Lyrics:
Long ago
Just like the hearse you die to get in again
We are so far from you
Burning on just like a match you strike to incinerate
(See the rest of these lyrics)
 Top Rated Interpretation
2006-01-21 19:31:38
'Things are better if I stay' could suggest that he felt so bad about her death that he wanted to join her, ie kill himself, but then he decides not to, realises that he can still survive and says 'things are better if I stay'.'Can you hear me/ Are you near me?'reflects him still believeing that she is nearby and some vain hope that she can in fact hear him, and will respond. His plea 'Can we pretend to leave and then we'll meet again...' appears to him him assuring her that although he won't be joining her just now, he'll be with her again someday. In this way, he is able to put himself at peace.
Other points:
'When every star fall brought you to tears again' is a reflection on the pain she went through while alive, and probably expresses regret that he was not there for her more
'We are the very hurt you've sold'could be something to do with manipulation
There are several stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. His harsh comments towards her ('Every heart you break' 'ther very hurt you sold')reflect the anger stage. Typically, this is comprised of 'how dare they leave me', so he could be masking bitterness at this. Bargaining is not a huge theme, but 'can we pretend' reflects this to a small extent. I think depression's an obvios one (=P). Therefore, we could say that it is a song about grief. And it does appear to me that he eventually accepts her death.
I think the video reflects this. Her rising again to dance is his inability to accept that she is dead, but when she falls back in the coffin, he is at peace with her death and has grown to accept it. At the end, the placing of her in the hearse puts an end to it. Mind you, I think this is irrelevant to the song itself as I read somewhere that Gerard did not really want to have her dance, just thought it was an interesting side-point.
So, in the end it is irrelevant whether it's about his grandma or some secret girlfriend or whatever. It's a song about loss, and surviving that loss.
(Btw, when I say 'he' I don't mean Gerard necessarily, I mean the man in the song, just before we all gather to bite my head off =P Although this could be the story of him trying to get over his grandma)
blackparade
2007-02-09 23:34:52
This song is about Gerard and Mikey's grandma who passed away.
anonymous
2007-03-22 12:51:56
Well this album is a semi concept album. The band says it was originally about two lovers cue the two blood splattered people on cover who get killed in a gunfight the guy gets sent to hell and the devil tells him that the girl survived the fight. So he tells him if you bring me the souls of 1000 bad men ill let you go back to her and the devil hands him a gun and the guy takes it
just what I heard in an interview guys
anonymous
2007-03-23 23:39:05
ALRIGHT PEOPLE!
GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS!
Helena Is Written About Gerard And Mikeys Grandmother
Elena Lee Rush
They Wanted To Celebrate Her Life In Some Way So Gerard Wrote Helena
So Don't Be Making Shit Up About How It's About A Girlfriend Or Something Because It's Not
Now Please Don't Lie...
anonymous
2007-04-10 18:57:27
Who cares? Who is it about? Grandma! Why do I think so? HHer name is written on it! What part of Helena don't you understand?
anonymous
2007-04-19 06:57:21
This IS STUPID
have none of you watched the dvd 'life on the murder scene'
it is about Gerard and Mikey's grandma dying
if you think it is about his girlfriend dying you are wrong
Gerard states that the album is about two little boys that lose their grandma and the path and journey they go on
end of story..
anonymous
2007-05-06 14:52:12
GOD THIS SONG IS FOR GERARD AND MIKEY'S GRANDMOTHER!!
I've heard them saying it many times!
there is no girlfriend or anyone else that committed suicide!
if you go and search interviews on youtube you can see it for yourselves.....
RoadWhacker
2007-06-18 14:58:06
Isn't this whole Album about a story about the two characters on the cover? The song Helena is somewhat relative to his grandmother's death because that's where he got the name for the girl character of the story. This song is how the girl in the story wants to kill herself and wants her boyfriend or whatever to do it to. She does kill herself but he doesn't want to because "things are better if I stay. So long and goodnight" and so on and so forth.
Later in the CD/Story he does kill himself and makes a deal with the devil saying he has to bring him 1000 should and they can be together (listen to "I never told you what I do for a living")
anonymous
2007-07-02 10:00:43
This song is about the passing of Gerard's grandmother who he was extremely close with. It is a dedication to her.
saint jimmy 1st
2007-07-05 06:51:43
This song is about Gerard's grandmother Helen, Gerard and Mikey would call her Helena. She taught them both how to paint, play guitar, sing and dance. They both loved her very much. Helen had a car crash and was quickly rushed to the hospital. She had a major operation to save her life but this did not work she died under the knife. " blade you Stain"
Angelmisty
2007-07-13 19:52:20
It's about Mikey's and Gerard's grandma dying.Her name was Elena but everyone called her Helena .She had great faith in the band and gave them money for their first tour bus.
anonymous
2007-08-01 11:24:47
It's a great song but it's about the death of Elena Mikey and Gerard's grandmother....this song was in memory of her.
anonymous
2007-09-03 19:27:19
It was indeed written about Gerard's Girlfriend.
But,he was dumped for a popular guy that Helena went out with in high school.Then,the guy beat Helena so Gerard stepped in and was put into a coma.He clearly survived but just barely.Any way,Helena thought he had died so she took her own life.
I know this because Helena was my aunt's best friend.
anonymous
2007-10-15 00:08:17
Aaaaand this is what happens when you let fans interpret their favorite bands lyrics. You get tons of variations of meanings. And then you confuse all the poor souls who know nothing about them, though some of you have proved that already...
contrarycupcake
2007-11-23 16:50:19
Ok people.
Aren't all of you being a little immature fighting over the meaning of the song? Just state your opinion and stop. No one wants to hear about how you're smart and everyone else is an idiot.
Music can be interpreted all kinds of ways. That's the beauty of it. Music says something to the listener, but it's up to the listener to decide what that something is.
peteinmypants
2007-11-24 12:22:59
Of course everybody knows how this song was written after Elena Lee Rush, the grandmother of Mikey and Gerard Way. She was the inspiration of the two. She got Gerard interested in singing (taught him how to sing), even made his costume for him when he played Peter Pan in the school musical in 4th grade. She was Elena, her friends called her Helena, so to Gerard she was always Helena.
but this song can also be related to the concept of the album about a beautiful young girl who was killed in a car crash.
anonymous
2007-12-29 11:48:33
I may be crazy but can't a song ever just be a song. You know,no hidden meanings or something. I mean just because a guy sings something it doesn't mean it's true. If I were you I would just stop thinking of dead grannys or crazy girlfriends and enjoy the song. The true meaning of the song is,"I wanna make some money!!!"
dark_soul_angel
2008-01-08 23:55:34
Th reason this song is called Helena is because even though Gerard and Mikey's grandmother's name was Elena, many people in their family called her Helen and the boys got confused and started calling her Helena.
anonymous
2008-01-20 13:28:22
OK! right I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT so please don't slag it off! :P
right, the song WAS named after their grandma, in honour of her, but she died AFTER THEY WROTE THE SONG! not after they recorded it, so she might have inspired some parts, but they named it in her honour and it WASN'T written ABOUT her, but FOR her! now, if you look on the inside of the album cover there is a picture (drawn by gerard) of a girl, or young woman, on an autopsy table, this is Helena, as Gerard sees her now, this also kinda fits as he suggested the woman playing Helena in the video (she looks awfully like the picture he drew). okay, so I don't actually know who Helena is, or was, or whether she ever existed at all, but all the evidence points away from the grandma theory (although it WAS named after her)
outcast
2008-01-22 15:05:45
Its a tribute to Mikey and Gerard's grandmother elener saying how much they miss her and thanking her for all she did for them
anonymous
2008-03-23 17:13:37
I think it is about his grandmother dying and he is thinking about commiting suicide to join her "so far away". It evens says, "we'll meet again".
but then he says goodbye and realizes its better if he moves on and lives his life.- "What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight.
It's about getting over losing someone.
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