Lead singer Gerard Way explained:
"It's a commentary on kids being viewed as meat; by the government and by society. That's how I felt in school, and after 9/11 happened that's how I felt in general. It's very important that this song is here because I always viewed this as about these kids in the parade who had killed themselves, who had made a big mistake. It's a very powerful song."
The constant use of proper nouns may make the song a little confusing. There are three separate entities being referenced: "respectable" society, teenagers in general, and you (a teenager). The first verse is about the relationship with society and teenagers. Because "All teenagers scare the living s--t" out of the rest of society, they keep them on a short leash. The second verse is about you - a homicidal teenager, and how teenagers scare the living s--t out of you too.
Lyrics
They're gonna clean up your looks with all the lies in the books
To make a citizen out of you
Because they sleep with a gun and keep an eye on you, son
So they can watch all the things you do
Because the drugs never work, they're gonna give you a smirk
'Cause they got methods of keeping you clean
They're gonna rip up your heads, your aspirations to shreds
Another cog in the murder machine
They said "All teenagers scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed"
So, darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me
The boys and girls in the clique, the awful names that they stick
You're never gonna fit in much, kid
But if you're troubled and hurt, what you got under your shirt
Will make them pay for the things that they did
They said "All teenagers scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed"
So, darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me, oh, hoo yeah!
They said "All teenagers scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed"
So, darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me, all together now!
"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed"
So, darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me, yeah!
"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed"
So, darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me!
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