RockLists.com
Cover of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance
Cover: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge

Song · My Chemical Romance

“Helena” by My Chemical Romance

From the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)

“Helena” by My Chemical Romance appears on 32 radio countdowns from 18 stations between 2005 and 2026. It was first released in 2004 on the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Its best result is #4 on the 89X Top 89 Songs of 2005. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #25 alternative song of 2005, #1,226 alternative song of all time and #245 of the '00s.

32countdowns
18stations
#4best position
0#1 finishes
2top 10 finishes
2005–2026years charted

Watch

My Chemical Romance - Helena [Official Music Video - 4K Film Restored]

Video from YouTube (My Chemical Romance). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Helena", also known as "Helena (So Long & Goodnight)", comes from My Chemical Romance's second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, released in 2004, and it's a funeral march you can pogo to. Gerard Way and Mikey Way wrote it for their grandmother, who died while the band was on tour and couldn't get to her during her final year. It was one of the last songs written for the record, yet the path Gerard took with it shaped the rest of the album.

Howard Benson produced it and Rich Costey mixed it, and Ray Toro and Frank Iero's guitars charge while Gerard wails like a mourner at the altar. Marc Webb shot the video in a Los Angeles church. It became the band's breakout: their first big Billboard Hot 100 hit, number one on the UK Rock & Metal chart, 4x Platinum in the US, and 5 MTV Video Music Award nominations in 2005, though it went home empty-handed. Live, it usually closes the show.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
2005 13 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 2005 107
2005 15 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 2005 91
2005 18 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 2005 106
2005 20 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 2005 101
2005 25 WFNX Boston, MA WFNX Top 100 Songs of 2005 100
2005 4 89X Detroit, MI / Windsor, ON 89X Top 89 Songs of 2005 89
2005 19 CD101 Columbus, OH CD101 Top 101 Songs of 2005 101
2005 44 CHOI Radio X Quebec City, QC CHOI Top 98 Songs of 2005 98
2005 12 The Buzz Burlington, VT / Plattsburgh, NY / Montreal, QC The Buzz Top 99 Songs of 2005 99
2005 24 Channel 104.9 San Jose, CA Channel 104.9 Top 104.9 Songs of 2005 105
2005 5 88.3 The Sting Cleveland, OH 88.3 The Sting WBWC Top 40 Songs of 2005 40
2005 56 102.7 WEQX Southern Vermont and the Capital District of New York (Albany) WEQX Top 102.7 of 2005 103
2005 47 X96 Salt Lake City, UT X96 Top 50 Songs of 2005 50
2005 20 Radio & Records United States (national airplay chart) Radio & Records Top 100 Songs of 2005 100
2005 33 ModernRock.com Online ModernRock.com Top 400 Songs of 2005 400

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
2006 403 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 342 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2007 149 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 235 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 234 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 225 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 200 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 190 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 175 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 432 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014) 500
2015 465 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015) 500
2019 327 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019) 500
2022 579 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 2000s 907
2023 362 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023) 500
2023 395 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2025 904 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 21st Century 909
2026 470 101X 101X 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: Helena (So Long And Goodnight); Helena (So Long and Goodnight); Helena (So Long & Goodnight).

Charting alongside it in 2005

Best songs of 2005 →
  1. 1Best of YouFoo Fighters
  2. 2Feel Good Inc.Gorillaz
  3. 3Beverly HillsWeezer
  4. 4The Hand That FeedsNine Inch Nails
  5. 5HolidayGreen Day
  6. 6Speed of SoundColdplay

Comments

Log in or create a free account to join the conversation about "Helena" by My Chemical Romance.

Be kind and stay on topic. Guidelines

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.