Annotations for Bury Me in Black Demo

Lyric: In high explosive lies
Annotation:
In contrast to the previous lyric “white lies,” this one suggests that the lies have much more weight to them. That they hurt more people, and they aren’t just harmless and polite.

Lyric: I’ve been calling you all week for my shotgun
Annotation:
This could be a metaphor for how the narrator had to kill all of the evil men with no help. He probably had to do it with his own two hands and his lover wouldn’t even bother to try to see him or give him the “Shotgun”

Lyric: I sleep in empty pools and vacant alleyways
Annotation:
The central character of the album has changed a lot since he last saw his lover. He has transformed from a lovesick and desperate man trying to revive his lover to a murderous monster who has lost sight of his motivation. He’s still on the run, just like he was with his lover. He’s wanted by the police for his crimes. He’s been  thrown in jail once, so there’s no reason why he’d want to go back and hinder his goal even more. As a result, he’s destitute and drifts from place to place to achieve his destructive goal. His lack of money and resources means that he has to resort to sleeping in unconventional places just to survive and remain close to his targets. He is willing to sacrifice comfort and safety to accomplish his goal. He’s no longer the person his lover once knew. He’s become a puppet of the devil, dependent on his violent impulses. He’s consumed by his rage and it eventually leads to his downfall. He’s lost all sense of morality, only living for the thrill of the bloodlust. In the end, he’s the final evil soul, cursed with eternal suffering for foolishly thinking he could bring his lover back.

Lyric: And well, I can’t explain what happened to my face
Annotation:
We can assume that at the beginning of this journey he was a “good Christian boy,” but now he’s done some less-than-nice work for the devil and is reflecting on the why of it all. It’s suggested in other annotations that he’s harboring some resentment for his wife, who may not be picking up the phone. He’s changed since making that deal and it’s difficult to explain to anyone who hasn’t been through what he’s been through. This also feels like a forward-reaching parallel to verse one of  This is How I Disappear: To un-explain the unforgivable Drain all the blood and give the kids a show By streetlight, this dark night, a séance down below There’s things that I have done You never should ever know

Lyric: Blood, and purifying flame
Annotation:
The phrase “purifying flame” is also seen in MCR’s “The Only Hope For Me Is You,” which was released six years later.

Lyric: Just give us war-worn lipstick
Annotation:
To be war-worn is to be destroyed or ruined as an effect of war. The phrase “war-worn lipstick” could be referring to the protagonist in the storyline of  The Cheers for Sweet Revenge, in which a man must kill 1,000 men in order to be reunited with his lover. You can read more about it  here. This song takes place at the very end of the story, when the protagonist has killed 999 men- all but one needed for him to fulfill his deal. In this line, he is trying to cover up what he’s done- but is unsuccessful in his attempts. This is shown with “lipstick”, which is made to change things or make them appear different than they actually are. “War-worn lipstick” would mean the cover-up is ruined or damaged, possibly by his actions of committing so many murders.

Lyric: These eyes have had too much
 To drink again, tonight
Annotation:
he’s seen too much and, (like alcohol) they make him do and think some crazy things. like some of the other lines in this song (“i wanna see what your insides look like”, ect.).

Lyric: And what I’m going through
 Shot lip gloss through my veins
Annotation:
This line is likely a reference to two lyrics from  “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid.” They shot me full of ephedrine I’m gonna look pretty walking down the street In the best damn dress I own The speaker may have questioned his gender identity on his journey, something MCR frontman Gerard Way  has done in the past. It wouldn’t be a stretch — he also questions his sexuality on the high-energy  “You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison.”

Lyric: I wanna see what your insides look like (I wanna see what your insides look like)
 I bet you’re not fucking pretty on the inside (Not pretty)
 I wanna see what your insides look like (Pretty, pretty)
 I wanna see ’em
Annotation:
Here, the speaker’s past really comes to light and affects his words. Throughout the album, he’s killed a thousand evil souls, including himself, in an attempt to see his lover again. He’s likely seen quite a few internal organs in the process. This section highlights how his journey has affected his thoughts and habits, and also reveals his supposed anger towards his significant other. His sudden hostility towards his lover shows how frustrated he is by the lack of acknowledgement from her. However, it is unclear whether she knows about his malevolent pursuits. His words suggest that he wants to hurt his wife in ways similar to how he hurt his victims. Later in the song, “insides” is used metaphorically to refer to his lover’s emotions.  This line references the opening scene of the horror film,  Scream (1999) where the killer calls the first victim over the phone to taunt them before attacking.  During the  2022 reunion tour, lead singer Gerard Way performed this line with different lyrics: “You wanna see what my insides look like”, flipping the perspective.  https://twitter.com/SarahiHndez/status/1574980015665516544?t=O-PP3hNK-MmiRSQxIEecdg&s=19

Lyric: Pick up the phone
 Pick up the phone, fucker
Annotation:
The narrator is pleading with his lover to acknowledge him. He killed 1000 people, including himself, trying to be reunited with her. Although his efforts ended in failure, he still went to hell and back, literally, in an attempt to see her again. The least she could do is give him some attention! The comparison of his desperate pleas to a phone call not only give the song a 21st-century twist, but also symbolizes how easy it would be to acknowledge him. To answer a phone, you only have to press one button.  Linking into the next line, this is also a reference to the 1996 slasher horror film  Scream where the killer calls victims' phones before attacking and threatens them if they hang up the calls.

Lyric: I wanna see your eyes
 I wanna see what your insides may be like
Annotation:
Despite his seemingly  harsh feelings towards his lover, he lets his guard down and admits that he was putting up a front. In reality, he still cares deeply for her. Earlier, “insides” was used to mean her organs and literal insides, but here it takes on a metaphorical meaning, symbolizing who she is as a person.

Lyric: I said we’ll drown ourselves
 In misery, tonight
 White lies, you’ve worn out
 All your dancing shoes, this time
Annotation:
This couplet features callbacks to numerous lyrics the previous track,  “I Never Told You What I Do for A Living.” I tried, but I lied We’ll all dance along to the tune of your death We’ll laugh again In the end, the protagonist fulfilled the deal he made with the Devil, but he had to kill himself, once again separating him from his lover. He is absolutely distraught, and certainly won’t be  dancing around in joy. However, the last part of this section suggests that his lover wasn’t as deeply affected by their separation as he was; if she wore out her dancing shoes, then she was dancing, whether happily or not. At this point, the speaker may be thinking of the worst case scenario, where the girl wouldn’t be affected by the loss of her significant other.

