dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
You'll carry on
And though you're broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on

Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Though they try, they'll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part

Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Though they try, they'll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part



Lyrics submitted by AbsolutionAgent_gMs, edited by Shadows145

Track duration: 05:11


Welcome To The Black Parade song meanings
Add your thoughts

558 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    Song Meaning:"After learning of his illness, reflecting on his life, and dealing with all the issues of mortality, the Patient's own mortality is quickly coming to an end. This illness is most likely heart cancer, since many references at cancer are made throughout the album, and in Dead!, the doctors tell the Patient "they found a complication in your heart". Here the Patient is drifting between life and death, and so death is coming for him in the form of his strongest memory. The Patient's fondest memory is of his father taking him to town as a boy to see a parade ("when I was a young boy, my father took me into the city, to see a marching band"). The Patient's father asks him as a boy "Son, when you grow up, would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?", perhaps preparing the Patient for his future illness, and asking him if he will have what it takes to mentally overcome it and be an example for others who follow in his footsteps to be strong. The Patient's father also tells him "someday I'll leave you a phantom, to lead you in the summer, to join the Black Parade." This hints that the Patient's father most likely died before the Patient, and will help him join the Black Parade (in other words be there when he dies to help him in the afterlife). The song also shows that the Patient most likely had a very good relationship with his father, since his fondest memory in life occured when he was with his father. This may be the opposite of the relationship he has with his mother, which is further detailed in the song "Mama". However, the band has stated that "Mama" represents Mother War, a mother who lost her child(ren) in war. She also represents loss, and so may simply be another figure in the Black Parade.

    The Patient passes into a realm of life and death, and sees the Black Parade. The Black Parade seems to take place in the city that he saw the marching band in his youth, only now the city is barren, and more macabre. He sees the performers of the Black Parade, only they too are more macabre than those of the parade he saw in his youth, and seem to represent emotions and other parts of his life. The Black Parade tell him of "the disappointed faces of your peers", which have no effect on the Patient, as he states he "could not care at all", showing he will no longer let anyone dictate his actions, and hasn't quite repented yet (as he does in Famous Last Words). He still doubts himself ("I'm just a man, I'm not a hero" in reference to his father's question at the beginning of the song). He is still firm in his doubt of the world ("you can try, you'll never break me"). Finally The Black Parade assures him that his "memory will carry on", and though he may be dead and defeated his "weary widow marches on." Thus trying to encourage him that he isn't as evil as he thinks, and that if he joins them what he leaves behind in life will be fine.

    The song is visually represented by its music video. Some have argued that there is a flaw with the actor portraying the Patient, in that he is not bald, when most people who have cancer and go through chemo are bald. This however is not always the case, so its not necessarily a flaw." Says Wikipedia.
    Flag Ashlynneon June 01, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I (re)discovered this song about 6 months after my Grandmother passed, the week my Grandfather was admitted into hospice. It has became my anthem for the last 2 years and continues to be my go to song. It speaks volumes to the losses of both of my grandparents in 11 months and the hypocritical judgments and actions of my family.

    I was my Grandfather's full time caregiver. This song put into words what I would have said to the rest of the family at any given point the last year and a half. They swing from apathy to total lack of respect to completely ignoring anything I say. "I won't explain or say I'm sorry. I am NOT ashamed..." of anything I did! Ironically, one of the biggest offenders publicly thanked me during his eulogy at my Grandfather funeral. My friends and I couldn't believe his audacity!

    "I'm just a (wo)man. I'm not a hero. I don't care! ... Do or die, you'll never make me. Because the world will never take my heart. Though you try, you'll never break me."

    They almost did. They failed. I won by carrying on...
    Flag DJDexyon September 23, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I (re)discovered this song about 6 months after my Grandmother passed, the week my Grandfather was admitted into hospice. It has became my anthem for the last 2 years and continues to be my go to song. It speaks volumes to the losses of both of my grandparents in 11 months and the hypocritical judgments and actions of my family.

    I was my Grandfather's full time caregiver. This song put into words what I would have said to the rest of the family at any given point the last year and a half. They swing from apathy to total lack of respect to completely ignoring anything I say. "I won't explain or say I'm sorry. I am NOT ashamed..." of anything I did! Ironically, one of the biggest offenders publicly thanked me during his eulogy at my Grandfather funeral. My friends and I couldn't believe his audacity!

    "I'm just a (wo)man. I'm not a hero. I don't care! ... Do or die, you'll never make me. Because the world will never take my heart. Though you try, you'll never break me."

    They almost did. They failed. I won by carrying on...
    Flag DJDexyon September 23, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:I think this is secretely dedicated to his father.
    Flag xpandaeaterxon March 29, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:These lyrics make me wanna go scream at the sky!! Love it so much its unbelieveable
    Flag xpandaeaterxon March 29, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:This song helped to take some of sting off how bad it felt when I lost a close one. Just listening to this song, helped me through my grieving process. It talks about "her" memory "carried on", and "though you're dead and gone believe me", my memory of you will always carry on, because you were an important part of my life, and I choose never to forget you. Sometimes he feels her presence, and that too helps him to "carry on" in life.

    "I won't explain or say I'm sorry, I'm not ashamed, I'm gonna show my scar", talks about how he feels that showing sadness and pain, is something that one should never be afraid to show, we are all human an feel these things.
    Flag Purpleheartwoodon February 20, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Grow up, all of you. This is a good song, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So take your anti-[insert content here] propaganda elsewhere, troll elsewhere because your efforts to upset people are unappreciated. Also may I add that if you're looking up this song, you must not hate it if you have such an interest as to find it on a site that is used for lyric interpretation. If you really have nothing better to do and you hate yourself to such a level of intensity that you have to take it out on the world, you should probably get some professional help with that instead of wasting space on the internet. We came to this website to share our interpretations of the lyrics, but your stupidity isn't what we're looking for. If you want to talk about homosexuality, take it to the designated chat room in those AOL categories. But as for this website, you're only making fools of yourselves trolling and fighting with strangers and being immature chowderheads. (:

    /getalife.jpg
    Flagged pizzazombieon September 26, 2011   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning:This is probably one of my favorite songs off all time because of all the messages it carries. Of losing a Parent (more specifically your father.) Of Mourning and how even though you might feel like the world is over because someone important to you died, you will get through it. Which then can be taken into any context of how you can get through any major problem in life... It realy is a beutifull song to me.
    Flag theZKAMon June 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't think this has much if anything to do with 9/11. Artists like Gerard usually have issued with their main father figure. I think the reference to his father is just that, its in black and white(no pun intended), I only wish my death could be so peaceful
    Flag gcb2719on October 08, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:The song is a biography for the generations of kids who were alive on September 11th. The Patient is a metaphor for those kids. Our parents had dreams of us being big and ruling the world and then death came and changed the world. Now most teenagers are apathetic, killing themselves or wasting their lives. They had to face large scale death and destruction when they were young and it changed them forever. Most teenagers are obsessed or think to much of death because it's the only way we could have adapted to that event. We play the part of The Patient because, at the end of his short life he's sad because he's convinced he's going to hell and hasn't accomplished his father's goals. The fondest part of his memory is that of a parade. Where is innocence was still there, before it was taken by a gruesome event.
    Flag DarkishFriendon July 09, 2010   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain