Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us: an analysis

Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us is the second track off My Chemical Romance's first album: I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. This song is incredibly important to me and (in my opinion) is the best song off the track. 

To start us off: the analysis. This song has song lyrics that I think resonate with a lot of people. The first few lines already detail Gerard's/the band's/ the characters substance abuse (The amount of pills I'm taking/ Counteracts the booze I'm drinking/ And all this vanity I'm breaking/ Lets me live my life like this). These few lines and others lead me to believe that this song is about substance abuse and/or their relationship with it. However, this song most likely is about the demolition lovers relationship, if thought about within the context of the album. The next few lines continue to show the character's sense of self awareness and semi-contentedness with their ways (Well, I'll choose the life I've taken/ Never mind the friends I'm making/ And the beauty that I'm faking/ Let me live my life like this).

Going into the chorus is when the most likely theme of relationship problems comes out. The lines show how even the character thinks that things are not going well (And well, I find it hard to stay/With the words you say/ Oh baby, let me in/ Oh baby, let me in/ And you can cry all you want to/ I don't care how much/ You invest yourself in me/ We're not working out (we're not working out)/ We're not working out (we're not working out). The alternate subject of substance abuse is still prevalent in these lines as Gerard and/or the rest of the band could be talking to a personified version of their addiction or substance. this could also be interpreted as the substance talking to the user about how their prolonged use may be ruining them (And you can cry all you want to/ I don't care how much/ You invest yourself in me/ We're not working out (we're not working out)/ We're not working out (we're not working out). Though its a long shot, it can still be a comprehensible guess. 

Now these next few lines heavily support both the themes of relationship issues and substance abuse. (And you can't touch my brother/ And you can't keep my friends/ Yeah, we're not working out/ And we're not working out) Gerard is very close with his brother and the both of them have struggled with substance abuse in the past, much like the rest of the band. The few verses in this segment could show that Gerard didn't want Mikey to go through the same struggles in the same way that he did. similarly, the verse after could also be about Gerard not wanting his band mates and friends to stay in their bad habits. These next lines could be about the user regretting their use of the substance (This time I mean it/ Never mind the times I've seen it/ Well, I hope I'm not mistaken/ By the news I heard from waking/ And it's hard to say I'm shaken/ By the choices that I make). 

However, the full verse could very much still be about relationship problems. After a breakup, a person would need a semi-unbiased support system and that can't happen if the other person tries to get with their ex's brother or even just keep their mutual friends. The ending of the verse detail the character's lashing out at the first few signs of a struggling relationship and not being surprised at their decisions. 

The rest of the song continues with little changes to he verses or refrains but a new wording in the ending of the second chorus could suggest the character getting much angrier and truly meaning the words OR Gerard talking about his brothers substance abuse and hoping that it won't stay that way, as well as knowing that has friends won't be completely ruined by the substances. (And you can't keep my brother/ And you won't fuck my friends)

This was my interpretation of the song, but feel free to comment your thoughts! I hope this wasn't too long and was at least somewhat comprehensible as I have a tendency to talk/write a lot. Thx for reading!