What does I'm not Okay (I Promise) mean?

My Chemical Romance: I'm not Okay (I Promise) Meaning

Album cover for I'm not Okay (I Promise) album cover

Song Released: 2004


I'm not Okay (I Promise) Lyrics

Well if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say
I never want to let you down or have you go
It's better off this way
For all the dirty looks
The photographs your boyfriend took
Remember when you broke your foot
From jumping out the...

  1. JayJayKayo_88
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    Mar 10th 2007 !⃝

    Its about a half spanish, half polish man that can't speak english and is trying to get a job as a football trainer.

  2. anonymous
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    Mar 6th 2007 !⃝

    He's talking about his ex girlfriend. "Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say" means that she probably dumped him because he wasn't being honest. "What will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems" means that she was judging him by the way he appeared. "but you don't know what it means to be a joking look another line without a hook" means that he was probably a dork and she just labeled him that before getting to know him. "for the last time, take a good hard look" means that she should look deeper into him. "You said you'd read me like a book, but the pages are all torn and frayed" means that she thought she new him when she was still missing something. and then "I'm okay, trust me, I'm not okay!" means that he still isn't over her.

  3. anonymous
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    Feb 23rd 2007 !⃝

    Okay yeah MCR has a lot of songs about committing suicide. But not every song is about it! And people who say that every song is are SEVERELY MISTAKEN!

  4. xthblackparade
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    Jan 12th 2007 !⃝

    This song is plainly about being a loner in high school and always feeling rejected and used and getting revenge on the people that have made it like that for you.

  5. anonymous
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    Dec 28th 2006 !⃝

    Mkay, Erica is right. In an interview it explained about suicide because his girlfriend cheated on him in highschool. He then decides that the girl knows nothing about him when she thinks she does. [[You said you'd read me like a book but the pages all are torn and frayed.]] The girl also thinks that everything in life is happy, and she can get anything she wants, [[what will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems?]] Then when he really thinks about it, they didn't really share anything in commen [[I told you time and time again you sing the words, but you don't know what they mean]]

    So, I guess that's pretty much it.

    :]

    -Crystal <<3

  6. anonymous
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    Dec 19th 2006 !⃝

    Of course gerard is bi you crazy person!! he talks about guys grabbing his ass and how he wouldn't care. um... bi!! and yes, they have girlfriends.... but I'm pretty sure that if you're bi,... That means you like BOYS AND GIRLS!!!! which means he could be bi and have a GIRLFRIEND!!!

  7. anonymous
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    Dec 11th 2006 !⃝

    Actually, your all wrong.This song is about poultry. And interprative oragami on the western banks of shanghai. This song is also about just how good honey can be when you have a sore throat. And it's about poultry. Good clean wholesome american fun and poultry products. Tyson chicken. Thats what it talks about. With chemicals. Romancing the chicken, you know? Givvin it what fer if you know what I mean! Thank you very much.

  8. webzines_wet_dream
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    Nov 28th 2006 !⃝

    we live in a prozac nation

    everyone has something wrong with them. Its like a status symbol for some people now (not that I agree with that at all)

    its almost a piss take on how everyone's 'not okay' now

    I also agree that it's about high school, because that's where a lot of the 'not okay' posing goes on

    'I'm going to see my therapist on tuesday'
    'well I've got two therapists'
    'I've got an eating disorder so I beat you both'

    ....

    you get what I mean, and that's the popular kids.

    its also about how people can switch it on or off as they please

    'I'm not okay, I'm okay now'

    I don't think that's what the entirety of the song is about, but I reckon its the overview. There's definitely more in the verses etc that relate to specific incidents and stuff, but I shan't bore you all to tears by going into that now.

  9. anonymous
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    Nov 26th 2006 !⃝

    well, I didn't really read everyone else's interpretation but. mine is that this song is just everything in you life kinda going "sour" I mean it could be anything, your parents getting devorced, you girlfriend/boyfriend breaking up with you or a death in the family...and no matter what you try to tell everyone including yourself that you're okay....but really deep down you are NOT O-F****** Kay! it sucks and you just keep telling yourself I'm okay and its basically you lieing to yourself. I'm a simpler way of sayin the song is basically unsuccessful self-theropy. In my opinion anyways

  10. anonymous
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    Nov 24th 2006 !⃝

    How can you interpret suicide from someone jumping out of a 2nd floor window? Seriously. I mean, they say the person broke a foot...they were probably drunk and doing stupid stuff and he's reminiscing. If anyone genuinely wanted to die, surely they'd go up a bit higher? Jumping two storeys would be like trying to overdose with 3 paracetamol. Engage braincells people. Just a suggestion.

  11. kris_zeppelin
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    Nov 22nd 2006 !⃝

    This song is about a girl that Gerard was dating in highschool but she had a boyfriend and he couldn't see her anymore

    "Well if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say.
    I never want to let you down or have you go, *it's better off this way*"

    "For all the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took,"--he found pics of her and her boyfriend and he really loved this girl and he was jealous

    "Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?"-- they were sneaking around I guess and she had to jump out a window

    "You wear me out"--hes tired from all of this

    "To be a joke and look, another line without a hook"--hes not gonna fall for her stuff anymore

    "I held you close as we both shook for the last time take a good hard look!"--he ended it with her"last time"

  12. anonymous
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    Nov 8th 2006 !⃝

    It is about Gerard crushing on the most popular girl in school ( at least he thinks that ). He considers himself a geek compared to her and thinks he never has a chance with her. Slutty photos of her and her boy friend start showing up and that gets him depressed, which the 'i'm not okay' quote comes in there. It is also about mixed emotions he had as a teenager, and being rejected.

  13. anonymous
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    Nov 7th 2006 !⃝

    Wtf.. Kurt was bi-polar you f**kin idiots. Maybe you should listen to the song lithium, might I add that lithium was a main ingredient in one of his drugs that he took as a mood regulator

  14. anonymous
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    Nov 5th 2006 !⃝

    He was just confused...
    Get over it
    so are you
    get over
    high school is confusing
    and he was confused
    ok? Ok.

  15. anonymous
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    Oct 15th 2006 !⃝

    This song is about a guy who had a relationship with a girl then they broke up, it's obvious because he talks about memories they had "remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the 2nd floor" then after their relation ship ended they don't get along "for all the dirty looks" and the whole not okay is the guy saying he's okay but he's really not and the whole not okay thing could have something to do with suicide or he could still like the girl this is a possibility because of the line "the photographs your boyfriend took" so basically that's what I think.




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