Fan poll: 5 best songs from My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade

No matter where it falls in your personal ranking, My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade is a massive achievement. The LP turned the band into stadium-rock powerhouses as they dressed in military jackets like a gothic Sgt. Pepper’s and Gerard Way bleached his hair. Centered around a young man with cancer, aka “The Patient,” who’s nearing the end of his life, and then passes on into the next world, MCR take us on a theatrical, moving rock opera that carries as much depth and weight as its classic-rock idols — feeling like a big-budget motion picture all the way through. Beyond being a bold, entrancing concept album, it’s easily the band at their most grand, channeling the ghosts of Freddie Mercury, The Wall, and Ziggy Stardust as they unfurled some of their greatest songs.

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Now that a sold-out tour is on the way, we asked our readers to name the best songs from My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade. Find the top fan picks ranked below.

5. “The Sharpest Lives”

The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead, so naturally this Black Parade banger kicks off the list. The song focuses on living extremely without caring about the consequences, featuring The Patient looking back on his messy life. It’s got that pure stadium-rock energy, showing off the band’s desire to go bigger and bolder than ever before — and a rock-solid chorus that’ll make you lose your voice if you go hard enough. Plus, because it’s such a challenging song to sing, it will be rewarding to hear night after night on their upcoming tour.

4. “Famous Last Words”

“Famous Last Words” possesses intense meaning, so of course it’s a fan favorite. Part of The Black Parade was written and recorded in The Paramour — a historic, and deeply haunted, 1920s mansion in Silver Lake. Mikey Way stayed in the most haunted room, which exacerbated his mental health. Production halted after Mikey left to seek help, leading Gerard to write “Famous Last Words” to give the band hope and strength. Boasting wicked guitar interplay between Ray Toro and Frank Iero, plus a legendary music video that torches the fictional band (and seriously injured two of the members), “Famous Last Words” is a ferocious, anthemic reminder to persevere.

3. “Mama”

“Mama” is easily the most unique song on The Black Parade, boasting an unhinged theatricality and unexpected collaboration with actor Liza Minnelli that shines a light on The Patient’s relationship with his mother. Just listen to the live version from Mexico City, where the band are performing like it’s their last. (Even the spoken ending from Gerard, “A surprise party? For me? You shouldn’t have!,” is a terrifying touch.) If The Black Parade ever hits Broadway, “Mama” will be its showstopper. 

2. “Disenchanted”

“Disenchanted” is an affecting ballad that brings a lot of soul to The Black Parade. Stuffed between the fiery singles “Teenagers” and  “Famous Last Words,” “Disenchanted” is easy to overlook but always hits straight in the gut. Wrapped around the end of the Patient’s life, the track ruminates on life and death — the impermanence of it all. But even at its most bleak, the loaded chorus keeps the track moving into a shout-along anthem that remains a high point of The Black Parade.

1. “Sleep”

Beyond being a first-rate song, there’s so much lore behind “Sleep.” During their stay at The Paramour, things got creepy. Doors slammed and opened on their own, and the general atmosphere was just ominous, leading to some of the LP’s darkest moments. “Sleep” came to life from the night terrors Gerard experienced while staying at the mansion, which you can hear him describe at the start of the track: “They’re not like tremors. They’re worse than tremors. They’re these terrors,” he reveals. It’s no wonder that readers named “Sleep” the greatest song from The Black Parade.