Any Twenty One Pilots fans out there? Do you have your favorite Twenty One Pilots quote memorized by heart? Do you consider yourself as a lifelong member of the Skeleton Clique? It’s not hard to spot a fan of this Ohio-based alternative rock band. And the group of dedicated TØP fans have only grown over the years, their songs capturing the hearts of thousands of people. What makes them so special?
We asked die-hard fans how Twenty One Pilots quotes changed their lives.
“Car Radio”
“I hate this car that I’m driving/There’s no hiding for me/I’m forced to deal with what I feel/There is no distraction to mask what is real/I could pull the steering wheel”
“I have these thoughts/So often I ought/To replace that slot/With what I once bought/’Cause someone stole by car radio/And now I just sit in silence”
“I ponder of something terrifying/’Cause this time there’s no sound to hide behind/I find over the course of our human existence/One thing consists of consistence/And it’s that we’re all battling fear/Oh dear, I don’t know if we know why we’re here/Oh my,/Too deep/Please stop thinking/I liked it better when my car had sound”
“Peace will win/And fear will lose/There’s faith and there’s sleep/We need to pick one please, because/Faith is to be awake/And to be awake is for us to think/And for us to think is to be alive”
Music serves as a great distraction during long car rides. Instead of worrying about things, you can just jam to the radio. But what happens when you don’t have access to music and are forced to face your anxieties? TØP entertains this idea, and comes to the conclusion that sometimes facing your inner demons is difficult, but necessary.
“Stressed Out”
“I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink,/But now I’m insecure and I care what people think.”
“Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,/When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.”
“We used to play pretend, give each other different names,/We would build a rocket ship and then we’d fly it far away,/Used to dream of outer space but now they’re laughing in our face,/Saying, ‘Wake up, you need to make money.’”
Ever feel like you’re growing up too fast? Instead of living carefree days, millennials feel sucked into the stressful world of student loans, bills and jobs. You don’t feel like a kid anymore, and for some people this fact becomes too scary. This song sounds like an anthem for millennials who want to stay kids forever. Nostalgia at its finest.
“Holding Onto You”
“I’m open a moment and closed when you show it/Before you know it, I’m lost at sea.”
“Fight it,/Take the pain, ignite it,/Tie a noose around your mind/Loose enough to breathe fine and tie it/To a tree. Tell it, ‘You belong to me./This aint a noose, this is a leash./And I have news for you: you must obey me.”
“You are surrounding all my surroundings,/Twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes.”
Grappling with depression and anxiety can be scary. It distorts your perspective of the world (like a kaleidoscope) and ruins your life. Through this song, Twenty One Pilots want you to know that you can fight those thoughts and gain control over them. For those struggling, this song helps you get through all that.
“Lane Boy”
“They say, ‘Stay in your lane, boy, lane boy,’/But we go where we want to”
“I wasn’t raised in the hood,/But I know a thing or two about pain and darkness/If it wasn’t for this music, I don’t know how I would’ve fought this”
“I’m in constant confrontation with what I want and what is poppin’/In the industry/It seems to me/That singles on the radio are currency/My creativity’s only free when I’m playin’ shows”
With fame comes great responsibility. Now that TØP is becoming part of the mainstream world, singer-songwriter Tyler Joseph grapples with satisfying his record label and himself. He acknowledges how the band has helped him overcome inner demons, but he only feels like himself when he’s performing for his fans, not for his record label. For him, the reward lies in the fans, not in the money.
“Trees”
“I know where you stand,/Silent in the trees,/And that’s where I am/Silent in the trees./Why won’t you speak/Where I happen to be?/Silent in the trees/Standing cowardly.”
“I can feel your breath./I can feel my death./I want to know you./I want to see./I want to say hello.”
Finding a relationship with God or any sort of higher power, who hides everywhere in this world, can prove to be more difficult than expected. Here, the speaker searches for that connection in order to save himself. However, it frustrates him that cannot find something supposed to save him from his misery.
“Tear in My Heart”
“She’s the tear in my heart, I’m alive,/She’s the tear in my heart, I’m on fire,/She’s the tear in my heart, Take me higher,/Then I’ve ever been.”
“My heart is my armor,/She’s the tear in my heart,/she’s a carver,/She’s a butcher with a smile, cut me farther,/Than I’ve ever been.”
At some point in most people’s lives, people find that special someone who breaks down their mental barriers. In this song, the powerful force of love undeniably saves whoever suffers from pain. It may not always be pretty, but it is always worth the trouble at the end.
“Forest”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdq09w96xbU
“I don’t wanna be heard/I want to be listened to”
“I scream, you scream, we all scream/’Cause we’re terrified of what’s around the corner/We stay in place/’Cause we don’t want to lose our lives/So let’s think of something better.”
People suffering from mental illness often feel insignificant and alone in their pain. This song tells those people that they aren’t alone. If this song brings people together to battle their inner demons and survive, then it has served its purpose.
“Heavydirtysoul”
“This is not rap, this is not hip-hop,/Just another attempt to make the voices stop,/Rapping to prove nothing, just writing to say something”
Another great song that showcases the struggle for those with depression and other mental illnesses. People have different ways to try and cope with their inner demons, and for the speaker, writing thoughts out serves that purpose. The song encourages people to find an outlet to express their feelings and simultaneously asks for help to conquer them.
Guns for Hands
“Let’s take this one second at a time,/Let’s take this one song, this one rhyme,/Together, let’s breathe,/Together, to the beat,/But there’s hope out the window,/So that’s where we’ll go,/Let’s go outside and all join hands”
This song depicts what suicidal people face on a daily basis, and tries to calm them down and help them get past their dark thoughts. Sometimes, it takes a special song to really help a troubled person triumph through their depression. They learn that they don’t suffer by themselves, and there’s no need to.
More on Twenty One Pilots Quotes and Why We Love TØP
“I love TØP not because they have the best vocals or because they have the catchiest beat but because of the heart and soul they put into every song. The lyrics are so meaningful and really helped me go through a tough time (not to sound like every emo fan ever). Vessel was one of the first albums that I completely and utterly loved. And don’t even get me started on the energy and the love they put into their shows. At first there was very little production, it was just two guys performing because they loved it. By the second show that I went to they’d created a story and allowed one song to flow from the next while also expressing themselves and putting on a show not because they had to but they needed to.” – Simren Singh, sophomore, Montgomery College
“Twenty One Pilots is a revolutionary band that has literally created an army of followers. They have always been there for me through the worst of times, and will always help me feel better when I’m down. Their concert was the first concert I ever broke down at. They truly take your emotions to the next level. It’s honestly amazing that they can be the first band to do that to me and I’ve seen over 200 in my life so far. They are such an inspiration to all artists and creators around the world. I am a proud fan of them because I respect what they stand for.” – Dylan Sheridan, sophomore, Full Sail University
“TØP, to me, is a band of outcasts. They stand for the underdogs, the bullied, the beaten down and defeated teens that seek solace from their music. TØP hasn’t personally changed my life but I can see how they would be influential enough to influence others, because the band members are so down to earth and the music speaks to the depressed, anxious teens who take the words as gospel.” – Sophie Baker, sophomore, University of Central Arkansas
“The first time I saw TØP was in November 2011 in Cleveland. That was the exact sold out concert that made multiple record labels fight for them. They had an inspirational amount of energy for the fans that I was inspired by. I knew the reason they were in front of us was to share their love of music to everyone around them. They give me a reason to keep going, to keep finding myself, to shut down the negatives of the world, to find the positives, to shut down my own blurryface and bring myself out. Their lyrics help me to realize I am human and I will never be perfect.” – Amber Boone, junior, Boise State University
“I love Twenty One Pilots because not only do they have a really different and unique sound, but their songs cover a lot of diverse topics as well. It’s refreshing to see a band that does something so different. My favorite song is ‘Guns for Hands’ because it’s the first song I heard by them and it made me fall in love with them.” – Angela Assurian, junior, University of Maryland
“I like Twenty One Pilots because they make music that I want to listen to. Their music is about believing in yourself and describes your feelings of anxiety. They help me get over my depression and stress. There’s a lot of things in their music to make you fall in love with them.” – Pawan Pareek, Shivaji University
“I love how honest their song lyrics are. For a lot of people going through those things, that honesty makes their songs 10x more relatable. You know that no matter what you’re going through, there are others who feel the same way. A lot of the songs I like have that honesty.” – Yasmeen Brooks, sophomore, University of Maryland
“My favorite song by Twenty One Pilots is probably “Stressed Out.” There are some songs that you quickly get sick of every time it comes on the radio, but whenever it comes on I love blasting it on my radio. It’s just so relatable for anyone my age. I really do wish that I could return to my childhood and forgo all these responsibilities that comes with getting older and going to college.” –Manny Salazar, senior, University of Texas
“The thing I love most about Twenty One Pilots is that their songs have such a deeper meaning than anything else on the radio. Their lyrics are kind of weird at first listen, but they make you think about things that you kind of put on the back burner in your head, you know? Like in their song “Stressed Out” it talks about missing being a little kid and having dreams and that’s something we didn’t really notice was happening to us as we grew up.” – Rachel Dumene, junior, James Madison University
“I love twenty one pilots because they have the kind of lyrics you can pick apart. Every person that listens to one of their songs can take something different from it and make it their own which makes the music special to everyone. My favorite song by them is “Migraine,” it’s the first song I ever heard of theirs and it’s got a lot of room for interpretation.” – Millicent Phillips, junior, Liberty University
Here are nine more fan-favorite TØP songs, lyrics and their significance.
Migraine
“Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind”
“We should take a moment and hold it and keep it frozen and know that life has a hopeful undertone.”
“But I know, we’ve made it this far, kid.”
The song Migraine confronts struggles with mental illness, specifically depression head-on. Instead of sugar-coating their struggles, Twenty One Pilots stresses the idea that the battle with depression is one that occurs within the mind and it can be painful. Twenty One Pilots also stresses that the battle with depression does not have to be fought alone, and survivors should be proud of themselves.
House of Gold
“I will make you queen of everything you see. I’ll put you on the map. I’ll cure you of disease.”
“We’ll pretend that you and me, lived ever after happily.”
The song House of Gold is a conversation that Tyler Joseph of Twenty One Pilots has with his mother. The conversation begins as the two of them discussing the American Dream until he has a realization. The rest of the song conveys the idea that life shouldn’t be based solely on dreams and people should live in the moment before it’s too late. “Twenty One Pilot’s music always has a message behind it. They were the first concert I ever went to and it was an amazing experience,” SUNY Old Westbury junior Jennifer Boshans said. This duo teaches fans that they are not alone.
Truce
“Now the night is coming to an end. The sun will rise and we will try again.”
“Stay alive, stay alive for me.”
Truce is about Twenty One Pilots trying to convince their entire audience, both young and old alike, that life is beautiful and worth living. They try to put themselves in their audience’s shoes to keep give their fans motivation to stay alive and not turn to suicide in tough times. “Twenty One Pilots has a range of songs that can explain how you feel even if you can’t explain it yourself. The band’s music has also changed as each fan has, showing growth but still resembling the roots of what they originally stood for. Each song is a ballad for life and recovery,” Molloy College freshman Liz Gregory said.
We Don’t Believe What’s On TV
“Cause if you stick around, I’ll sing you pretty sounds”
“I don’t care what’s in your hair. I just want to know what’s on your mind.”
“I used to say I want to die before I’m old but because of you, I might think twice.”
Have you ever felt like you were too invested in social media? Yeah, we’ve all been there. In We Don’t Believe What’s On TV, Twenty One Pilots talks about how everyone is too wrapped up in social media and they believe everything said online. They are stressing the idea that they don’t care about online profiles but instead people’s personalities and feelings. In the end, Twenty One Pilots is sending the message that media isn’t an accurate portrayal of real-life nor should it be seen as such.
Levitate
“My heart is with you hiding, but my mind’s not made.”
“This culture is a poacher of overexposure, not today.”
Levitate is about feeling stuck living with mental illness and feeling like there is no escape. However, in the song, Twenty One Pilots do escape and they do so by learning to levitate and breathe fire. While these things are fictional, the universal message of the song is that there are many routes that people can take as means for escaping their mental illnesses.
Jumpsuit
“If you need anyone, I’ll be right there. But you’ll have to tie me down and then break both my hands.”
“I can’t believe how much I hate, pressures of a new place roll my way.”
The song Jumpsuit is basically a metaphor for people in your life who would be considered bystanders. People including friends and family members are there to show their support when things go wrong. “Twenty One Pilots reminds me of a time of emotional vulnerability but also feeling loved and supported by good friends. I love that whenever I listen to Twenty One Pilots I’m reminded of happy times and the happy emotions I was feeling at the time,” SUNY Geneseo Junior Erin Carlin said. In the end, it’s all about remembering that there are people who care and who will be there with you throughout your life.
Neon Gravestones
“Promise me this, if I lose to myself, you won’t mourn a day, and you’ll move onto someone else.”
“I’ll mourn for a kid, but won’t cry for a king.”
“Find your grandparents or someone of age. Pay some respects for the path that they’ve paved.”
Neon Gravestones is all about not giving in to the negative feelings that come along with different mental illnesses including depression. Twenty One Pilots suggest that instead of thinking negative thoughts, that people should immerse themselves in music and talk to their loved ones about how they’re feeling. It’s all about not giving in to your demons.
Morph
“Are we in love and is it possible we feel the same.”
“Defense mechanism mode, I’ll morph to someone else.”
Have you ever felt like you’d be better off if you were someone different from yourself? The song Morph is all about Tyler Joseph talking about morphing into somebody that he isn’t. His reasoning for wanting to change was to save himself from his tormentors, in this case, his own mind. Yeah, we’ve all been there. “Twenty One Pilots sends a certain message with their music. Their holds meaning and tackles issues like self-doubt, and says ‘you’re not alone, we’ve got your back,’” Stony Brook University Junior Michael Marella said.
Heathens
“Just because we check the guys at the door doesn’t mean our brains will change from hand grenades”
“Please don’t make any sudden moves. You don’t know the half of the abuse.”
Finally, the song Heathens conveys the message that people should be careful before judging people they meet at first glance. Twenty One Pilots addresses their fans and explains that everyone has hidden issues and different opinions but In the end all people deserve respect.
Updated to include nine more TØP songs on 1/20/20 by Mia Perlman.
