Twenty One Pilots are known for their upbeat instrumentals and meaningful lyrics. Formed in 2009, with only one remaining original member, is made up of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. The duo has released two albums together under the label Fueled By Ramen, which they were signed under in 2012.
Their most recent album, Blurry Face, was released on May 17, 2105. Since its release, the album is still gaining popularity. They’ve been number one on the Billboard Top 200, they performed at this year’s VMAs.
Blurry Face has been a hit. So, here’s a synopsis of each track off of their album.
1. HeavyDirtySoul: The song starts off with Tyler rapping about how it’s not a rap, and only a way to make the voices stop. It also talks about how people around use the phrase ‘you only live once,’ but still move like zombies. The chorus is when you hear the title of the song repeatedly. Dun’s drumming is clearly heard all throughout this particular song.
“Mindless zombies walking around with a limp and a hunch, saying stuff like, “you only live once.” You’ve got one time to figure it out, one time to twist and one time to shout, one time to think and I say we start now.”
2. Stressed Out: This is one of my favorites. It talks about wanting to back to when he was younger, ‘the good ole days,’ before they contaminated with stress. He goes on about how adult life is difficult for him, and he still cares about what everyone thinks of him. This song is one of their more deep and meaningful songs.
“Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days, when our momma sang us to sleep, but now we’re stressed out,”
“My name is ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think.”
3. Ride: Starting with a happy instrumental, the song then goes into depth about how people say things, but not really showing the effort to act upon their words. He just wants to enjoy his ride, although he’s “falling and thinking too much.”
“We have a list of people that we would take, a bullet for them, a bullet for you, a bullet for everybody in this room. But I don’t seem to see many bullets coming through.”
“Metaphorically, I’m the man, but literally, I don’t know what I’d do.”
4. Fairly Local: What I got from this song is that their songs would have never been on the radio if their friends had never supported them. But, Tyler does not care about it being on the radio or not, because he knows people still enjoy the music.
“Even if my clique were to pick and the people were to vote, it’s the few, the proud, and the emotional.”
5. Tear In My Heart: The happiest track on the album goes to this one. It’s about a girl that has came into his life and made it better. She broke into his heart, and he’s now better than he’s ever been.
“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, than I’ve ever been.”
6. Lane Boy: This song, in my interpretation, is about how others don’t want him to rap, and want him to stay in his “lane.” It’s also about how other songs lack much meaning anymore.
“They think this is a highway, if it is our way. We’d have a tempo change every other time change.”
“They say stay in your lane boy, but we go where we want to.”
7. The Judge: This track is about wanting to be free, but the “judge” has to be the one to set him free. He’s telling a story about how he’s fighting that poetically, and with everyday life.
“And now that my minds out, and now I hear it clear and loud I’m thinking ‘wow, I probably shoulda stayed inside my house’.”
“You’re the judge, oh no, set me free.”
8. Doubt: Not wanting his someone to leave, even though he’s struggling through anxiety and himself. Even though he doubts the person, he doesn’t want the person to leave.
“Fear might be the death of me, fear leads to anxiety.”
“Don’t forget about me even when I doubt you, I’m no good without you.”
9. Polarize: He has a lot of problems and so do his friends, and he’s hiding that. Tyler wants to come out and show up like shaking a polaroid. He wants to be a better son and a better person, but he needs help.
“Help me polarize, help me down those stairs is where I’ll be hiding all my problems.”
10. We Don’t Believe What’s On Tv: Another one song that is upbeat and will have you jumping around. It’s about TV shows being about what we want to see, and not about things that are really happening.
“We don’t believe what’s on TV because it’s what we want to see. And what we want, we know we can’t believe, we all have learned to kill our dreams.”
“I don’t care what’s in your hair, I just want to know what’s in your mind.”
11. Message Man: The lyrics can’t be relatable for everyone, as not everyone understands, just a select few. People don’t know much about him other than what he writes and wears. He warns people to be careful with the messages in his lyrics, but the people who understand are with him.
“Please use discretion when you’re messing with the message man. These lyrics aren’t meant for everyone.”
“My people singing.”
12. Hometown: Tyler’s hometown is in the dark, and his shadow follows him. The town brings back memories he doesn’t want to remember.
“Where we’re from, there’s no sun, our hometown’s in the dark.”
“Where we’re from, we’re no one.’
13. Not Today: He is aware that the lyrics contradict how happy and upbeat it sounds. Tyler is talking about how he’d rather stay in his room and but he won’t let the sadness get to him ‘today.’
“Heard you say ‘not today’, tore the curtains down, windows open now, make a sound.”
14. Goner: The slowest and most sad award goes to this song. He talks about how he is a goner but doesn’t want to be gone. He has two faces, and he needs help to get rid of the bad side.
“I’m a goner, somebody catch my breath. I want to be known by you.”
“I’ve got two faces, blurry is the one I’m not. I need your help, to take him out.”
