Cancer (song) explained

Cancer
Type:Song
Artist:My Chemical Romance
Album:The Black Parade
Released:October 23, 2006
Recorded:2006
Studio:Eldorado Recording, Burbank
Genre:Emo
Label:Reprise

"Cancer" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance, released as the eighth track from their third studio album, The Black Parade (2006). A piano ballad, "Cancer" was conceived by Gerard Way and written in eight minutes by him and Rob Cavallo. "Cancer" was written by band members Bob Bryar, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, and was produced by the group alongside Cavallo.

The song's lyrics focus on The Patient, the dying protagonist of The Black Parade, and depict his struggles with cancer. "Cancer" was praised by music critics for its sentimentality, though its bleakness was deemed excessive by some; nonetheless, it has been regarded as one of the best songs in the band's discography as a whole. "Cancer" has been certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has notably been covered by American duo Twenty One Pilots in 2016.

Background, writing, and recording

My Chemical Romance began writing their third studio album, The Black Parade, in early 2006 at S.I.R. Studios in New York; however, the band then moved to the Paramour Estate, a haunted mansion in Los Angeles, to write the majority of the album. During the band's time there, Frank Iero recalled seeing Gerard Way in his room, "submerged" in a sheet of paper with "Cancer" written on it.[1] Later, the band moved again to Eldorado Recording Studios to record the album. There, Gerard Way told Ray Toro that he had written a song, and Toro began to place chords onto his melody with his guitar. However, Toro realized that the song would benefit from a piano rather than a guitar, and advised Way to wait until producer Rob Cavallo arrived at the studio. The next day, Cavallo accompanied Way on the piano, following his instructions on how he wanted the chords to sound, and the two wrote "Cancer" in eight minutes. The song was recorded and finalized half an hour later. Gerard Way later said that writing "Cancer" was "almost like an attempt to write the darkest song ever".[2]

The band played "Cancer" during an October 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live in promotion of the album, alongside "Welcome to the Black Parade".[3] The band continued to play "Cancer" in live shows up to 2012, but Gerard Way said in 2019 that the song was "too hard" to play following the death of their former manager, Lauren Valencia, to cancer; on May 22, 2022, the band performed "Cancer" for the first time in ten years during their reunion tour.[4]

Composition and lyrics

"Cancer" is a piano ballad[5] with a length of two minutes and twenty-two seconds. The song is in the key of E major and is set in common time, and runs at the slow tempo of 70 beats per minute.[6] In addition to a "melancholic" piano, the song's instrumentation consists of violins and "big and present" yet restrained drums.[7] Sia Michel of The New York Times called "Cancer" the "unlikeliest power ballad ever",[8] while Alternative Press instead classified the song as emo.[9] The song has been stylistically compared to those by the Beatles, with Christopher Weingarten of The New York Times comparing it to "Let It Be"[10] and Ed Thompson of IGN comparing it to "Fixing a Hole".[11] Weingarten also likened "Cancer" to the Ozzy Osbourne song "So Tired", calling both songs "symphonic, string-soaked piano ballads".

Lyrically, "Cancer" takes the perspective of The Patient, the protagonist of The Black Parade whose life is flashing before his eyes as he dies.[12] In the context of the album, "Cancer" acts as a "bridging sequence" in the middle of the album, revealing that The Patient is dying from cancer. The song takes on a first-person perspective, depicting The Patient's struggle with the disease as he bemoans his "fading appearance" and wishes to bid his family goodbye.[13] However, Gerard Way has also said that cancer was "being used as a metaphor", and My Chemical Romance biographer Tom Bryant suggested that the song was about Way's depression, as it "crawled over him like an illness", and his relationship troubles.

Release

"Cancer" was first announced as the ninth song on The Black Parade's on September 13, 2006,[14] and was released alongside the album on October 23, 2006.[15] The song was included on the 2008 live album and DVD The Black Parade is Dead!, which featured the final show performed on The Black Parade Tour; Sophie Bruce of the BBC noted that Gerard Way's vocals "shined brightest" on the track.[16] On March 25, 2014, "Cancer" was released as part of May Death Never Stop You, the band's greatest hits album.[17] The song was also released on September 23, 2016 as part of The Black Parade/Living with Ghosts, the 10th-anniversary reissue of The Black Parade.[18]

Critical reception

"Cancer" received generally positive reviews from music critics, with NME writing that it "packs an emotional punch so devastating and graphic that you could never call it rock'n'roll". The song has ranked well amongst those on The Black Parade, with Mackenzie Templeton of Alternative Press ranking it fourth for the "pure honesty and vulnerability" of Gerard Way's vocals.[19] Ariana Bacle of Entertainment Weekly ranked "Cancer" at sixth on The Black Parade, arguing that the "overtly bleak" nature of the track suited the album well.[20] However, Tom Shepherd of Kerrang! wrote that the song's bleakness made it "not one you want to have on repeat too often", placing it at ninth on his ranking of the album.[21] Similarly, Lauren Boisvert of American Songwriter placed the song at twelfth, calling it "hard to listen to" despite being a "masterpiece of narrative".[22]

The song has also been deemed as one of the best in My Chemical Romance's discography as a whole, with particular praise towards its sentimentality. Guitarist Ben Bruce from Asking Alexandria declared "Cancer" his favorite song by the band, praising its sadness and calling it "very brave" to include the song within the otherwise-flamboyant album.[23] The staff of Billboard included the song in their list of The 15 Best My Chemical Romance Songs, similarly lauding it as "proof that [the band] can nail a heartbreaking slower song". Andy Belt of PopMatters ranked "Cancer" as the eighth-best song by the band, calling it their "most affecting ballad",[24] while Marianne Eloise of Louder Sound included it in her list of the 20 best songs by the band, calling it "mournful and visceral".[25]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Black Parade[26] and iTunes.[27] My Chemical Romance

Additional performing artists

Twenty One Pilots version

Cancer
Cover:Cancer - Twenty One Pilots Single.png
Alt:Cover artwork of "Cancer": The song's title is split between two lines on a black background, with the 'A' in the title illuminating a person falling.
Type:Promotional single
Artist:Twenty One Pilots
Album:Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade
Label:Fueled by Ramen
Producer:Tyler Joseph
Chronology:Twenty One Pilots promotional singles
Prev Title:We Don't Believe What's on TV
Prev Year:2016
Next Title:Heavydirtysoul
Next Year:2016

American musical duo Twenty One Pilots recorded a cover of "Cancer" for the 2016 tribute album Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade. The song was released as a standalone single on September 14, 2016, with an accompanying lyric video being released a day prior to the band's YouTube channel. Unlike the original song, the Twenty One Pilots cover featured electronic elements and differently-ordered verses. The song was well-received by music critics, who considered it a strong cover. "Cancer" appeared at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified gold in the United States by the RIAA.

Background and release

Twenty One Pilots has been stylistically compared to My Chemical Romance, with Paul Travers of Kerrang! writing that the bands both "write their own musical and aesthetic rules" in similar fashions,[28] and Christopher Weingarten of The New York Times noting similarities between "Cancer" and the Twenty One Pilots song "Goner". In July 2016, a video of Tyler Joseph covering "Cancer" surfaced on social media.[29] Later, on August 8, 2016, British rock magazine Rock Sound announced Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade, a tribute album celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Black Parade; this included the announcement of Twenty One Pilot's cover of "Cancer".[30] [31]

On September 13, 2016, a lyric video for "Cancer" was released to the band's YouTube channel, featuring mostly-black-and-white animated visuals such as books with lyrics written on their pages and a chessboard.[32] The song was then released as a standalone digital single for digital download and streaming the following day.[33]

Composition

As opposed to the original song, which was a piano ballad, the Twenty One Pilots cover of "Cancer" features synthesizers, layered vocals, and other electronic elements to lend the song a "dark" and "atmospheric" sound.[34] The cover also shuffles around and reprises certain verses from the original song, making it "almost sound like a remix".[35] The cover is in the key of D Major and is set in common time, with a slow tempo of 72 to 76 beats per minute.[36]

Reception

"Cancer" received positive reviews from music critics, who considered it a strong cover. Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone wrote that the cover "stays faithful to the already melancholic song while ratcheting up the somberness a tad." Joe DeAndrea of Billboard called "Cancer" one of the band's best covers, complimenting how "they made the track their own". Alternative Press called "Cancer" one of the best covers of a My Chemical Romance song, praising Tyler Joseph's vocals for having the "same kind of grace that he conveys on his albums".[37] Gerard Way also praised the cover, commenting in an interview with PopBuzz that he was "really impressed" by the cover and "liked the sound" of Twenty One Pilots in general.

Commercially, "Cancer" sold 25,000 digital downloads in its first week. In the United States, the song debuted peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 6 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The song also appeared at number 53 on the year-end Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Outside the United States, "Cancer" charted on the Canadian Hot 100 (75), on the UK Singles chart (93), in Slovakia (96), and in the Czech Republic (99). The song also topped the Heatseekers chart in New Zealand.

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from iTunes.[38]

Twenty One Pilots

My Chemical Romance

Certifications

References

Books

Book: Bryant, Tom . Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance . . 2014 . 978-0306823497 . Boston.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Childers . Chad . October 23, 2023 . Why Did My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way Write ‘Cancer’? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240614020109/https://loudwire.com/why-did-my-chemical-romance-gerard-way-write-cancer/ . June 14, 2024 . November 28, 2024 . Loudwire.
  2. Web site: October 16, 2006 . My Chemical Romance defend ‘Cancer’ track . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240509110141/https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-135-1349066 . May 9, 2024 . November 28, 2024 . NME.
  3. Web site: Darus . Alex . April 19, 2021 . 10 alternative artists who brought the scene to the 'SNL' stage . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240418063834/https://www.altpress.com/emo-bands-that-performed-on-snl/ . April 18, 2024 . November 28, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  4. Web site: Carter . Emily . May 23, 2022 . My Chemical Romance perform Cancer live for first time in 10 years at final Milton Keynes date . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231021182332/https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romance-perform-cancer-live-for-first-time-in-10-years-at-final-milton-keynes-date . October 21, 2023 . November 30, 2024 . Kerrang!.
  5. Web site: Weatherby . Taylor . November 14, 2019 . The 15 Best My Chemical Romance Songs: Staff Picks . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713044714/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/my-chemical-romance-best-songs-8543517/ . July 13, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . Billboard.
  6. Web site: July 7, 2008 . My Chemical Romance "Cancer" Sheet Music in E Major (transposable) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161013085356/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0066532 . October 13, 2016 . October 1, 2016 . Musicnotes . EMI Music Publishing.
  7. Web site: September 22, 2016 . Exclusive: Ex-MCR drummer shares his memories of recording 'The Black Parade' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240222133531/https://www.altpress.com/bob_bryar_met_lil_jon_got_spooked_by_ghosts_was_burned_alive_and_played_dru/ . February 22, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  8. Web site: Michel . Sia . Sia Michel . October 22, 2006 . Fresh From the Garden State, in Black Leather and Eyeliner . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231023182056/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/arts/music/22mich.html . October 23, 2023 . November 29, 2024 . The New York Times.
  9. Web site: July 24, 2024 . Fan poll: 5 saddest emo songs of all time . live . http://archive.today/2024.12.01-193657/https://www.altpress.com/fan-poll-saddest-emo-songs/ . December 1, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  10. Web site: Weingarten . Christopher . December 18, 2019 . Before & After ‘The Black Parade’ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240407064341/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/18/arts/music/my-chemical-romance-black-parade.html . April 7, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . The New York Times.
  11. Web site: Thompson . Ed . October 25, 2006 . My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240714163916/https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/25/my-chemical-romance-the-black-parade . July 14, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . IGN.
  12. Web site: October 13, 2006 . My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241003002033/https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-my-chemical-romance-8050-307539 . October 3, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . NME.
  13. Web site: Willis-Abdurraqib . Hanif . September 8, 2016 . Life & Death: My Chemical Romance And 10 Years Of The Black Parade . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160912113725/http://www.mtv.com:80/news/2929351/the-black-parade-was-an-album-about-universal-grief-that-was-ahead-of-its-time/amp/ . September 12, 2016 . December 1, 2024 . MTV News.
  14. Web site: Harris . Chris . September 13, 2006 . My Chemical Romance Unveil Black Parade Track List, Album Art . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141019013507/http://www.mtv.com/news/1540817/my-chemical-romance-unveil-black-parade-track-list-album-art/ . October 19, 2014 . July 14, 2024 . MTV News.
  15. Web site: The Black Parade — Album by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music . July 14, 2024.
  16. Web site: Bruce . Sophie . 2008 . Review of My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade is Dead . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713163359/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9z8c/ . July 13, 2024 . July 13, 2024 . BBC.
  17. Web site: Paul . Aubin . January 21, 2014 . My Chemical Romance detail 'May Death Never Stop You,' launch pre-orders . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240714155941/https://www.punknews.org/article/54056/my-chemical-romance-detail-may-death-never-stop-you-launch-pre-orders . July 14, 2024 . July 14, 2024 . Punknews.org.
  18. Getz . Dana . July 29, 2016 . My Chemical Romance: 'The Black Parade' reissue gets release date . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240105164003/https://ew.com/article/2016/07/29/my-chemical-romance-black-parade-reissue-release-date/ . January 5, 2024 . July 14, 2024 . Entertainment Weekly.
  19. Web site: Templeton . Mackenzie . January 22, 2020 . ‘The Black Parade’ ranked from good to peak My Chemical Romance . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240717153509/https://www.altpress.com/my-chemical-romance-the-black-parade-ranked/ . July 17, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  20. Web site: Bacle . Ariana . July 22, 2016 . My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade: Ranking the songs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240824102356/https://ew.com/article/2016/07/22/my-chemical-romance-black-parade-ranking-songs/ . August 24, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Entertainment Weekly.
  21. Web site: Shepherd . Tom . October 20, 2021 . My Chemical Romance: Every song on The Black Parade, ranked from worst to best . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241201013408/https://www.kerrang.com/every-song-on-my-chemical-romances-the-black-parade-ranked-from-worst-to-best . December 1, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Kerrang!.
  22. Web site: Boisvert . Lauren . November 12, 2024 . My Chemical Romance is Going On Tour in 2025, So Here’s How I Rank Every Track on ‘The Black Parade’ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241127014829/https://americansongwriter.com/my-chemical-romance-is-going-on-tour-in-2025-so-heres-how-i-rank-every-track-on-the-black-parade/ . November 27, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . American Songwriter.
  23. Web site: June 16, 2020 . My Chemical Romance's Best Songs, Picked By Your Favourite Bands . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713044713/https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romances-best-songs-picked-by-your-favourite-bands . July 13, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Kerrang!.
  24. Web site: Belt . Andy . October 1, 2014 . The Top 15 Songs of My Chemical Romance . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240823204620/https://www.popmatters.com/186298-so-long-and-goodnight-the-top-15-songs-of-my-chemical-romance-2495609990.html . August 23, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . PopMatters.
  25. Web site: Eloise . Marianne . May 27, 2024 . The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs ever . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241113013744/https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-20-greatest-my-chemical-romance-songs-ever . November 13, 2024 . November 29, 2024 . Louder.
  26. My Chemical Romance . . 2006 . . liner notes.
  27. Web site: Cancer — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music . November 30, 2024.
  28. Web site: Travers . Paul . March 4, 2021 . 12 bands who wouldn’t be here without My Chemical Romance . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241123021719/https://www.kerrang.com/12-bands-who-wouldnt-have-been-possible-without-my-chemical-romance . November 23, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Kerrang!.
  29. Web site: July 20, 2016 . Here's Twenty One Pilots' Tyler Joseph singing My Chemical Romance . live . http://archive.today/2024.12.01-194652/https://www.altpress.com/heres_twenty_one_pilots_tyler_joseph_singing_my_chemical_romance/ . December 1, 2024 . December 15, 2018 . Alternative Press . en-US.
  30. Web site: August 8, 2016 . Introducing... 'Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161008175310/http://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/introducing...-rock-sound-presents-the-black-parade . October 8, 2016 . October 1, 2016 . Rock Sound.
  31. Web site: Anderson . Trevor . September 22, 2016 . Twenty One Pilots’ ‘Cancer’ & Calvin Harris’ ‘My Way’ Debut in Top 10 of Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks Chart . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241201194819/https://www.billboard.com/pro/twenty-one-pilots-cancer-calvin-harris-my-way-debut-twitter-top-tracks-chart/ . December 1, 2024 . November 30, 2024 . Billboard.
  32. September 14, 2016 . Hear Twenty One Pilots' Melancholic Cover of My Chemical Romance's 'Cancer' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080606/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/hear-twenty-one-pilots-cover-my-chemical-romances-cancer-w439972 . February 13, 2018 . . October 1, 2016.
  33. Web site: September 14, 2016 . Twenty One Pilots release cover of My Chemical Romance's "Cancer" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605111957/https://www.altpress.com/twenty_one_pilots_release_cover_of_my_chemical_romances_cancer/ . June 5, 2023 . November 30, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  34. Web site: DeAndrea . Joe . October 27, 2016 . Twenty One Pilots’ 10 Best Covers: Watch Them Take on Katy Perry, Elvis Presley & Lana Del Rey . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221003062946/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/twenty-one-pilots-10-best-covers-video-katy-perry-elvis-lana-del-rey-7557588/ . October 3, 2022 . November 30, 2024 . Billboard.
  35. Web site: Dickman . Maggie . September 27, 2017 . Gerard Way reacts to Twenty One Pilots’ cover of “Cancer” . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220813152937/https://www.altpress.com/twenty_one_pilots_my_chemical_romance_cancer_cover_gerard_way_reaction/ . August 13, 2022 . November 30, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  36. Web site: 16 September 2016 . Twenty One Pilots "Cancer" Sheet Music in D Major (transposable) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160921111114/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0168605 . September 21, 2016 . October 1, 2016 . Musicnotes.
  37. Web site: December 12, 2019 . 10 My Chemical Romance covers from all over the place . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231230203611/https://www.altpress.com/best-my-chemical-romance-covers/ . December 30, 2023 . November 30, 2024 . Alternative Press.
  38. Web site: Cancer — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music . November 30, 2024.
  39. Web site: October 3, 2016 . NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart . September 30, 2016 . . September 23, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160923192540/http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=4274 . dead .
  40. Hot Rock Songs - Year-End 2016 . Billboard . Billboard . 8 December 2016 . April 11, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170411210408/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/hot-rock-songs . live .

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