I'm Not Okay (I Promise)

"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
Single by My Chemical Romance
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Released	September 13, 2004
Recorded	2004
Genre	Pop-punk ; emo ; emo pop ; punk rock ;
Length	3:08
Label	Reprise; Eyeball;
Songwriter(s)	My Chemical Romance
Producer(s)	Howard Benson
My Chemical Romance singles chronology
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge track listing
	13 tracks "Helena"; "Give 'Em Hell Kid"; "To the End"; "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison"; "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"; "The Ghost of You"; "The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You"; "Interlude"; "Thank You for the Venom"; "Hang 'Em High"; "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Fucking Deathwish"; "Cemetery Drive"; "I Never Told You What I Do for a Living";
Music video
	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Dialogue/MTV Version) on YouTube

"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is the lead single and fifth track from My Chemical Romance's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" was released to radio on September 28, 2004. The song is also featured on the soundtrack of Burnout 3: Takedown.

Reception and accolades

It reached number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and, in March 2005, number 19 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also helped expand the band's fan base, and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single. The cover art was redone in live action on the inside of the band's DVD Life on the Murder Scene.

Music videos

The first music video version for the song features a montage of concert footage and the band's ordinary life in New Jersey. It was produced by Rafaela Monfradini and Greg Kaplan, who was also the director. It also features pictures of brothers, bassist Mikey Way and lead singer Gerard Way, when they were little kids and teenagers.

The second version music video depicts life inside a fictional American high school in the form of a mock movie trailer. The band appears as a group of outcast students who are repeatedly harassed by another group who are portrayed as popular kids. The band members then attempt to take on the popular kids and ultimately have a showdown in a hallway, with the band members armed with croquet mallets and the popular kids with lacrosse and hockey gear. It also has some clips expressing some emotions and clips of the band playing in a garage. The music video was directed by Marc Webb, and parts of it were filmed at Alexander Hamilton High School and Loyola High School in Los Angeles during August 2004. Greg Kaplan and Rafaelia Monfradini produced the video. The video started production on August 13, 2004. As of May 2023, the video has 106 million views on YouTube.

This version of the video was also named number one on Fuse's 25 Greatest Videos Countdown, beating out other videos such as "Basket Case" by Green Day and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.

Equipment

Ray Toro's Ebony Epiphone Les Paul Junior.
Frank Iero's 'Pansy' Ivory Epiphone Les Paul Elitist.
Mikey Way's Candy Apple Red Fender Precision Bass.
Bob Bryar's C&C Custom drumkit.

Cover versions

Matt Pond PA recorded a cover of the song for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2, which was released in November 2008. The song is a part of American musical duo Twenty One Pilots' setlist for their 2021 Takeover Tour.

Track listing

All tracks written by My Chemical Romance.

US promotional DVD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"

UK promotional CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (radio edit)	3:08

UK CD1 and 7" vinyl

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"	3:09
2.	"Bury Me in Black" (demo)	2:39

UK CD2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"	3:09
2.	"Bury Me in Black" (demo)	2:37
3.	"You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (live)	2:51
4.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (video)

UK and Australian CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"	3:09
2.	"Bury Me in Black" (demo)	2:39
3.	"You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (live)	2:51

UK re-release CD1 and iTunes single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"	3:07
2.	"You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (live from BBC Radio 1 Lock Up session)	3:30

UK re-release CD2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"	3:09
2.	"You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" (live from BBC Radio 1 Lock Up session)	3:30
3.	"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (live from MTV $2 Bill)	3:24

Credits and personnel

Gerard Way – lead and backing vocals
Ray Toro – lead guitar
Frank Iero – rhythm guitar
Mikey Way – bass guitar
Matt Pelissier – drums
Howard Benson – keyboards

Additional

Produced by Howard Benson
Mixed by Richard Costey and Simon Askew
Engineered and recorded by Dan Wise
Written by My Chemical Romance

Charts

Chart (2004−2005)	Peak positions
Australia (ARIA)	65
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	38
Scotland (OCC)	23
UK Singles (OCC)	19
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)	9
US Billboard Hot 100	86
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	4
US Pop 100 (Billboard)	64

Chart (2019)	Peak positions
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)	21

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)	Platinum	600,000^‡
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue
United States	September 12, 2004	Warner Reprise Eyeball	DVD	PRODVD101434
United Kingdom	September 12, 2004	Reprise Eyeball	CD	PRO15076
	September 13, 2004		CD	W653CD 9362427522
	March 7, 2005		7" vinyl	W666 5439160527
	March 7, 2005		CD	W666CD1 5439160522
	March 7, 2005			W666CD2 9362427962
Australia	March 28, 2005			9362427522
United Kingdom	November 7, 2005			W692CD1 5439158692
United Kingdom	November 7, 2005			W692CD2 9362428672