Annotations for Kiss the Ring

Lyric: Come hard, stay clean
Annotation:
This seems to give an idea of something like a strong impression, that isn’t “dirty”

Lyric: Is it hard to stay clean?
 And if you all keep believing, I’ll keep believing
 That the world drives the saints
Annotation:
“Is it hard to stay clean?” makes me think about the multiple relapses through the lives of the band. I will not go into detail, but it makes me think about asking the question to yourself. other people can do it, why can’t you? is it really that hard to do this? the awnser is: yes. it is. but you have to keep believing that you can CHANGE IT. throughout the song, the change is supposed ot be on other people, but the change on other people can change you yourself. and if those people don’t stop believing in you, why should you? the next line “That the world drives the saints” could also mean that the world loves to idealize the people who don’t even think about drugs or alcohol, the virgins, the people who don’t have a care in life, those who stayed happy and who’s skin isn’t littered with scars reminding you of the things wmthey went through. those who are “perfect.” they love those people, and all else is disgusting and hopeless. but they’re really NOT hopeless, it just takes others who have also been broken to see that.

Lyric: Cause the king is gone
 And if you don’t stop believing, we’ll keep believing
Annotation:
this time, the power is gone. it’s meaningless to them now. either the change has seen made, or the belief in the change stops the power from having effect. if [YOU] don’t stop believing you have the power to MAKE the change, then neither will we. this could be a refrance to many things, im my mind i think its about how gerard started my chemical romance hoping it would change the world and save lives- which it has- but you’d think they’d have to have been discouraged multiple times,. I mean, the impact they had is something that when you start a project is unbelievable. I can imagine in the recording of bullets the voice of doubt saying that they’ll be nothing, but they kept pushing. the KEPT believing that the change they made was possible, and it was.

Lyric: And if the world stops believing, I’ll keep believing
 That the world could make a change
Annotation:
this line is reoccurring throughout the song, in multiple different contexts. in this verse I think they’re saying “if the world stops believing in [CHANGE] I won’t.” the song refrances, and in a context, is about a power trip. “kiss the ring” is a symbol for when people would kiss the rings of kings as a sign of respect and powerlessness. the line “that the world could make a change” refrances things like protesting (in any form) to get a message out about changing how things are now as corrupt as they are. if everybody else stops believing that they have power to make this world change, I wont.

Lyric: It doesn’t matter if the words don’t mean a thing
Annotation:
If the words don’t mean a thing – that is, if the song has no purpose or effect, then what does it matter what they sing or do? This might be a reference to the criticism the band received about how their music has no good impact on society. This is their way of saying that if it means nothing that they do good, they might as well be bad.

Lyric: Keep the faith
Annotation:
“Keep the faith” is a phrase meaning to believe and trust in the cause. It is commonly said by Frank Iero, the band’s guitarist, who even has a tattoo of the phrase (pre-dating the song).  https://twitter.com/FrankIero/status/1107850403675365376

Lyric: You gotta kiss that ring
Annotation:
Traditionally, kissing the ring on someone’s hand is a gesture of submission or pledge of allegiance. This is another reference to how you have to be friends with the right people to succeed in the corrupt music industry.

Lyric: And let the suits watch each other kill one another
 It doesn’t matter if the words don’t mean a thing
Annotation:
This first line is talking about the corrupted music industry that this band is in the midst of. “The suits” means the rich people (in suits) that are fighting against each other for dominance or fame in this industry, because money seems to be all that matters in today’s society. The second line is saying that nowadays, it doesn’t matter if songs have no actual meaning behind them; as long as they’re catchy and can become a hit. Gerard is singing about this corruption.

Lyric: And singing songs for the damned now
Annotation:
A nod to the band’s hit,  “Welcome To The Black Parade”: He said, “Son, when you grow up, would you be The savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?” The band has developed  a reputation for reaching fans who felt like outcasts in their lives and battled with mental illness. Notoriously, British tabloid  The Daily Mail labelled the band a  “suicide cult band” after the death of a 13-year-old girl who was a fan of the band. The band  spoke out against the claims, stating: “My Chemical Romance are and always have been vocally anti-violence and anti-suicide. As a band, we have always made it one of our missions through our actions to provide comfort, support, and solace to our fans.” As recently as 2022, UK fans arranged for  a tribute flag to be handed onstage at the concert, decorated with the names of MCR fans who had passed away before the band’s reunion tour. https://twitter.com/24kviolents/status/1527419039739432991

Lyric: And put the shotgun shells in the hills it makes
Annotation:
Burying the bad times with a new beginning. During war time nations have been known to bury soldiers in hills.

Lyric: There ain’t a dry eye left in the back of the place
Annotation:
Gerard actually laughs during this line, highlighting that the band is not a death cult,  despite what some say.

Lyric: We kill the girls to get paid
 And put the whole damn room on the edge of the blade
Annotation:
My Chemical Romance poking fun at themselves. Kill the girls to get paid references their first two albums, both of which had themes involving the deaths of women. The second line is a facetious comment on the band being blamed for teenagers cutting themselves, as well as a statement that the band is truly dangerous.

Lyric: You’ll get far, stay clean
Annotation:
If this person stays away from drugs and alcohol, and doesn’t give into the naughty peer pressure of life, Gerard believes that they can be extremely successful. The lyrics’s meaning is almost similar to the famous line “Stay gold, Ponyboy” from the 1967 book  The Outsiders. Both lines imply that staying true to yourself, or “staying gold” is the best thing to do in life.

