Annotations for AMBULANCE

Lyric: Oh, oh, oh, oh
 Oh, oh, oh, oh
 Oh, oh, oh, oh
 Oh, oh, oh, oh
Annotation:
the wailing motif present here and throughout the rest of the song mimicks the sound of an ambulance’s siren

Lyric: ’Cause we are not afraid
 And we are not ashamed
Annotation:
To me, this sounds a lot like the lines in “Welcome to the Black Parade” that say “I’m unashamed/ I’m gonna show my scars/ Give a cheer for all the broken/ Now listen here because it’s who we are.”

Lyric: Singing every piece as you walk by proving that with
 All of my mistakes, that we are not the same
Annotation:
Gerard has said that this song was written for his fans. The first line is saying how the fans know every piece of their music by heart and sing it out loud, and all of the mistakes that went into the music (perhaps Gerard’s alcoholism, drug addiction, suicidal thoughts…) was what gave emotion to the music and proved that My Chemical Romance was not the same as other ordinary bands.

Lyric: ’Cause we are not the same
 And we are all to blame
Annotation:
The writer/singer wants to “save” everyone and is trying very hard but sometimes people need to save themselves first and this theme can be found later in “Save yourself I’ll hold them back” and also on the same album in “the light behind your eyes”. He wants everyone to be happy but there is only so much he can do encouraging people to take responsibility.

Lyric: And we are up for
 Everything it takes to prove we’re not the same as them
Annotation:
This line is trying to say that they are not like all the other bands. The critics don’t know what they are singing about and don’t understand their message so they can’t judge them.

Lyric: You don’t know a thing about this life,
Annotation:
As this song is about being in MCR, and is partially a criticism of critics themselves, these lines state that, despite whatever bad or horrible things critics say, they still don’t truly know anything about the band members or their lives, so they have no right to judge them.

Lyric: And if you save my life, I’ll be the one who drives
 You home tonight
 And if I ever let you down, I’ll be the one who drives
 You home tonight
Annotation:
It was common for My Chemical Romance fans to chant  “MCR saved my life,” something the band never took credit for but appreciated that people found their own inner strength from their music. Whether or not they saved you, you’ll listen to them on your way back home. If you take it more literally, he also might be referring to the name of the song. An ambulance will drive you home when you’re injured (or to the hospital). But, if the ambulance ever lets you down, you’ll still be driven home in it. You’ll just be dead, but not lack of trying to save you.

Lyric: And we will wear our masks again, out after dark
Annotation:
MCR are known for using metaphors, personas and costumes on stage, in videos and on songs.

