"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by My Chemical Romance | ||||
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge | ||||
Released | September 28, 2004 | |||
Recorded | 2004 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | My Chemical Romance | |||
Producer(s) | Howard Benson | |||
My Chemical Romance singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" on YouTube | ||||
Outtake videos | ||||
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Outtake Version 1) on YouTube "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Outtake Version 2) on YouTube |
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is the lead single and fifth track from My Chemical Romance's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge . "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" was released to radio on September 28,2004. [9] The song is also featured on the soundtrack of Burnout 3:Takedown . [10]
My Chemical Romance began writing their second studio album,Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004),while touring for their first in 2003;by November,the band had signed a record deal with Reprise Records through Craig Aaronson,an A&R man from Reprise,and had already written a majority of the album. [11] Through Aaronson,the band then connected with Howard Benson,who would go on to produce the album. [12]
Later,after My Chemical Romance had finished writing the majority of the album,Aaronson and Benson stumbled on a vocal line six minutes into a demo that the band had previously recorded;both insisted that the band should work on it. Despite the band's initial reluctance,they realized its potential once Gerard Way and Ray Toro performed the section of the demo,with Frank Iero recalling that "it was just the most beautiful song we ever heard". [13] [14] After the band returned to the studio,they continued to flesh out the song into "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)",with My Chemical Romance biographer Tom Bryant noting how the band was "experimenting with it and seeing just how far they could push the boundaries" of its punk sound. [15]
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" was initially released on June 8,2004,as the fifth track on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. [16] [17] The song later impacted US radio on September 27,2004, [18] as the album's lead single. [19] Various live performances of the track were later released on March 21,2006,as part of the live album Life on the Murder Scene. [20] [21] The song was also released on May Death Never Stop You (2014),the band's greatest hits album. [22]
It reached number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100, [23] [24] and,in March 2005,number 19 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also helped expand the band's fan base,and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. [25] It was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single. [26] The cover art was redone in live action on the inside of the band's DVD Life on the Murder Scene .
The first music video version for the song features a montage of concert footage and the band's ordinary life in New Jersey. It was produced by Rafaela Monfradini and Greg Kaplan,who was also the director. It also features pictures of brothers,bassist Mikey Way and lead singer Gerard Way,when they were little kids and teenagers.
The second version music video depicts life inside a fictional American high school in the form of a mock movie trailer. The band appears as a group of outcast students who are repeatedly harassed by another group who are portrayed as popular kids. The band members then attempt to take on the popular kids and ultimately have a showdown in a hallway,with the band members armed with croquet mallets and the popular kids with lacrosse and hockey gear. It also has some clips expressing some emotions and clips of the band playing in a garage. The music video was directed by Marc Webb,and parts of it were filmed at Alexander Hamilton High School and Loyola High School in Los Angeles during August 2004. [27] Greg Kaplan and Rafaelia Monfradini produced the video. [27] The video started production on August 13,2004. [28] As of May 2023,the video has 106 million views on YouTube.
This version of the video was also named number one on Fuse's 25 Greatest Videos Countdown,beating out other videos such as "Basket Case" by Green Day and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.
Matt Pond PA recorded a cover of the song for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2 ,which was released in November 2008. [29] The song is a part of American musical duo Twenty One Pilots' setlist for their 2021 Takeover Tour.
Chart (2004−2005) | Peak positions |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [30] | 65 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [31] | 38 |
Scotland (OCC) [32] | 23 |
UK Singles (OCC) [33] | 19 |
UK Rock &Metal (OCC) [34] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [35] | 86 |
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [36] | 4 |
US Pop 100 ( Billboard ) [23] | 64 |
Chart (2019) | Peak positions |
---|---|
US Hot Rock &Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [37] | 21 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [38] | 2×Platinum | 160,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [39] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [40] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [25] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way,lead guitarist Ray Toro,rhythm guitarist Frank Iero,and bassist Mikey Way. They are considered one of the most influential rock groups of the 2000s and a major act in the pop-punk and emo genres,despite the band rejecting the latter label.
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge is the second studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance,released on June 8,2004,by Reprise Records. With this album,the band produced a more polished sound than that of their 2002 debut I Brought You My Bullets,You Brought Me Your Love. It was the band's first release to feature rhythm guitarist Frank Iero on all tracks,as well as the final release to feature drummer Matt Pelissier,who would later be replaced by Bob Bryar.
I Brought You Bullets,You Brought Me Your Love is the debut studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance,released on July 23,2002 through Eyeball Records. It was produced by Geoff Rickly and recorded at the Nada Recording Studio in New Windsor,New York. The album was initially conceived in 2002 during the band's recording sessions for existing music that they had written prior,and was produced and recorded over the course of twelve days.
Raymond Toro is an American musician who serves as lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band My Chemical Romance.
Frank Anthony Iero,Jr. is an American musician,singer,songwriter,and record producer,best known as the rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist of the rock band My Chemical Romance and as a guitarist in the supergroup L.S. Dunes. He was also the lead vocalist of the post-hardcore band Leathermouth. He has a solo project titled Frank Iero and the Future Violents. He released his debut solo album titled Stomachaches on August 26,2014.
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The official discography of My Chemical Romance,an American rock band,consists of four studio albums,two live albums,three compilation albums,six extended plays,24 singles,two promotional singles,four video albums,18 music videos,and 13 original appearances on other albums. As of December 2021,the band had sold 8.7 million album-equivalent units in the United States,5.6 million of which were from album sales.
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"Teenagers" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance from their third studio album,The Black Parade (2006). An "anthemic" song which has been described as punk rock,glam rock,southern rock,and emo,"Teenagers" was inspired by frontman Gerard Way's fear of teenagers,with lyrics addressing apprehension towards teenagers and teenage gun crime. The song was written by band members Bob Bryar,Frank Iero,Ray Toro,Gerard Way,and Mikey Way,and was produced by the group alongside Rob Cavallo.
"Cancer" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance,released as the eighth track from their third studio album,The Black Parade (2006). A piano ballad,"Cancer" was conceived by Gerard Way and written in eight minutes by him and Rob Cavallo. The song was written by band members Bob Bryar,Frank Iero,Ray Toro,Gerard Way,and Mikey Way,and was produced by the group alongside Cavallo.
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Given their poignance, it's no wonder that "Welcome To The Black Parade" and "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" have persisted as emo anthems through the years.
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