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I'm Not Okay (I Promise)

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"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
Single by My Chemical Romance
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
ReleasedSeptember 28, 2004 (2004-09-28)
Recorded2004
Genre
Length3:08
Label
Songwriter(s)My Chemical Romance
Producer(s)Howard Benson
My Chemical Romance singles chronology
"Headfirst for Halos"
(2004) 		"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
(2004) 		"Helena"
(2005)
Music video
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Dialogue/MTV Version) 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]

Background and release

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]

Reception and accolades

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.

Music videos

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.

Equipment

Cover versions

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.

Credits and personnel

Additional[27]

Charts

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

Certifications

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.

References

Source

  • Bryant, Tom (2014). Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance. Boston: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306823497.

Citations

  1. ^ Ashley Burns (7 May 2013). "'Middle School' Is A Mash-Up Of Every Pop Punk Song You Won't Admit You Once Loved". Uproxx. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  2. ^ "The 21 Best Pop-Punk Choruses of the 21st Century". Spin.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  3. ^ "The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs-ranked". Kerrang. 9 April 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Top 100 Emo Songs of All Time". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  5. ^ Ian Cohen; David Anthony; Nina Corcoran; Emma Garland; Brad Nelson (February 13, 2020). "The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time". Vulture.com. Vox Media. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "10 underrated songs from 2000s bands that are just as good as their hits". 24 December 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via Alternative Press. 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.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  8. ^ Bryant, Tom (8 July 2016). "The Top 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs". TeamRock. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
  9. ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  10. ^ "Do You Remember How Lit The Burnout 3 Soundtrack Was? - Features". Rock Sound Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  11. ^ Bryant 2014, pp. 77–81
  12. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 87
  13. ^ Bryant 2014, pp. 99–100
  14. ^ Bryant, Tom (July 8, 2016). "The Top 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on January 16, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  15. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 100
  16. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 105
  17. ^ Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (CD). My Chemical Romance. Reprise Records. 2004. 9362-48615-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1574. September 24, 2004. p. 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  19. ^ Travers, Paul (November 27, 2020). "10 key moments that made My Chemical Romance superstars". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on January 14, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  20. ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "Life on the Murder Scene Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  21. ^ Montgomery, James (January 18, 2006). "My Chemical Romance's 'Murder' DVD Just Got Bigger". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2006. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  22. ^ Paul, Aubin (January 21, 2014). "My Chemical Romance detail 'May Death Never Stop You,' launch pre-orders". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  23. ^ a b "My Chemical Romance - Awards". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  24. ^ "My Chemical Romance - Chart History". Billboard.
  25. ^ a b "American single certifications – My Chemical Romance – I_m Not Okay (I Promise)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  26. ^ "Green Day and System of a Down Tops the Kerrang! Awards 2005 Nominations". Entertainment News Staff. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  27. ^ a b c "my-chemical-romance-frenchteam.com". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  28. ^ May Death Never Stop You | "I'm Not Okay" (I Promise) [Version 2] [Video Version], archived from the original on 2016-04-16, retrieved 2015-10-08
  29. ^ Matthew Solarski (19 November 2008). "My Brightest Diamond, Frightened Rabbit Do Covers". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  30. ^ "ARIA report (Australian Record Industry Association)". Australian Recording Industry Association via Pandora Archive. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  31. ^ "My Chemical Romance – I'm Not Okay (I Promise)". Top 40 Singles.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  34. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  35. ^ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  36. ^ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  37. ^ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  38. ^ "Canadian single certifications – My Chemical Romance – I'm Not Okay (I Promise)". Music Canada. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  39. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – My Chemical Romance – I'm Not OK (I Promise)". Radioscope. Retrieved December 23, 2024. Type I'm Not OK (I Promise) in the "Search:" field.
  40. ^ "British single certifications – My Chemical Romance – I'm Not Okay (I Promise)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
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