Fake Your Death
{{Short description|2014 single by My Chemical Romance}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name =
| cover = File:My Chemical Romance - Fake Your Death - Cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = My Chemical Romance
| album = May Death Never Stop You
| released = February 17, 2014
| recorded = 2012
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=20}}
| label = Reprise
| writer = {{flatlist|*James Dewees
- Frank Iero
- {{nowrap|Ray Toro}}
- {{nowrap|Gerard Way}}
- {{nowrap|Mikey Way}}
}}
| producer = {{flatlist|*Rob Cavallo
- {{nowrap|Doug McKean}}
- {{nowrap|My Chemical Romance}}}}
| prev_title = The Kids from Yesterday
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = The Foundations of Decay
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|tiJzCahaN8w|"Fake Your Death"}}}}
}}
"Fake Your Death" is a 2014 song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance. Written during the band's unsuccessful 2012 sessions at writing a fifth studio album, the song was later released as a single for their greatest hits album, May Death Never Stop You (2014). "Fake Your Death" was written by band members James Dewees, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, and was produced by the group alongside Rob Cavallo and Doug McKean.
A "bittersweet" song which begins as a piano ballad, the lyrics of "Fake Your Death" have been interpreted as being about the band's 2013 breakup, with Gerard Way referring to the song as being an unintentional "eulogy" for the band. An accompanying music video for the track, additionally serving as a trailer for May Death Never Stop You, featured a montage of clips from the band's previous music videos. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who deemed "Fake Your Death" as a strong final effort for the band. The song topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart, and appeared on various others.
Background and release
In 2012, following the end of the tour cycle for their fourth studio album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010), My Chemical Romance returned to Los Angeles to set up a studio and begin writing their fifth studio album.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=300–301, 303}} Originally, the record was planned to be a concept album about a "group of parents in a support group because they had all lost their children in a horrible way".{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=303}} "Fake Your Death" was completed during these sessions, with Gerard Way noting that it was written on the day of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals and "started to form" later that day when other band members arrived at the studio.{{Cite web |last=Whitt |first=Cassie |date=January 21, 2014 |title=My Chemical Romance reveal 'May Death Never Stop You' tracklisting, comment on their final song |url=https://www.altpress.com/my_chemical_romance_reveal_may_death_never_stop_you_tracklisting_launch_pre/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127090142/https://www.altpress.com/my_chemical_romance_reveal_may_death_never_stop_you_tracklisting_launch_pre/ |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} However, the album was ultimately scrapped, with the majority of the songs from the sessions being too unfinished to be released; the band would break up the following year in March 2013.
On January 21, 2014, May Death Never Stop You, the band's greatest hits album, was announced, with a release date of March 24, 2014; "Fake Your Death", billed as a "previously-unreleased song", was announced as being the album's first track.{{Cite web |date=January 21, 2014 |title=My Chemical Romance to release greatest hits album 'May Death Never Stop You' next month |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-18-1246695 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226051508/https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-18-1246695 |archive-date=December 26, 2024 |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=NME}}{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=313}} The song was later debuted on BBC Radio 1 ahead of the album's release on February 17, 2014,{{Cite magazine |last=Rutherford |first=Kevin |date=February 17, 2014 |title=My Chemical Romance Debuts Final Song, 'Fake Your Death': Listen |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/my-chemical-romance-debuts-final-song-fake-your-death-listen-5908448/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111180549/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/my-chemical-romance-debuts-final-song-fake-your-death-listen-5908448/ |archive-date=January 11, 2025 |access-date=January 11, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} and was released to iTunes as a single the same day. Additionally, an accompanying music video for "Fake Your Death" was released to the My Chemical Romance's YouTube channel on the same day. The video, also serving as a trailer for May Death Never Stop You, features a montage of clips from the band's previous music videos, as well as behind-the-scenes footage.{{Cite web |last=Chaudhry |first=Aliya |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Every My Chemical Romance music video, ranked from 'worst' to best |url=https://www.kerrang.com/every-my-chemical-romance-video-ranked-from-worst-to-best |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227113106/https://www.kerrang.com/every-my-chemical-romance-video-ranked-from-worst-to-best |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} The song made its live debut on October 17, 2022 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California during the band's reunion tour.{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Ellie |date=2022-10-19 |title=My Chemical Romance perform ultra-rare 'Sister To Sleep' for the second time ever in California |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-perform-ultra-rare-sister-to-sleep-for-the-second-time-ever-in-california-3331570 |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
Composition and lyrics
"Fake Your Death" is a "bittersweet" song, which starts as a piano ballad before drums, guitar, and handclaps are introduced;{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=James |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Hear My Chemical Romance's Final Song, 'Fake Your Death,' Now |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1722459/my-chemical-romance-final-song-fake-your-death.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218204752/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1722459/my-chemical-romance-final-song-fake-your-death.jhtml |archive-date=February 18, 2014 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=MTV News}} My Chemical Romance biographer Tom Bryant observed how the song had an "almost AOR-like stomp".{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=304}} Various critics noted the song's stylistic similarity to those on the band's 2006 studio album The Black Parade,{{Cite web |last=Sawdey |first=Evan |date=April 16, 2014 |title=My Chemical Romance: May Death Never Stop You: The Greatest Hits (2001-2013) |url=https://www.popmatters.com/180496-my-chemical-romance-may-death-never-stop-you-the-greatest-hits-2001-2495671509.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226130646/https://www.popmatters.com/180496-my-chemical-romance-may-death-never-stop-you-the-greatest-hits-2001-2495671509.html |archive-date=December 26, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=PopMatters}} with Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib of MTV News considering the song a "companion piece" to the album.{{Cite web |last=Willis-Abdurraqib |first=Hanif |author-link=Hanif Abdurraqib |date=September 8, 2016 |title=Life & Death: My Chemical Romance And 10 Years Of 'The Black Parade' |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/p11fr4/the-black-parade-was-an-album-about-universal-grief-that-was-ahead-of-its-time |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909201505/https://www.mtv.com/news/p11fr4/the-black-parade-was-an-album-about-universal-grief-that-was-ahead-of-its-time |archive-date=September 9, 2022 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=MTV News}}
Lyrically, the song was interpreted as being on the band's breakup, with Gerard Way noting in the statement that the song unintentionally served as a "eulogy" for the band. James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that "Fake Your Death" was a reflection on the band's rise, while also serving as a "farewell to MCR's fervent fans". Similarly, Jake Richardson of Loudwire highlighted the lyric "I choose defeat, I walk away and leave this place the same today" as reflecting the song's interpretation as a eulogy.{{Cite web |last1=Whitt |first1=Cassie |last2=Richardson |first2=Jake |date=March 24, 2019 |title=Every My Chemical Romance Song Ranked |url=https://loudwire.com/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227142949/https://loudwire.com/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked/ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=Loudwire}} Willis-Abdurraqib provided an alternate view on the song's lyrics, suggesting that the song was instead about "shedding old skin and stepping into a newer, lighter version of oneself".
Reception
"Fake Your Death" received generally positive reviews from music critics, with Montgomery calling it a "fitting send-off" for the band and a "true testament to [their] enduring greatness". In reviews of the compilation, Evan Sawdey of PopMatters praised "Fake Your Death" for being a "solid anthem" though "a bit mainstream in intent", while Alternative Addiction described the song as "decent", comparing it to the quality of the band's 2013 Conventional Weapons singles.{{Cite web |date=September 26, 2020 |title=Review of My Chemical Romance "May Death Never Stop You" |url=https://alternativeaddiction.com/Review/1505 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926020210/https://alternativeaddiction.com/Review/1505 |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=Alternative Addiction}} Ali Cooper of Alternative Press placed "Fake Your Death" at the second spot of a list of the 10 most underrated My Chemical Romance songs, noting how it was overshadowed by the announcement of May Death Never Stop You but remained the "swan song fans needed".{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Ali |date=July 6, 2020 |title=10 most underrated My Chemical Romance songs |url=https://www.altpress.com/underrated-my-chemical-romance-songs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127152247/https://www.altpress.com/underrated-my-chemical-romance-songs/ |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} In reviews of the band's discography as a whole, Cassie Whitt and Jake Richardson of Loudwire placed the song at #43 of 71, with the latter praising it as being "one final reminder" of the band's music while Chloe Spinks of Gigwise placed the song at #53 of 79, calling it "simple but effective".{{Cite web |last=Spinks |first=Chloe |date=June 13, 2022 |title=Every My Chemical Romance song ranked from worst to best |url=https://www.gigwise.com/features/3419918/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204092921/https://gigwise.com/features/3419918/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |website=Gigwise}}
In the United Kingdom, "Fake Your Death" topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart, and reached #63 on both the UK singles and the UK Singles Downloads charts. The song also appeared on the Mexico Ingles Airplay chart (45) and the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart (47).
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from iTunes.{{Cite web |title=Fake Your Death — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/my/song/fake-your-death/811712926 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250110193321/https://music.apple.com/my/song/fake-your-death/811712926 |archive-date=January 10, 2025 |access-date=January 10, 2025}}{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}My Chemical Romance
- Gerard Way – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
- Raymond Toro – background vocals, lead guitar, songwriter, producer
- Frank Iero – background vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter, producer
- Mikey Way – bass guitar, songwriter, producer
- James Dewees – keyboards, songwriter, producer
Additional performing artists
- Jarrod Alexander – drums, percussion{{col-2}}Additional personnel
- Doug McKean – producer, engineer
- Rob Cavallo – producer
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering engineer
- Lars Fox – additional engineer
- Nik Karpen – assistant mixing engineer
- Keith Armstrong – assistant mixing engineer
- Dmitar Krnjaic – assistant engineer
- Andrew Law – assistant engineer
- Tom Rasulo – assistant engineer{{col-end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart positions for "Fake Your Death" |
| Chart (2014)
!Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard){{Cite magazine |title=My Chemical Romance Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay) |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/my-chemical-romance/chart-history/min/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105193805/https://www.billboard.com/artist/my-chemical-romance/chart-history/min/ |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=January 10, 2025}}
|align="center"|45 |
| {{single chart|UKrock|1|date=20140223|artist=My Chemical Romance|song=Fake Your Death|rowheader=true|access-date=January 10, 2025|refname=ukrock}} |
| {{single chart|UK|63|date=20140223|artist=My Chemical Romance|song=Fake Your Death|rowheader=true|access-date=January 10, 2025|refname=uk}} |
| {{single chart|UKdownload|63|date=20140223|artist=My Chemical Romance|song=Fake Your Death|rowheader=true|access-date=January 10, 2025|refname=ukdownload}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|47|artist=My Chemical Romance|song=Fake Your Death|rowheader=true|access-date=January 10, 2025|refname=usrock}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!Region !Date !Format !Label(s) !{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| Various
|February 17, 2014 |{{flatlist|*Digital download | rowspan="2" |Reprise |
| Italy
|February 28, 2014 |
References
= Books =
- {{Cite book |last=Bryant |first=Tom |title=Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0306823497 |location=Boston}}