Annotations for Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Keep your apology
Annotation:
In line with this song’s overall anti-establishment theme, depicting the evil BL/ind corporation as the antagonists of the Danger Days Universe, this lyric reads as an “up-yours” to the empty messages, promises and, crucially, apologies of corporations, or anyone in power. The phrase “keep your apology” is often followed up by an encouragement to take further action, instead of just issuing a surface level apology and failing to improve the problematic behavior. If you combine this interpretation with the next line: Give us more detonation The implication could be that “we don’t want your apologies, we want your power, your support.” In other words, a detonation.

Lyric: Kiss me, you animal!
Annotation:
In a party, like the aforementioned party where the person is drunk and thinks they are Batman, people do crazy things, like make out, run naked, or have sex. This is a small branch off of it, a person could be drunk and want to make out with the host, who could be a wild partier. That is where the “animal” comes out. The person saying this could feel in love, so they want to kiss the “party animal”.

Lyric: [Bridge: Gerard Way]
Annotation:
This bridge seems to be a homage to the  intro of David Bowie’s 1974 LP  Diamond Dogs, which is also set in a post-apocalyptic world. MCR frontman  Gerard Way has been hugely influenced by the music icon, even going as far as to say he’s  “[ripped] off Bowie [his] whole life.” In a  Tweet on March 31, 2013, Gerard Way referred to this bridge as his “best  Patti Smith impression.” Its imagery also appears to share a similarity with the poetic bridge of Patti’s  “Smells Like Teen Spirit” cover, with themes of suffering children and a loss of innocence: The empty hand of innocence […] Advancing with hands outstretched And we keep filling them with mercury nitrate, asbestos […] Scavengers picking through the ashes Children of the mills, children of the junkyards Sleepy, illiterate, fuzzy little rats […] Forgotten, foraging, mystical children

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Drop like a bullet shell
Annotation:
Like bullet shells, many people will drop (die).  And, as a bullet shell drops, a bullet is launched. This may be compared to somebody’s legacy as they die.

Lyric: Crash and burning, young and loaded
Annotation:
We’re teenagers. So basically, we’re idiots and we make some pretty stupid mistakes. At times we’re going to fail and we’re crash and burn. But we are young and we are powerful and we will get back up and fight. We get back up and try again and again until we get it right because we are loaded with so much energy, curiosity, stubbornness, and determination that we cannot fail and we will not be broken.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Make no apology
 (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) It’s death or victory
 (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) On my authority
Annotation:
Their fight against Better Living Industries is one of life and death- they cannot afford to pay attention to the conventions of society, like apologizing for their actions. In the lyric video, their authority is a microphone. Their authority, the thing that allows them to do whatever they feel is necessary without apology, is derived from the support of their fans.

Lyric: Wanna try, wanna try, wanna try
 Wanna try, wanna try now
 I’ll be your detonator
Annotation:
The verse ends with a challenge and a question: Do you want to try to improve the world? And, more importantly, what will you do to make it better? At the same time it is an offer- their music can be the inspiration for something good, so long as others further it.

Lyric: Scream out, “What will save us?”
 And the sky opened up
Annotation:
Here we see the apparent salvation of those cast aside in the corporate urbanization of Battery City. The sky “opening up” could refer to a way to heaven appearing, but could also be a jab at the pollution and smog often associated with industrial excess. These lyrics appear to pay homage to Rorschach’s opening monologue in Alan Moore’s critically acclaimed graphic novel,  Watchmen: The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will  look up and shout “Save us!”… and I’ll look down, and whisper "No.” As both a comic book fan and writer, Gerard Way has frequently cited  Watchmen as a  great source of inspiration for him as an artist. When discussing making MCR’s  “Desolation Row” cover for the movie adaptation, Gerard pinpointed the graphic novel’s first chapter as  the single thing “that shaped [his] views and aesthetics.” https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-b141514718aed77aba69e620e5697d59

Lyric: Hit the gas, kill ’em all
Annotation:
In the music video, the Killjoys spend most of their time driving around in a Trans-Am convertible ( 1979 Pontiac Firebird), fighting against the various minions of Better Living Industries. Since so much of the video centers around both their driving around and the fights they get into, this serves as a sort of battle cry for their exploits.

Lyric: The little children raise their open, filthy palms
 Like tiny daggers up to Heaven
Annotation:
This refers to both the outcast rebels in the Zones (the lands outside of Battery City) and real-life outcasts looking for an answer for their problems and pain. These lines create a contrast between the common characterizations of little children as harmless, now comparing their innocent hope to daggers. The suffering of these children is like a knife to heaven, since a knife wouldn’t be able to reach that high and young children cannot do much to change the world around them. This seems to be a reference to Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s 2000 project,  Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Dress like a sleeper cell
Annotation:
A sleeper cell refers to a cell, or isolated grouping of sleeper agents, that lies dormant until it receives orders or decides to act. They are prepared and ready for action, waiting to be given orders. In this context, it implies that the listener is supposed to act like they are normal and complacent within society, but instead to hold on to their true beliefs and spirit- their “inner Killjoy.”

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) From mall security
 (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) To every enemy
 (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) We’re on your property
 Standing in V-formation
Annotation:
No matter what kind of security you have, you are not safe from them and they will find a way into your home or your property. In addition, the line “standing in V formation” is an obvious reference to Super Sentai, a long-running Japanese super team show that became the source material for the  Power Rangers series. Just like Super Sentai groups, the Fabulous Killjoys have their own colors: yellow for Party Poison, red for Kobra Kid, green for Fun Ghoul, and blue for Jet Star. If you still can’t picture it, here’s a picture of Super Sentai in V formation:

Lyric: Oh, let me tell you ’bout the sad man
 Shut up and let me see your jazz hands
Annotation:
This is a reference to  “Behind Blue Eyes” by  The Who, which was initially written for a rock opera, the unfinished  Lifehouse. No one knows what it’s like To be the bad man, to be the sad man Behind blue eyes The futuristic story describes a society forced to wear protective Lifesuits plugged into “The Grid,” living a life that is entirely programmed and prescribed. Individuality is curtailed. The Grid is controlled by a villain called Jumbo, who complains about being misunderstood in the song’s  opening lines This reference is acknowledged by the following lines, which affirm the message from The Who’s lyrics – nobody cares about what it’s like to be the villain/downer. All the Killjoys want to do, in an ironic contrast to their name, is bring the party.

Lyric: [Intro: Dr. Death Defying]
 The future is bulletproof!
 The aftermath is secondary
 It’s time to do it now and do it loud
 Killjoys, make some noise!
Annotation:
“Na Na Na” seamlessly picks up where  “Look Alive, Sunshine” left off. This gapless transition is emblematic of how the entire album links together in a story, quite similar to how  “The End.” and  “Dead!” link on their  previous album, as well as  “The Ghost Of You” and  “The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You” on  Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge. The band is telling their fans that the outcome of something is not as important as the thing itself, and consequences don’t matter in the long run. You should do what your heart is telling you to do, regardless of the aftermath of what you’re doing. Act before you think rather than think before you act. “The Aftermath is Secondary” is the slogan of Better Living Industries, the corporation the Killjoys are fighting to take down.

Lyric: Everybody wants to change the world
 Everybody wants to change the world
 But no one, no one wants to die
Annotation:
Everyone wants to make a difference and leave a legacy, but few people are willing to sacrifice all they have in an attempt to improve society. Some of the greatest leaders and revolutionaries only got proper recognition after they died, including  Martin Luther King Jr. and  Kurt Cobain. These lines were used in  “Make Room!!!!,” one of the songs that was scrapped from  Danger Days. The band has said that “Na Na Na” was a  turning point that made them rethink the project, so they might have repurposed this section.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) I think we’d rather be
 Burning your information
Annotation:
This is a comeback against the popular “for your information,” meaning that they don’t care about those trivial things people talk about. It could also be focused against the album’s antagonists, BLI, whose corporate face is one of lifeless and sterile information. In the album and the comic books that follow, BLI always acts on information and profit rather than humanity, so this could be a comeback aimed directly at them (and, by extension, the rest of corporate America).

Lyric: Remember when you were a madman?
 Thought you was Batman (Na-na)
 And hit the party with a gas can?
Annotation:
In a  Tweet on March 31, 2013, Gerard Way revealed that the “…thought you was Batman” lyric was inspired by  “Kelly’s Heroes” by Black Grape. The mention of Batman can be linked to the song’s title –  “Na Na Na” is repeated throughout the iconic  “Batman Theme” from the 1960s television series, and has become an essential part of Batman’s identity. As a fan and writer of comic books, Gerard could be talking about his childhood, or younger years when people could seemingly do stupid and crazy things without a care. In their role as Killjoys, the band are playing superheroes, thinking they’re Batman. This could allude to the type of hero that the Killjoys wish to aspire to, while also comparing the band itself to the famous superhero. These lines could therefore be an acknowledgement of how outwardly ridiculous their efforts seem.

Lyric: Cut my hair, gag and bore me
Annotation:
Long hair and abnormal hairstyles are one of the stereotypical aspects of the rebellious youth- they are both a sign of individuality, and a constant annoyance to the older generation. These are the ways in which society can take away someone’s individuality, but they are still caught in the explosion. Basically, do what you want to hold Gerard back- it won’t work. In the lyric video of  “SING”, when Gerard (Party Poison) dies, they put his body in a corpse sack (at the end of the video). When you give this scene a closer look, you can see, that his hair is short and black instead of long and red. This can also be seen as a reference to this lyric. This line could be referencing the album’s comic “The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” where in Issue 6, the main character (who is the girl from the music video 4 years in the future) cuts her hair short, leads a group of wannabe Killjoys into Battery City only to get caught and captured on purpose by BLI. (who tie her up, referencing “gag and bore me”.) She then enters the city and uses a special ability she has that allows her to power things around her, which is commonly referred to as an explosion of some kind (Referencing the next line" Pull this pin, let this world explode"), to let all of the imprisoned robots in Battery City free from the grasp of BLI. This ends BLI’s reign over Battery City and its citizens. This event is the finale of the comic series.

Lyric: Ask angels made from neon and fucking garbage
Annotation:
This line refers to the book  Neon Angel, by Cherie Currie, in which she recounts her life as a rock star in the band  The Runaways. Neon and garbage evoke an image of urban decay, providing a deliberate contrast with the image of angels — we see angels as pure, often wearing white robes and lacking technology and urbanization. Neon angels go against every component of this. The people living in the Killjoy universe might not believe in Heaven or any supernatural beings due to how horrible their lives are. They likely have to forge their own hope with what little they have. In addition, the Killjoys wear bright colors and dirty clothes as a sign of rebellion — Killjoys are angels in the eyes of the public, fighting injustice to improve society.

Lyric: Pull this pin, let this world explode
Annotation:
When a pin is pulled from a grenade, it explodes after a short amount of time. This could literally be referring to a weapon he is using, or the grenade could be a metaphor for the world — meaning that things are about to change dramatically and irreversibly. He is ready and willing to do something drastic to change things for the greater good.  It can also be a reference to the ‘True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’ comic, where we discover the Girl is imbued with a power akin to that of a bomb. In fact, the people of Battery City call her such and at the end she ‘explodes’ and the city is freed from the Scarecrows reign.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) I’d rather go to Hell
Annotation:
It seems would rather do something violent in the cause of doing something good, rather than sit by and allow events to unfold. Then he would at least be damned and condemned to a fate he deserved instead of being subject to constant senseless and emotionless state of nothing. Purgatory could be a reference to the mindless state in which people under the control of BLI live their lives. Since the Killjoys want to eliminate this way of living, they would rather take out BLI even if it means everything “goes to hell” (which it probably will, if you take out the current social/political structure without a replacement) rather than live in this mindless state induced by BLI where they just take things at face value without really participating in their own lives or fates. This also reflects a sentiment in “Only The Good Die Young” by Billy Joel, specifically the lyric “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” Gerard Way is saying if he goes to hell, at least he did something with his life and had fun with it, rather than trying to be perfect and not really living at all.

Lyric: And right here, right now, all the way in Battery City
Annotation:
This couplet, along with the rest of the bridge, seems to be a homage to the  intro of David Bowie’s 1974 LP  Diamond Dogs. “Right here, right now” gives these lines a sense of urgency, though the fact that the immediate dangers are set in a far-off, fictional city could allude to our tendency to distance ourselves from those in need. Alternatively, “Battery City” is the location of the Killjoys' story, seen in the My Chemical Romance  music videos and  Gerard Way’s comic series, which are both set in the same universe. Also, there’s an actual city in New York called  Battery Park City.

Lyric: And all the juvie halls, and the Ritalin rats
Annotation:
This  juxtaposition between kids who are in and out of Juvenile detention facilities, and those who take Ritalin reveals two different types of people dealing with  similar problems/questions. Ritalin is a drug often prescribed for people with ADHD, but also used by people without ADHD as a study drug to improve focus and, as a result, academic performance.  In the  lyric video, a bottle of what we can assume is Ritalin is seen labelled with the Better Living Industries (BL/ind) logo. From what we know about  BL/ind’s mission statement and stranglehold over society, this could imply that Ritalin is one of the many pharmaceuticals they feed to Battery City’s inhabitants.

Lyric: You be my detonator
Annotation:
A detonator is the part of a bomb that sets off the explosion. The line asks the listener to be the one that sets him off, motivates, or activates him. Later in the song, Gerard sings that he’ll  “be your detonator,” which may be referring to him gaining confidence or motivating MCR’s fanbase.

Lyric: (And we crawl, and we crawl, and we crawl)
Annotation:
This refers to the crawling of the  aforementioned spider in their logo. It could also allude to their relationship with Better Living Industries – the corporate power of BLI puts their fictional characters in a position where they must crawl through life.

Lyric: Eight legs to the wall
Annotation:
This references the spider that appears both on the album’s cover and the hood of the car shown in this song’s music video. It also references the four band members, who have eight legs in total.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Eat plastic surgery
Annotation:
A spin on the saying “you are what you eat” calls out how common plastic surgery is. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that Americans spend  billions of dollars a year on these pricey surgeries, and all types of these procedures  cost thousands on average. This also continues on the  previous line, referring to how we ruin our bodies by living unhealthy lives, then correct it with plastic surgery. This could also be a commentary on how “fake” and insincere people can be. Within the Killjoy universe, Gerard might be calling out Better Living Industries for lying to the public via false advertising.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Let’s blow an artery
Annotation:
This refers to all the junk food people eat nowadays – the average American spends  over a thousand dollars on fast food a year. These dietary habits add up, and may cause cardiovascular diseases and high cholesterol, which could make arteries rupture. In the song’s  official lyric video, these lines are accompanied by a picture of a fast food meal, reinforcing this meaning.

Lyric: Give us more detonation
Annotation:
People want to hear dramatic stories about the stars and they want gossip, tragedy and drama. Detonation or explosion symbolises tantrums thrown by the stars, tragedy (war, massacres etc) and all the things people want to read about.

Lyric: Drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs
 I don’t need it, but I’ll sell what you got
 Take the cash and I’ll keep it
Annotation:
The speaker asks for drugs in the same verse structure that he  later uses to ask for love. However, he proclaims that he doesn’t need it, and instead want to sell it, perhaps to fund the Killjoy’s lifestyle. In the context of the album’s universe, drugs could refer to the various means of mind control used by BLI. For example, BLI sells Plus, a battery pack for androids, which they engineer to become profitably addictive. On a broader front, this section could be a commentary on how money can be more addicting than drugs.

Lyric: Love, gimme love, gimme love
 I don’t need it, but I’ll take what I want from your heart
 And I’ll keep it in a bag in a box
 Put an X on the floor
 Gimme more, gimme more, gimme more
 (Shut up and sing it with me)
Annotation:
He wants your love. Since he doesn’t need it right now, he’ll keep it safe until he does, by putting it in a bag and burying it where “x marks the spot,” like on a treasure map. He will store the love where he stores all his other treasures to keep them safe.

Lyric: (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) You run the company
 (Na, na-na-na, na-na-na) Fuck like a Kennedy
Annotation:
This refers to the Kennedy political family – most notable for former US president John F. (JFK), but also including his brother Robert. They were well known for their lifestyle; the two of them partied and had sex  a lot. This line is commenting that those who have power can give themselves the things most often associated with power. This creates the sort of positive-feedback loop that gives you the corrupt corporations embodied by Better Living Industries. It also encourages a definition of power based on things like sex, drugs, and high-class parties. All of which, the song argues, are ultimately empty.  John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe

