Vampire Money

Album: Danger Days: True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • MCR were offered huge sums to contribute a song to the Twilight soundtrack series because of the band's connections with goth culture. The quartet refused as they loath what goth has become. Frontman Gerard Way told the British music magazine NME: "That's why the song 'Vampire Money' is on there, because there's a lot of people chasing that f--king money. Twilight? A lot of people around us were like, 'Please, for the love of God, do this f--ing movie.' But we'd moved on."
  • Way explained to Q magazine why the band loath what has happened to goth culture: "We were the only kids in black wearing mascara playing heavy music in the punk clubs where we were from. With things like Twilight the idea of anything gothic like vampires wasn't scary any more, they were sexy or contemplative. To me vampires are the new Jonas Brothers. So we've gone the opposite way."
  • Guitarist Ray Toro (from Spin magazine): "Gerard wrote those lyrics to the song as if to say, 'If you want a song for the movie this is what's it's going to be.' The phrase 'vampire money' came when we were doing an interview and the guy asked us if we were going to get some of that 'vampire money' that everybody wants. So that's what the song's about. I think songs for soundtracks can be cool but we don't really buy into the movie. We don't personally enjoy it but that's not to say it's bad."
  • Way explained to Billboard magazine why this was selected as the closing track for Danger Days: "I'd like to think of 'Vampire Money' as the end credit because originally, the record ended with just the blast of sound [on "Goodnite, Dr. Death"]. We brought in 'Vampire Money,' which is the second song we recorded and it's this pure kind of punk rock energy, channeling Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, even the originators of punk. Obviously it's a standard 1-4-5 type of riff and you've heard that before, but it's about the now for us. It feels like we're breaking the fourth wall and saying, 'Now we're going to play just the four guys in the band.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.