HELENA (SONG)

'"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 overall single.

Contents

Track listing

Music video

Trivia

External links

Track listing

'Version 1 (CD and 7" vinyl)'
#"Helena"
#"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (live from Sessions@AOL)
'Version 2 (Australian-released CD)'
#"Helena" – 3:24
#"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (live) – 3:06
#"You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us In Prison" (live) – 3:10
'Version 3 (digital download)'
#"Helena" (live from the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey) - 4:14

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 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 and a fan named Cameron) 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 five ''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).They lost to bands such as Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and The Killers. 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".

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 also refer to a broken relationship but are much more violent. It appears on the album Famous Monsters.

★ During the filming it can also be noted that Frank was too short to carry the coffin so he pretended to while his bandmates (in actuality, only Ray and Gerard were holding up the coffin the whole time) had to hold the full weight. He joked in Life on the Murder Scene that he is about 4'9" (145 cm), even though he's really 5'4" (163 cm).

★ The congregation is actually made up of "My Chemical Romance" fans that had received an e-mail asking them if they wanted to be in the music video.

★ Only about one third of the congregation is real. The rest of the congregation is digital fill-ins of the fans who were there for filming.

External links

★ My Chemical Romance Fansite

★ "Helena" lyrics

★ "Helena" song meaning