Headfirst for Halos
{{good article}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Headfirst for Halos
| cover = Headfirst for Halos.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = My Chemical Romance
| album = I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love
| B-side = "Our Lady of Sorrows" (live)
| released = April 3, 2004
| recorded = May 2002
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop-punk|glam rock}}
| length = 3:30
| label = Eyeball
| writer = {{flatlist|
- Frank Iero
- Matt Pelissier
- {{nowrap|Ray Toro}}
- Gerard Way
- {{nowrap|Mikey Way}}
}}
| producer = Geoff Rickly
| prev_title = Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
| next_year = 2004
}}
"Headfirst for Halos" is a song by American rock band My Chemical Romance from their debut studio album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002). It was released as a single on April 3, 2004. A pop-punk and glam rock song, the song combines an upbeat "arena style" composition with lyrics about drug addiction and suicide. The idea of the song was originally conceived as a joke, though as the band continued work on it, the band realized that being able to finish the song would challenge themselves, as well as expand their potential.
The song received positive responses from critics, who highlighted the song's juxtaposition of pop-like instrumentals with strong lyrics, and some have considered it one of the My Chemical Romance's best songs. The song charted in the United Kingdom, reaching number 80 on the UK singles chart and 13 on the UK indie chart. The music style present in the song has been attributed to helping establish the tone of the band's future work.
Background, production and release
My Chemical Romance was formed after the band's frontman, Gerard Way, witnessed the collapse of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks. Shortly afterwards, he was joined by drummer Matt Pelissier, guitarist Ray Toro, bassist Mikey Way,{{Cite web |last=Harvilla |first=Rob |date=July 26, 2022 |title=The Eternal March of the Black Parade |url=https://www.theringer.com/2022/07/26/music/my-chemical-romance-debut-anniversary-best-album-black-parade |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107051750/https://www.theringer.com/2022/07/26/music/my-chemical-romance-debut-anniversary-best-album-black-parade |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |access-date=January 7, 2025 |website=The Ringer}} and later on guitarist Frank Iero.{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=|pp=51-52}} In May 2002, the band went to Nada Record Studio in New Windsor, New York to begin recording their first studio album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=|pp=52-53}}{{Cite web |last=Shepherd |first=Tom |date=November 1, 2024 |title="You can hear the nervousness and excitement": The story of My Chem's debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |url=https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romance-debut-album-story-interview-gerard-way-i-brought-you-my-bullets-you-brought-me-your-love |url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}}
In-between recording sessions for the album during its production, the band conceived "Headfirst for Halos", a more pop-like song that was intended as a joke.{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}} However, as the band continued work on the idea, they realized that the song would not only allow the band to challenge themselves, but also expand their potential;{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}} during its creation, the band described it as "jagged bubblegum punk" and compared it to a knock-off of a song by The Beatles; Gerard Way said that the song didn't "sound like anything" during production, and its potential was only fully realized it was complete.{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}} The album, including "Headfirst for Halos", was produced by Geoff Rickly.{{cite AV media notes |title=I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |year=2002 |type=Compact disc liner notes |publisher=Eyeball Records |id=EB-022}}
I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was released on July 23, 2002{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=63}} through Eyeball Records;{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Chris |date=July 21, 2022 |title=My Chemical Romance's Debut Album 'I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love' Turns 20 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2193708/my-chemical-romance-i-brought-you-my-bullets-you-brought-me-your-love/reviews/the-anniversary/ |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} "Headfirst for Halos" is the sixth song on the standard track list. The song was released as a single on April 3, 2004.{{cite magazine |date=April 3, 2004 |title=New releases: singles |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2004/Music-Week-2004-04-03.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520093026/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2004/Music-Week-2004-04-03.pdf |archive-date=May 20, 2024 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |magazine=Music Week |page=27}} In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 80 on the UK singles chart, number 13 on the UK Indie chart, and number 94 on the Scottish Singles Chart.
Composition and lyrics
"Headfirst for Halos" is a pop-punk{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}} and glam-rock{{Cite web |last=McClelland |first=Mike |date=July 23, 2002 |title=My Chemical Romance - I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |url=http://www.kludgemagazine.com/reviews/My_Chemical_Romance/I_Brought_You_My_Bullets_You_Brought_Me_Your_Love/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520023209/http://www.kludgemagazine.com/reviews/My_Chemical_Romance/I_Brought_You_My_Bullets_You_Brought_Me_Your_Love/ |archive-date=May 20, 2006 |access-date=January 29, 2005 |website=Kludge}} song; it is three minutes and thirty seconds long. It opens up with "fanfare" of "Queen-esque guitars",{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}} and is the "poppiest" song from I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love;{{cite web |author=Lord |first=Jesse |date=August 4, 2002 |title=I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/04/i-brought-you-my-bullets-you-brought-me-your-love |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329170039/http://music.ign.com/articles/535/535858p1.html |archive-date=March 29, 2012 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=IGN |publisher=}} Mike McClelland of Kludge described the song as "arena style". The song's style has been credited towards helping the band establish the sound of the band's future albums, specifically Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) and The Black Parade (2006).{{Sfn|Bryant|2014||p=57|pp=}}
Lyrically, the song is about both drug addiction{{Cite web |last= |date=July 21, 2017 |title=11 things you might not know about MCR's 'I Brought You My Bullets...' |url=https://www.altpress.com/my_chemical_romance_i_brought_you_my_bullets_thing_you_didnt_know/ |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Alternative Press |language=en-US}} and suicide,{{Cite web |last=Ritt |first=Megan |date=July 5, 2009 |title=Guilty Pleasure: My Chemical Romance - I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |url=https://consequence.net/2009/07/guilty-pleasure-my-chemical-romance-i-brought-you-my-bullets-you-brought-me-your-love/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 |website=Consequence of Sound |language=en}} inspired by Gerard's real world mental health struggles from the time, as well as his prior experiences in musical theater as a child.{{Cite web |last=Farrell |first=Margaret |date=December 19, 2019 |title=The 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2067999/my-chemical-romance-best-songs/lists/10-best-songs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227025950/https://www.stereogum.com/2067999/my-chemical-romance-best-songs/lists/10-best-songs/ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Stereogum}} The track contains lyrics such as "The red ones make me fly / And the blue ones help me fall / And I think I’ll blow my brains against the ceiling". The tone in the song's lyrics are a direct contrast with its fairly upbeat sound and production. The song ends with Gerard repeating "think happy thoughts" in a progressively aggressive manner.
Critical reception
Several reviews for I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love highlighted "Headfirst for Halos" as a standout track from the album.{{Cite web |last=DaveyBoy |date=July 1, 2008 |title=My Chemical Romance - I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26159/My-Chemical-Romance-I-Brought-You-My-Bullets-You-Brought-Me-Your-Love/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240601200358/https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26159/My-Chemical-Romance-I-Brought-You-My-Bullets-You-Brought-Me-Your-Love/ |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Sputnikmusic}} Jesse Lord of IGN wrote that the song's combination of upbeat music and strong lyrics as "showcasing their morose cleverness in the bargain", and that the "sheer brilliance of this juxtaposition" was why he liked My Chemical Romance. McClelland described the song as a song that was "primed and ready for radio", and "sets you tumbling into olde tyme punk memories". A staff writer of Sputnikmusic, who was largely critical of the full album, described "Headfirst for Halos" as a "very good" song. Megan Ritt of Consequence wrote that "Headfirst for Halos" was "all rises and falls, the sweet up and down, the essential and opposing halves of a greater universal whole", and that the song's contrasting music and lyrics made it "utterly irresistible".
The song has appeared on several rankings for the band's best songs. Margaret Farrell of Stereogum considered "Headfirst for Halos" as the band's eighth best song, describing it as a "chaotic masterpiece" and a "deeply graphic depiction of depression and suicide.". Cassie Whitt of Loudwire and Clhoe Spinks of Gigwise ranked it twelfth and twenty-third in the band's discography respectively,{{Cite web |last=Whitt |first=Cassie |date=2019-03-24 |title=Every My Chemical Romance Song Ranked From Worst to Best |url=https://loudwire.com/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Loudwire |language=en}} with Spinks describing it as the first taste listeners would get of My Chemical Romance's "penchant for the grandiose, complex guitar riffs, and their commanding sound", and that the song was "messy" in a way that encouraged the listener to "let go and kick and flail" to the song.{{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/20250113043643/https://www.gigwise.com/features/3419918/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |archive-date=January 13, 2025 |access-date=January 19, 2025 |website=Gigwise}}
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from Apple Music.{{Cite web |title=Headfirst for Halos — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/my/song/headfirst-for-halos/1157610097 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250130013657/https://music.apple.com/my/song/headfirst-for-halos/1157610097 |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025}}{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}My Chemical Romance
- Gerard Way – songwriter, lead vocals
- Raymond Toro – songwriter, background vocals, guitar
- Mikey Way – songwriter, bass guitar
- Matt Pelissier – songwriter, drums, percussion
- Frank Iero – songwriter{{col-2}}Additional personnel
- Geoff Rickly – producer
- John Naclerio – mixing engineer, recording engineer
- Ryan Ball – mastering engineer{{col-end}}
Charts
References
{{Reflist}}
= Sources =
- {{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}}
{{My Chemical Romance}}
{{authority control}}
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Category:My Chemical Romance songs
Category:Songs about loneliness