Jump to content

Thank You for the Venom

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Thank You for the Venom"
A person holds their hands as if they are praying, the song title appear at the top in all caps, along with the band's logo appearing in the middle.
Promotional single by My Chemical Romance
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
B-side"Jack the Ripper" (live)
ReleasedJune 8, 2004 (2004-06-08)
GenrePunk rock
Length3:41
LabelReprise
Songwriters
ProducerHoward Benson

"Thank You for the Venom" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance from their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004). It is the ninth track on the album and was written by band members Frank Iero, Matt Pelissier, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, additionally produced by Howard Benson. It was released as a promotional single on June 8, 2004.

Described as a punk rock song, its lyrics tell the story of critics hating on the band, and telling their fans to stand up to anyone trying to change them. The song received positive reviews from critics, with some considering it one of My Chemical Romance's best songs. The song charted in the United Kingdom, reaching number 71 on the UK singles chart and number 4 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2025. My Chemical Romance have included "Thank You for the Venom" on the set lists of their various live performances, including during their 2007–2008 Black Parade World Tour, and their 2019–2023 reunion tour.

Background and release

[edit]

My Chemical Romance began writing their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), while touring for their first album in 2003.[1] During occasional shows on the tour, frontman Gerard Way would come out wearing a shirt that read "Thank You for the Venom".[2][3] The song's concept had already existed before the band played their first show, with the phrase printed inside the CD artwork for the band's debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002).[3] The band began recording Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004 after concluding a short, already scheduled tour in the United Kingdom.[4] The album, along with "Thank You for the Venom", was produced by Howard Benson.[5] All five band members are credited with writing the song.[6]

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was released as the band's second studio album on June 8, 2004, through Reprise Records,[7] with "Thank You for the Venom" as the ninth song on the track list.[8] The song was released as a promotional single on the same day,[9] with the 7-inch single release including a live rendition of Morrissey's "Jack the Ripper" as a B-side.[10][11] In the United Kingdom, it reached number 71 on the UK singles chart,[12] and number 4 on the UK Rock & Metal chart.[13] The band also performed it live on various occasions, including during the 2006 Reading and Leeds Festivals,[14] the 2007–2008 Black Parade World Tour,[15][16] the World Contamination Tour (2010-2012),[17] their 2019–2023 reunion tour,[18][19][20] the 2022 Riot Fest,[21] and the Long Live The Black Parade tour.[22][23] Live performances of the song were also included on the live album, Life on the Murder Scene, which was released on March 21, 2006.[24][25][26] A remastered version of the song, produced by Rich Costey, appeared on the 2025 deluxe edition of Revenge.[27] Additionally, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in April 2025.[28][29] Unlike other singles released from Revenge, "Venom" did not receive a music video.[30]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]
"Thank You for the Venom"
A 17-second sample from the first verse of "Thank You for the Venom". A punk rock song, its instrumentation has been described as "metallic guitar heroism".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Thank You for the Venom" is a punk rock[31] song that is three minutes and forty-one seconds long.[6] The song begins with an opening guitar riff that Chloe Spinks of Gigwise described as "so sharp and biting you risk going into fight or flight".[32] It then kicks into the main chorus, followed by a guitar solo at 2:12,[33][30] with glam-rock influence present.[30] The track contains lyrics such as "So give me all your poison / And give me all your pills / And give me all your hopeless hearts, and make me ill".[2] Ed Walton of Distorted Sound claimed that the song became known for its high energy and aggressive sound.[34] Lyrically, it is about critics that berated the band's personality, and encouraging their fans to defy outside pressure.[30][3] Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan described the track's instrumentation as "metallic guitar heroism."[35]

Critical reception

[edit]

"Thank You for the Venom" received positive reviews from music critics, with some highlighting it as a standout track from the album.[30] Marianne Eloise of Louder Sound described "Venom" as overlooked in terms of the band's other songs, she also cited it as the best track on Revenge.[30] She also praised its guitar solo, and placed it at number 12 on a list of the 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs.[36] Mike McClelland of Kludge praised the song for its lyrics and message, writing "When [it] punches out its refrain, the words "You're running after something you'll never kill," become cause to smile."[37] A reviewer for IGN cited "Thank You for the Venom" as a highlight, along with another track on the album, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", stating "The high-powered sonic sentiments of "Thank You For The Venom" and "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" should sway the naysayers."[38] Both Tom Bryant, also writing for Louder Sound, and Sam Law of Kerrang! ranked "Thank You for the Venom" as the band's ninth and second best song, with the latter writing "For all the talk of their inky darkness, serrated edge and unstoppable swagger, no other track manages to pack in all those elements half as convincingly as this snarling classic".[31][2] DaveyBoy, a staff writer of Sputnikmusic claimed it was "extremely catchy and memorable from start to beginning."[39] In rankings of the band's entire discography, Cassie Whitt and Jake Richardson of Loudwire and Spinks placed the song at number 9 (of 71) and number 2 (of 79) respectively, with the latter writing that it is a complete and utter masterpiece.[3][32] Additionally, Eloise, writing for The Forty-Five, placed it at number 1 (of 46) in her review, stating it was a "fast [and] wild song", and also citing the chorus as My Chemical Romance's most iconic chorus of all time.[40]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Apple Music.[6]

My Chemical Romance

[edit]
  • Gerard Way – lead vocals, songwriter,
  • Ray Toro – lead guitar, background vocals, songwriter
  • Frank Iero – rhythm guitar, background vocals, songwriter
  • Mikey Way – bass guitar, songwriter
  • Matt Pelissier – drums, songwriter

Additional personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance
Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts)[12]71
UK Rock & Metal (Official Charts)[13]4

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[28] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Bryant, Tom (2014). Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance. Boston: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306823497.

Citations

[edit]
  1. ↑ Bryant 2014, pp. 81
  2. 1 2 3 Law, Sam (April 9, 2021). "The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs – ranked". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on March 1, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Whitt, Cassie; Richardson, Jake (March 24, 2019). "Every My Chemical Romance Song Ranked". Loudwire. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ Bryant 2014, p. 83.
  5. ↑ Chaudhry, Aliya (June 6, 2024). "My Chemical Romance's 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge' Turns 20". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 My Chemical Romance (June 8, 2004). "Thank You for the Venom – Song by My Chemical Romance". Reprise Records. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026 – via Apple Music.
  7. ↑ Bryant 2014, pp. 90.
  8. ↑ Wilson-Taylor, James (April 11, 2025). "My Chemical Romance To Release 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge' Deluxe Edition". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on July 23, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ My Chemical Romance (2004). "Thank You for the Venom" (Compact disc liner notes). Reprise Records. PRO15251.
  10. ↑ My Chemical Romance (2004). "Thank You for the Venom" (7-inch single liner notes). Reprise Records. 54391-6126-7.
  11. ↑ "10 lesser known My Chemical Romance songs that everyone needs to hear". Kerrang!. August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart on 25/12/2004 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  13. 1 2 "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 19/12/2004 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  14. ↑ Bryant 2014, p. 188.
  15. ↑ Bryant 2014, pp. 208
  16. ↑ Thompson, Ed (March 21, 2007). "My Chemical Romance Bring Ostentatious Behavior To The Masses". IGN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  17. ↑ Leonie, Cooper (October 24, 2010). "My Chemical Romance debut new material in London". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2026. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ Estrada, Kevin (December 21, 2019). "Here's The Setlist From My Chemical Romance's Reunion Show". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Here's My Chemical Romance's setlist from the first night of their 2022 tour". Alternative Press. May 16, 2022. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  20. ↑ Brannigan, Paul (May 16, 2022). "My Chemical Romance return to the UK: the setlist, the skinny, the social media meltdowns". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on October 15, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  21. ↑ Law, Sam (September 18, 2022). "What happened when My Chemical Romance headlined Riot Fest". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  22. ↑ Rolli, Bryan (August 3, 2025). "Photos + Review – My Chemical Romance Bring Emo Theatrics and Tour Debuts to Arlington". Loudwire. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  23. ↑ Burton, Poppy (July 1, 2026). "My Chemical Romance live in Liverpool: prodigal sons of emo make tragedy transcendental". NME. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  24. ↑ Montgomery, James (January 18, 2006). "My Chemical Romance's 'Murder' DVD Just Got Bigger". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "My Chemical Romance – Life on the Murder Scene". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ "My Chemical Romance reveal DVD details". NME. January 17, 2006. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  27. ↑ Garner, Emily (April 11, 2025). "MCR announce remixed and remastered Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (Deluxe Edition)". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on April 11, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  28. 1 2 "American single certifications – My Chemical Romance – Thank You for the Venom". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  29. ↑ Howell, Maddy (April 14, 2025). "My Chemical Romance's 'Helena' Is Now Certified 4x Platinum". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on April 13, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Eloise, Marianne (May 24, 2021). "The Story Behind The Song: My Chemical Romance's Thank You For the Venom". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on May 19, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  31. 1 2 Bryant, Tom (July 8, 2016). "The Top 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  32. 1 2 Spinks, Chloe (June 13, 2022). "Every My Chemical Romance song ranked from worst to best". Gigwise. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  33. ↑ Whitt, Cassie (July 27, 2022). "The 10 Most Metal My Chemical Romance Riffs". Loudwire. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  34. ↑ Walton, Ed (June 21, 2024). "Heavy Music History: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance". Distorted Sound Magazine. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  35. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "15 Best Emo & Post-Hardcore Albums of 2004". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  36. ↑ Eloise, Marianne (May 27, 2024). "The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs ever". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  37. ↑ McClelland, Mike. "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Kludge. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  38. ↑ JR (September 20, 2005). "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". IGN. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  39. ↑ DaveyBoy (July 4, 2008). "My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  40. ↑ Eloise, Marianne (August 30, 2020). "Every My Chemical Romance song ranked from worst to best". The Forty-Five. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thank_You_for_the_Venom&oldid=1377690472"