What do you think House of Wolves means?

My Chemical Romance: House of Wolves Meaning

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Album cover for House of Wolves album cover

House of Wolves Lyrics

Well, I know a thing about contrition
Because I got enough to spare
And I'll be granting your permission
'Cause you haven't got a prayer

Well, I said hey hey hallelujah
I'ma come on sing the praise
So let the spirit come on through ya
We...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    peteinmypants
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    Nov 24th 2007 !⃝

    House Of Wolves is like the patient realizing his mistakes in life and hoping to be forgiven
    "(S-I-N, I S-I-N
    S-I-N, I S-I-N)"
    "Tell me I'm an angel,
    Take this to my grave.
    Tell me I'm a bad man,
    Kick me like a stray.
    Tell me I'm an angel,
    Take this to my grave."

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    fuzzyforever
    click a star to vote
    Jun 14th 2008 !⃝

    I know this isn't the real song meaning but I always thought of it this way:

    There is a boy, his mother, his father and his sister. His father loves his sister and not him. And his mother loves both her children.

    There is a fire, his mother dies and he goes to the hospital. His father and sister never visit him again.

    The first stanza is about how the priest comes to comfort him, but he only wants his mother. So he starts mocking the priest.

    In the second stanza he hears his mother is dead but the entire house didn't burn down. Enraged he wishes the entire house burned down with it.

    3rd stanza: He stays in the hospital for reasons other than burns, but for mental help. They think the fire traumatized him but really it's his father issues (Tell me I'm a bad man, bad son?). Or it could be he is burned so badly and wants to talk about his father but physically can't. Either or.

    4th stanza: He has a girlfriend but she can't see him like this? Or she moved away? Either way, I think the 'lover' still loves him. He just doesn't know it.

    5th stanza: I think the people playing ring around the ambulance is how he thinks he's going to die and they are joyous he's dying. He compares these shadow children to his father. And begins to rant about him. He knows his father never loved him 'play ring around the ambulance like you never gave a care! ' and 'ashes to ashes we all fall down' an example of his father's lack of sympathy and compassion. But he wants his father to love him, to praise him.

    6th stanza: An example of how his father's cruelty has effected him. Making him believe he is responsible for his mother's death and worthless. Hence, how he is going to burn in hell.

    7th stanza: Same as third stanza.

    8th stanza: The 'you better run like the devil' line I think applies to his girlfriend, or maybe his paranoia that he is responsible for his mothers death and believes she will haunt him? The last few lines talk about how his mother died ('blood runs down the walls'). Again his father's love for his sister and not him is mentioned. And the 'go go go!' being his mother screaming for him not to try and save her.

    9th stanza: Same as third and seventh.

    10th and 11th stanza: talks about how his father's criticism has finally driven him overboard and he fully believes it.

    -----------------------

    Okay, before anyone says anything this is not the right meaning! But this is how I always thought about it. What it made ME feel. And isn't that what poetry and music is about? Interpretation and feeling? Anyway, hope this makes you think. 'Cause I'm really enjoying reading other peoples' interpretations and the actual song meanings! :)

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 23rd 2007 !⃝

    My Chemical Romance says on an interview that this song is about the "Patient" that the whole album is about, reflection on his life and being completely freaked out that he's going to Hell. On of the members says the name came from a Loony Tunes episode, where a guy dies and goes to hell, a freaking jazz club full of fire and some kind of gray rock(can't remember the name)and wolves are playing the instruments. I swear, that's EXACTLY what they said!

  4. LadySpite
    click a star to vote
    Mar 27th 2015 !⃝

    My interpretation is going to be a bit different from what I'm reading here.

    "I know a thing about contrition
    Because I got enough to spare"
    He isn't sorry for what he's done, and he doesn't actually put into effect the contrition that he should have.

    "And I'll be granting your permission
    Cause you haven't got a prayer"
    Basically he's saying how there's no prayer that could save him, and he's telling people that he doesn't mind that.

    "Well I said hey, hey hallelujah,
    I'm gonna come on sing the praise.
    And let the spirit come on through ya,
    We got innocence for days!"
    This is a mockery of the lengthy rituals that some people go through to cleanse themselves of sin (I'm Christian, but I don't see this as an insult to that religion, more to the religious freaks within it).

    "Well, I think I'm gonna burn in hell,
    Everybody burn the house right down."
    He thinks he's going to hell so they might as well burn the house so he can get there faster and at the same time make his life a hell.

    "And say, ha
    What I wanna say
    Tell me I'm an angel,
    Take this to my grave.
    Tell me I'm a bad man,
    Kick me like a stray.
    Tell me I'm an angel,
    Take this to my grave."
    So, he says that he, as The Patient, as he's lying there pretty much dying, people call him an angel for enduring that, but they don't know what he's done (hence Mama's war theme, so they can take that to his grave because in actuality it isn't true. He'd rather them treat him like he deserves to be treated.

    "S-I-N, I S-I-N"
    He may be lying there unable to go and do anything, but there's still all the memories and thoughts of Sin.

    "You play ring around the ambulance,
    Well like you never gave a care."
    He's saying how if you flirt with death like he did...

    "So get the choir boys around you,
    It's a compliment, I swear."
    ....they're going to try to save you, convert you, and it's awfully annoying but everyone sees it as a compliment (the second line is thus sarcasm).

    "And I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,
    I wanna hear you sing the praise,
    I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,
    We got innocence for days!"
    He's saying that we're all going to die, and that he's going to die, and he finds it amusing how people make a bigger deal out of religion than is needed.

    "You better run like the devil,
    'Cause they're never gonna leave you alone!
    You better hide up in the alley,
    'Cause they're never gonna find you a home!"
    So run away from those people lest they never stop pestering you, and settle with the fact that you'll never fit in anywhere.

    "And as the blood runs down the walls,
    You see me creepin' up these halls.
    I've been a bad motherfucker
    Tell your sister I'm another
    Go! Go! Go!"
    This could mean that he killed someone and lied about his past so that he could get close to someone's sister.

    ~This may or may not be accurate, but when I lip sync it in the dark in a closet some nights, this is what I imagine!~

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 5th 2013 !⃝

    I know people won't like this, but I'm pretty sure this is about a church with bad teaching/false doctrine. The idea being in the lyrics that are clearly pointing to a church setting, and the title being "House of Wolves". I.e. wolf in sheeps clothing. So we have things in the lyrics like "Tell me I'm an angel" "Kick me like a stray" etc etc. My take on it anyways.

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 16th 2013 !⃝

    I know this might sound a bit awkward and not so nice as an interpretation but I honestly think this is about child molestation or rape.

    Simply because of the lines, "get the choir boys around you, it's a compliment I swear", which I took as a sarcastic and nonetheless, sometimes true statement towards some religious peoples.

    Along with the line, "I've been a bad motherfucker, tell your sister I'm another."

    Which I took to be a threat, somewhat but I don't know, it's just what I got from it.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 11th 2012 !⃝

    This is going to be a little long:

    "Well, I know a thing about contrition
    Because I got enough to spare"

    This one is simple. Basically he has a lot of remorse.

    "And I'll be granting your permission'
    Cause you haven't got a prayer"

    And i will be sharing some with you
    i.e. Granting your permisson to go to heaven because you dont have a chance otherwise

    "Well, I said hey hey hallelujah
    I'ma come on sing the praise
    So let the spirit come on through ya
    We got innocence for days"

    I said that we must praise the gods/God. Let the spirit flow through you. We still have a chance to wipe away our sins and become innocent for a few days at least.

    "Well I think I'm gonna burn in hell
    Everybody burn the house right down"

    Well i think that i will be punished for this. Let's burn the House (of God- the Church) right down. Metaphorically - his strange ways make the Church outrageous.

    "And say
    What I wanna say"

    I will do and say whatver i want

    "Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave
    Tell me I'm a bad man
    Kick me like a stray
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave"

    You can love me like an angel and i will remember that until i die.
    You can say im a bad man and put me down but im used to it- just lkke a stray is used to being kicked.

    "You play ring around the ambulance
    Well like you never gave a care"

    You pkay games with death like you donr care about your life.

    "So get the choirboys around you
    It's a compliment I swear"

    So get the choirboys to sing for you. It will help you in repenting.

    "And I said ashes to ashes we all fall down
    I wanna hear you sing the praise
    I said ashes to ashes we all fall down
    We got innocence for days"

    ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If we rise frkm the ashes of others we will die as ashes. Reference that he will burn in hell. Yet even so we should praise God and try to wipe away our sins. Basically he is trying to give sinners hope that they can go to heaven although he knows inside it wont happen.

    "Well I think I'm gonna burn in hell
    Everybody burn the house right down
    And say
    What I wanna say
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave
    Tell me I'm a bad man
    Kick me like a stray
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave"

    "You better run like the devil 'cause they're
    Never gonna leave you alone
    You better hide up in the alley 'cause
    They're never gonna find you a home"

    You better run as they think youre with the devil so they'll never leavr you alone. You better hide somewhere in the darkness because they'll never give you shelter (he Church)

    "And as the blood runs down the walls
    You see me creepin' up these halls ive been a bad motherfucker
    Tell your sister I'm another
    GO! GO! GO!"

    I dont really get this part... And as the blood flows you see me lurking in these halls. Ive been bad. Tell your sister im gone (the nun. Tell her he is another man now ???)

    So get up
    So get out
    S-I-NIS-I-N"

    That last part means "i sin"

    So overall i think that it is about The Patient who sinned a lot in his life. He then repented and wanted to save his other fellow sinners. He did his best but he knew that it wouldnt work, that he and the others would all go to hell. Also, as he attracted more and more attention he also had negative effect on the Church who i guess disapprived of what he was doing.


    Phew. Sorry for the length.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 7th 2011 !⃝

    I think its (this is MY interpretation, its most likely not right.) This:
    He is flippin out because he isn't like other people and he says, "Tell me I am an angel, and I will take it to the grave." And instead he is asking them to call him bad and kick him "like a stray" and the second verse (a later time?) Is about how later, the kids play ring around an old ambulance not realising what it is (because (I think) the town burned down and everything is different then) and ashes to ashes we all fall down and singing about how they are happy and carefree. Now for the buildup. Run like the devil is another time jump to me, and he is running from a bunch of people who want him dead so he needs to hide in the alleys. And he killed someone, hence the blood on the walls and him creeping through the halls. Well, there is what I think. Time jumps from a place he lived as the "creepy man" and he was anti-social. Strange, but maybe different memories. And yes, I know what the real meaning is. :)

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 7th 2011 !⃝

    I think its (this is MY interpretation, its most likely not right.) This:
    He is flippin out because he isn't like other people and he says, "Tell me I am an angel, and I will take it to the grave." And instead he is asking them to call him bad and kick him "like a stray" and the second verse (a later time?) Is about how later, the kids play ring around an old ambulance not realising what it is (because (I think) the town burned down and everything is different then) and ashes to ashes we all fall down and singing about how they are happy and carefree. Now for the buildup. Run like the devil is another time jump to me, and he is running from a bunch of people who want him dead so he needs to hide in the alleys. And he killed someone, hence the blood on the walls and him creeping through the halls. Well, there is what I think. Time jumps from a place he lived as the "creepy man" and he was anti-social. Strange, but maybe different memories. And yes, I know what the real meaning is. :)

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 21st 2011 !⃝

    wow fuzzyforever that did make me think of that, great thought

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 7th 2011 !⃝

    I think it's partly the Black Parade showing the Patient his past life, uncaring for others, taunting the sick 'play[ing] ring around the ambulance'. He said, jokingly that he wouldn't care if he goes to hell, and this is his selfish life. He believes that God is maybe pushing him down, and he wants to 'say what [he wants to] say'.
    The next song is Cancer, showing what the Patient's uncaring life has reduced him to. From a life of playing 'ring around the ambulance' to being in the ambulance, he know believes he really will go to hell.

  12. anonymous
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    May 13th 2011 !⃝

    A clockwork orange. Look up a summary and you'll see what I mean

  13. anonymous
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    Dec 9th 2010 !⃝

    Well I dont know if anybody put this on but Gerard Way said that this is basically the the sickly man going to hell and it reminded him about those cartoons where there would be wolves in hell and they would be there trumpets and what not... Everyone has there own opinion on a song but if it comes from the source then it should be right.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 11th 2010 !⃝

    Brain fuck

  15. anonymous
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    Jun 10th 2010 !⃝

    ...in the story of amityville, there is blood running down the walls of the house frequently...
    I'm just saying it could be about the house of amityville..

  16. Renezzer
    click a star to vote
    Apr 24th 2010 !⃝

    I think this song is about a man who has lead a sinful life but he recognizes tis and starts looking towards religion (Well, I said hey hey hallelujah
    I'ma come on sing the praise) but no matter how much he tries o convince himself he still thinks he's going to hell, (Well I think I'm gonna burn in hell
    Everybody burn the house right down) then he say that we can think and say what what we want about him, he`s not bothered, (Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave
    Tell me I'm a bad man
    Kick me like a stray
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave )
    TBH I think he actuccly ((SP???)) wants us t think this abput him, in fact he wantgs to say it too (And say
    What I wanna say )
    I think he's going to die and he knows everybodeys not botherd
    (You play ring around the ambulance
    Well like you never gave a care )
    and then he says stop pretending,weve all done bad things, and to recognise it soon before its too late to change (So get the choirboys around you) and if you do its a good thung
    (It's a compliment I swear )
    and then he tells us were all goinmg to die sooner or later
    (And I said ashes to ashes we all fall down
    I wanna hear you sing the praise
    I said ashes to ashes we all fall down)
    and then he adds mockinh=gly (We got innocence for days )
    then he warns someone, people are never going to leave us to do the right things, there always going to be someone trying to stop us and there's always going to be blood on our hands[as in were all going to do at least one wrong thing]and that people will never help us now (You better run like the devil 'cause they're
    Never gonna leave you alone

    You better hide up in the alley 'cause
    They're never gonna find you a home) and then he basically says all about him self, that he's done bad things yeah? and to tell people that he's the same, and then he shout it as if to say see if I care?> (

    And as the blood runs down the walls
    You see me creepin' up these halls

    I been a bad motherfucker
    Tell your sister I'm another

    GO! GO! GO!

    And I said say
    What I wanna say
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave
    Tell me I'm a bad man
    Kick me like a stray
    Tell me I'm an angel
    Take this to my grave )
    then he gets fed up of having to explain he's changed and says he deseves it so I just tell him what he is (Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
    Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
    Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
    Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man )
    LOL
    sorry about my spelling
    xxxx
    Renezzer <3

  17. anonymous
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    Feb 17th 2010 !⃝

    Just a thought, the song reminds me of St. Gabriel. The Angel of God who does his dirty work.

    Talking about Sin.

    "Tell me I'm a bad man"

    "Tell me I'm an Angel."

    The part that mostly makes me think this is.

    "And I'll be granting your permission
    'Cause you haven't got a prayer "

  18. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 3rd 2009 !⃝

    It's a song about how the patient wants people to tell him off because he believes he is going to hell.

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