Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
A man and a woman facing each other, with blood on their skin.
Studio album by
My Chemical Romance
ReleasedJune 8, 2004 (2004-06-08)
RecordedOctober 2003 – February 2004
Studio
  • Bay 7 Studios, Valley Village
  • Sparky Dark Studio, Calabasas, California
Genre
Length39:36
LabelReprise
ProducerHoward Benson
My Chemical Romance chronology
I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love
(2002)		 Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
(2004)		 Life on the Murder Scene
(2006)
Singles from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
  1. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
    Released: September 13, 2004
  2. "Thank You for the Venom"
    Released: December 13, 2004 (UK)
  3. "Helena"
    Released: March 8, 2005
  4. "The Ghost of You"
    Released: August 29, 2005

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (often shortened to Three Cheers or Revenge)[1] is the second studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance, released on June 8, 2004 by Reprise Records.[2][3] With this album, the band produced a cleaner sound than that of their 2002 debut I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.[4] It was the band's first release to feature rhythm guitarist Frank Iero on all tracks, as well as the final release to feature drummer Matt Pelissier, who would later be replaced by Bob Bryar.[5]

The album was a success for both the band and the label.[6] The record produced four singles—"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", "Helena", "The Ghost of You", and in the United Kingdom, "Thank You for the Venom".[4] It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) less than a year after its release,[3] and has sold over three million copies in the United States.[6]

Music and lyrical themes

Musically, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge has been described as emo,[7][8] alternative rock,[8] pop punk,[9] post-hardcore,[10] punk rock,[11] and pop rock.[12] While I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was considered "a particularly strident entry in that shifty genre of bands tortuously slamming together elements of emo, hardcore, and even metal",[13] Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge "both showcased their songwriting skills and gave them much-deserved attention".[4] Moving away from the "screamo parts"[14] and "the more complicated structures"[15] of their first record in favor of a sound that "skirts the line between pop punk and edgy, theatrical, emo"[4] while being "strongly influenced by hardcore punk",[15] Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge has been variously compared to The Misfits,[16] AFI,[13] and Thursday.[13]

Lead singer Gerard Way has referred to the first single "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" as a "self help pop song"[17] while also being called "a surging piece of emo-pop with a hook as ridiculously catchy as it was ridiculous"[18] and a "moving anthem for the young and depressed"[19] by AllMusic and Rolling Stone respectively. This single went on to be nominated for the Kerrang! award for best single[20] and reached number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[21]

The album opener "Helena" has been referred to as an "album highlight and smash hit". Gerard has claimed that the song "shaped what the album is about" and "revealed their dark side" in comparison to the first single.[17] Its lyrics mourn the loss of Gerard and Mikey's grandmother,[17] Elena Lee Rush, and was their first entry into the top 40.[21]

Album concept

According to Way, the album can be understood as a "pseudo-conceptual horror story",[4] that details:

...the story of a man and a woman who are separated by death in a gunfight and he goes to hell only to realize by the devil telling him that she's still alive. The devil says he can be with her again if he brings the devil the souls of a thousand evil men and the man agrees to do it, and so the devil hands him a gun. That was the idea behind the concept, the record ended up being much more about loss and real life than anything, so I would say it's a good split.[22]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[23]
Alternative Press[4]
Blender[24]
IGN7.1/10[25]
Kludge7/10[26]
Melodic[27]
Pitchfork8.2/10[28]
Rolling Stone[29]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[30]
Stylus MagazineB[31]

Johnny Loftus of AllMusic wrote that "with the aid of production major-leaguer Howard Benson, they've edited the slight rookie excesses of I Brought You My Bullets You Brought Me Your Love, resulting in a rewarding, pretty damn relentless product."[23] Andy Greenwald of Blender noted Way's integration of elements of his life into the songs on the album and remarked that his "gulping, gasping whine turns stompers like 'I’m Not Okay (I Promise)' into after-school poetry".[24] Ian Mathers of Stylus Magazine felt that the album contained "twelve near-flawless songs and an interlude in thirty-nine minutes" and that "even when it lets up, [it] doesn’t let up",[31] while Kirk Miller of Rolling Stone described it as "a hell of a good time."[29] IGN critic JR was more reserved in his praise, calling Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge "a good album" that nonetheless "isn't nearly as varied or daring as it could have been".[25] In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau gave it a "dud" rating.[32]

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Rock Sound UK Top 50 Albums of the Year 2004 5[33]
Spin US The 40 Best Albums of 2004 34[34]
Kerrang! UK Albums of the Year 3[35]
Metal Hammer UK Albums of 2004 7[36]

Legacy

NME listed the album as one of "20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood the Test of Time".[37] The album was ranked at number 260 on Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)" list.[38] Rock Sound wrote that the album is "an era-defining release", striking "a nerve both musically and emotionally with millions around the world."[39]

In 2016, Rolling Stone declared Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge the tenth greatest emo album out of 40, saying that "Three Cheers wasn't just a concept record, it was a concept sequel, expanding the small-screen story of 2002's I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love into a big-budget production, complete with ruminations on life and death ("Helena") biting kiss-offs ("I'm Not Okay") and a series of dramatic music videos that made them MTV darlings."[40]

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge has sold over three million copies to date in the United States and has been certified 3× platinum by the RIAA as of December 2017.[41] By February 2006, the album had sold over 1,356,000 copies in the US and 3 million copies to date.[42] It has also been certified Platinum in Canada and the UK, and Gold in Australia, Ireland, Chile,[43] New Zealand, and Argentina.

Track listing

Standard edition

All tracks are written by My Chemical Romance

No.TitleLength
1."Helena"3:22
2."Give 'Em Hell, Kid"2:18
3."To the End"3:01
4."You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison"2:53
5."I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"3:08
6."The Ghost of You"3:22
7."The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You"3:37
8."Interlude"0:57
9."Thank You for the Venom"3:41
10."Hang 'Em High"2:47
11."It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Fucking Deathwish"3:30
12."Cemetery Drive"3:08
13."I Never Told You What I Do for a Living"3:51
Total length:39:36
Japanese edition
No.TitleLength
14."Bury Me in Black" (demo)2:37
Total length:42:13

Japanese special edition DVD

Live from Summer Sonic 2004 in Tokyo on August 8, 2004
No.TitleLength
1."I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (music video version 2) 
2."I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (music video version 1) 
3."Thank You for the Venom" (live) 
4."Helena" (live) 
5."Give 'Em Hell, Kid" (live) 
6."The Ghost of You" (live) 
7."You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (live) 
8."I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (live) 

Personnel

Production

  • Howard Benson – producer, mixing
  • Rich Costey – mixing
  • Craig Aaronson – A&R
  • Brian Schechter – management
  • Stacy Fass – legal
  • Matt Galle – booking
  • Mike Plotnikoff – recording
  • Eric J. Miller – additional engineering
  • Paul Decarli – Pro Tools and programming
  • Jon Nicholson – drum tech
  • Keith Nelson – guitar tech
  • Tom Baker – mastering
  • Matt Griffen – production coordinator
  • Dana Childs – production coordinator
  • Arturo Rojas – runner
  • Fernando Diaz – runner
  • Mike Gardner – runner
  • Chris Ozuna – runner
  • Bryan Mansell – runner
  • Mark Holley – design assistance

Charts

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions
US
[21]		 US Mod
[58]		 US Main
[59]		 UK
[60]		 NZ
[61]		 AUS
[62]
2004 "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" 86 4 — 19 38 65
"Thank You for the Venom" — — — 71 — —
2005 "Helena" 33 11 — 20 27 78
"The Ghost of You" 84 9 38 27 — —

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[63] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[64] Platinum 100,000^
Chile[43] Gold 7,500[43]
Ireland (IRMA)[65] Gold 7,500^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[66] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[67] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[68] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[69] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
Australia April 11, 2005 Reprise CD 9362486152
Japan July 22, 2004 WPCR11890
January 26, 2005 CD+DVD WPZR30075
June 24, 2009 CD WPCR13504
United Kingdom September 3, 2004 9362486152
United States June 8, 2004 486152
December 16, 2008 Vinyl LP 148615

References

  1. ↑ "My Chemical Romance: Question and Answer Interview". YouTube. Event occurs at 8:50. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  2. ↑ Miller, Kirk (8 July 2004). "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 "My Chemical Romance". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 7 April 2015. My Chemical Romance signed with Reprise in 2003. After a major tour with Avenged Sevenfold, the band started to work on their second album. The album went platinum in less than a year.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zemler, Emily (June 22, 2010). "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  5. ↑ Joel Hoard. "My Chemical Romance Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 April 2015. On the strength of tracks like the pummeling 9–11 lament "Skylines and Turnstiles," the band quickly signed with Reprise Records. 2004's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Number 28) went platinum and featured singles "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Number 86, 2004) and "Helena" (Number 33, 2005). Pelissier left the band shortly after the release of Three Cheers and was replaced by Bob Bryar, a sound tech for the Used.
  6. 1 2 Martens, Todd (14 October 2006). "Up from the Underground: Expensive Spectacle and Innovative Viral Marketing Help My Chemical Romance Graduate from Internet Buzz to Platinum Stardom". Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 41. p. 26.
  7. ↑ Exposito, Suzy (December 21, 2019). "My Chemical Romance Marches On Again at Los Angeles Reunion Show". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Bosso, Joe (May 4, 2011). "My Chemical Romance interview and talk 'Danger Days'". Guitar World. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  9. ↑ Robbins, Winston (October 16, 2010). "Dusting 'Em Off: My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Consequence. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  10. ↑ Montesinos-Donaghy, Daniel (October 10, 2007). "The Umbrella Academy #1 review". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  11. ↑ Bezer, Terry (June 29, 2022). "My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge: The best alternative album of the century so far?". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ Gordon, Arielle (December 8, 2019). "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 Johnny Loftus. "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Melodic Net - My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for sweet revenge". www.melodic.net. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  15. 1 2 "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – Review – Stylus Magazine". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  16. ↑ Kirk Miller (2004-07-08). "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – Rolling Stone". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  17. 1 2 3 "MTVNews.com: My Chemical Romance: They're Okay (Promise)". www.mtv.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2005. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  18. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  19. ↑ "My Chemical Romance". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2013-11-12.
  20. ↑ "Green Day and System of a Down Tops the Kerrang! Awards 2005 Nominations - Softpedia". Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  21. 1 2 3 "My Chemical Romance Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  22. ↑ "THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE". Drinking Souls. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015.
  23. 1 2 Loftus, Johnny. "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance". AllMusic. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  24. 1 2 Greenwald, Andy. "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Blender. Archived from the original on December 31, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  25. 1 2 JR (September 20, 2005). "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". IGN. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  26. ↑ McClelland, Mike. "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Kludge. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  27. ↑ Roth, Kaj. "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Melodic. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  28. ↑ Gordon, Arielle (December 8, 2019). "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  29. 1 2 Miller, Kirk (July 8, 2004). "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  30. ↑ Maerz, Melissa (April 14, 2010). "My Chemical Romance: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  31. 1 2 Mathers, Ian (August 19, 2004). "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  32. ↑ Christgau, Robert (February 14, 2006). "Consumer Guide: Forever Young". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  33. ↑ "Top 75 Albums of the Year". Rock Sound.
  34. ↑ "The 40 Best Albums of 2004". Spin. Retrieved December 31, 2004.
  35. ↑ "Kerrang! Albums Of The Year". Kerrang!.
  36. ↑ "Metal Hammer Albums Of 2004". Metal Hammer.
  37. ↑ "20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood The Test Of Time". NME.com. January 14, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  38. ↑ Zaleski, Annie (May 11, 2015). "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)". Spin. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  39. ↑ Bird, ed. 2015, p. 34
  40. ↑ Bayer, Jonah (2019-09-04). "40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  41. ↑ "RIAA certifications for My Chemical Romance". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  42. ↑ Kohli, Rohan (February 15, 2006). "Soundscan Results: Week Ending 2/12/06". absolutepunk.net. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  43. 1 2 3 Maira, Manuel (2007). "My Chemical Romance pone a Chile en su agenda". La Tercera. Santiago de Chile. De las dos mil copias vendidas de su álbum debut, [I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love] (2002) pasaron al status de oro −7.500 discos- con sus dos siguientes entregas: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (2004)...
  44. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  45. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  46. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  47. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography My Chemical Romance". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  48. ↑ "Charts.nz – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  50. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  51. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. April 17, 2005. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  52. ↑ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  53. ↑ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  54. ↑ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  55. ↑ "ChartsPlusYE2005" (PDF). UKchartsplus.co.uk. Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  57. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  58. ↑ "My Chemical Romance Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  59. ↑ "My Chemical Romance Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  60. ↑ "My Chemical Romance | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  61. ↑ "Discography My Chemical Romance". charts.nz. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  62. ↑ "Discography My Chemical Romance". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  63. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  64. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Music Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  65. ↑ "The Irish Charts - 2005 Certification Awards - Gold". Irish Recorded Music Association.
  66. ↑ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 25 July 2012. Type My Chemical Romance in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  67. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  68. ↑ "British album certifications – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  69. ↑ "American album certifications – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 December 2017.

Sources

  • Bird, Ryan, ed. (June 2015). "The 200 Moments that Defined Our Lifetime". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (200). ISSN 1465-0185.
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