Photo: Twenty One Pilots | Shy Away
This band has a way with words, for sure.
By Helen Luc — Written on Apr 15, 2021
Twenty One Pilots is an American duo known for their electronic music that mixes elements of indie-pop, rock, and hip hop. Shortly after forming their duo, Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph released their self-titled album, "Twenty-One Pilots," in 2009, and their second album, "Regional at Best," was released in 2011.
Their third album "Vessel," released in 2013, became a commercial success and broke the duo into mainstream music. Following the success of "Vessel," they went on to release "Blurryface" in 2015 and "Trench" in 2018.
Twenty One Pilots' sixth studio album, "Scaled and Icy," is set to be released on May 21, 2021, which includes their newly released single, "Shy Away".
Fans of the duo praise them for their honest lyrics about love and life.
In an interview with Paper Magazine, Joseph said, “I guess when I first started writing music I really had no idea if anyone was ever going to hear... what I was writing and almost no intention of people hearing it. So, it was kind of this journal. It was pretty unfiltered.”
As a result of his unfiltered writing style, many of the lyrics are honest and completely relatable. For example, their album "Blurryface" is about insecurities that everyone can relate to. In an interview with MTV, Joseph stated that the character of Blurryface "represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around, are insecure about."
If there's one good thing lockdown gave us its new music, as Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun reportedly made their sixth album, "Scaled and Icy," while quarantining in their respective homes.
The two collaborated on the album almost completely virtually, with Joseph writing and producing in his home and Dun recording and engineering his drum takes from across the country. That's some serious dedication!
The first single from the album, "Shy Away," was released on April 7, 2021, and thanks to their fans who have been waiting for a new album since 2018, it's already doing well. The single has trumped up over 10 million streams since its release!
And according to Genius, the album will have a total of 11 new tracks on it. But make no mistake, these songs will also be in line with their honest and sometimes haunting lyrics on life.
104 Best Twenty One Pilots Quotes And Song Lyrics:
1. "When you get home / You barely recognize the pictures / They put in a frame" —"Shy Away," Twenty One Pilots
2. Shed your modesty / And the only thing to leave behind / Is your own skin on the floor" —"Shy Away," Twenty One Pilots
3. "When I get home / You better not be there / We're placing bets you won't" —"Shy Away," Twenty One Pilots
4. "Don't you shy away / Manifest a ceiling / When you shy away / Searchin' for that feelin' / Just like an 'I love you' / That isn't words / Like a song he wrote, that's never heard" —"Shy Away," Twenty One Pilots
5. "Empathy might be on the brink of extinction / They will play a game and say/ They know what you're going through" —"Kitchen Sink," Twenty One Pilots
6. "Though I am bruised, face of contusions/ Know I'll keep movin'" —"Cut My Lip," Twenty One Pilots
7. "My heart is with you hiding, but my mind's not made/ Now they know it like we both knew for some time" — "Levitate," Twenty One Pilots
8. “There's miles of land in front of us / And we're dying with every step we take / We're dying with every breath we make / And I'll fall in line” —"March To The Sea," Twenty One Pilots
9. "Set me free / I know my soul's freezing / Hell's hot for good reason / So please, take me" —"The Judge," Twenty One Pilots
10. "For if and when we go above, the question still remains / Are we still in love and is it possible we feel the same?"— "Morph," Twenty One Pilots
11. " Are you searching for purpose? / Then write something, yeah it might be worthless / Then paint something then, it might be wordless / Pointless curses, nonsense verses / You'll see purpose start to surface" —"Kitchen Sink," Twenty One Pilots
12. “No one looks up anymore / 'Cause you might get a raindrop in your eye / And heaven forbid / They see you cry as we fall in line” —"March To The Sea," Twenty One Pilots
13. "The sun will rise and we will try again" —"Truce," Twenty One Pilots
14. "I will tell you I love you / But the muffs on your ears will cater your fears"— "Oh Ms. Believer," Twenty One Pilots
15. "When everyone you thought you knew deserts your fight / I'll go with you" —"My Blood," Twenty One Pilots
16. “I don’t fall slow like I used to / I fall straight down / You’ve stolen my air catcher that kept me safe and sound” —"Air Catcher," Twenty One Pilots
17. "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" —"Heavydirtysoul," Twenty One Pilots
18. "Please, take my hand, we're in foreign land" —"Oh Ms. Believer," Twenty One Pilots
19. "The only difference between life and dying is one is trying / That's all we're called to do / So try to love me and I'll try to save you" —"Lovely," Twenty One Pilots
20. “I’m not sure I want to give you tools that can destroy my heart” —"Air Catcher," Twenty One Pilots
21. "You fell asleep in my car / I drove the whole time / But that’s okay I’ll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine" —"Tear in My Heart," Twenty One Pilots
22. "Panic on the brain, world has gone insane / Things are starting to get heavy, mm / I can't help but think I haven't felt this way" —"Level of Concern," Twenty One Pilots
23. "I think you would beat the moon in a pretty contest / And the moon just happened to be the very first thing that I missed" —"Air Catcher," Twenty One Pilots
24. “Sometimes we will die and sometimes we will fly away / Either way you’re by my side until my dying days” —"Taxi Cab," Twenty One Pilots
25. "Need you now / I need you now" —"Level of Concern," Twenty One Pilots
26. "Don't wanna call you in the nighttime / Don't wanna give you all my pieces / Don't wanna hand you all my trouble / Don't wanna give you all my demons" —"The Run and Go," Twenty One Pilots
27. "Get up, cause the world has left you lying on the ground" —"Johnny Boy," Twenty One Pilots
28. “It ain't the speakers that bump hearts / It's our hearts that make the beat” —"Holding On To You," Twenty One Pilots
29. "I'm a pro at imperfections and I'm best friends with my doubt" —"The Judge," Twenty One Pilots
30. "'Cause I told you my level of concern / But you walked by like you never heard / And you could bring down my level of concern / Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay" —"Level of Concern," Twenty One Pilots
31. "You'll have to watch me struggle from several rooms away / But tonight I'll need you to stay" —"The Run and Go," Twenty One Pilots
32. “I begin to assemble what weapons I can find / 'Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind” —"Migraine," Twenty One Pilots
33. "But it’s fun to fantasize" —"Ride," Twenty One Pilots
34. “I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink / But now I’m insecure and I care what people think” —"Stressed Out," Twenty One Pilots
35. “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” —"Guns For Hands," Twenty One Pilots
36. “The songs on the radio are okay / But my taste in music is your face” —"Tear in My Heart," Twenty One Pilots
37. “I don’t wanna be heard / I want to be listened to” —"Forest," Twenty One Pilots
38. "I find over the course of our human existence / One thing consists of consistence / And it’s that we’re all battling fear" —"Car Radio," Twenty One Pilots
39. "Used to dream of outer space but now they’re laughing in our face / Saying, ‘Wake up, you need to make money.’” —"Stressed Out," Twenty One Pilots
40. “Hello, I've been traveling in the deserts of my mind / And I haven't found a drop of life” —"Addict with a Pen," Twenty One Pilots
41. “I can feel your breath / I can feel my death / I want to know you / I want to see / I want to say hello” —"Trees," Twenty One Pilots
42. “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” —"Tear in My Heart," Twenty One Pilots
43. "There’s no hiding for me / I’m forced to deal with what I feel" —"Car Radio," Twenty One Pilots
44. "No one else is dealing with your demons, meaning maybe defeating them could be the beginning of your meaning, friend” —"Kitchen Sink," Twenty One Pilots
45. "You like to sleep alone / It’s colder than you know 'cause your skin is so used to colder bones / It’s warmer in the morning than what it is at night / Your bones are held together by your nightmare and your frights" —"The Pantaloon," Twenty One Pilots
46. "I can’t see past my own nose / I’m seeing everything in slow-mo" —"Screen," Twenty One Pilots
47. "Hello! We haven’t talked in quite some time / I know I haven’t been the best of sons"— "Addict with a Pen," Twenty One Pilots
48. “You will hide from everyone, denying you need someone to exterminate your bones / Friend, please remove your hands from over your eyes for me” —"Friend, Please," Twenty One Pilots
49. "Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days / When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out" —"Stressed Out," Twenty One Pilots
50. "Every time I feel selfish, ambition is taking my vision and my crime is my sentence / Repentance is taking commission, it’s taking a toll on my soul" —"Fall Away," Twenty One Pilots
51. "I wanna fall inside your ghost and fill up every hole inside my mind / And I want everyone to know that I am half a soul divided" —"Taxi Cab," Twenty One Pilots
52. “Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young / How come I’m never able to identify where it’s coming from? / I’d make a candle out of it if I ever found it” —"Stressed Out," Twenty One Pilots
53. "You don’t know what I’ve done / I’m wanted and on the run / So, I’m taking this moment to live in the future" —"Message Man," Twenty One Pilots
54. "I'd live for you and that's hard to do even harder to say / When you know it's not true" —"Ride," Twenty One Pilots
55. "You are tired / You are hurt / A moth ate through your favorite shirt and all your friends fertilize the ground you walk" —"The Pantaloon," Twenty One Pilots
56. “We should take a moment and hold it and know that life has a hopeful undertone” —"Migraine," Twenty One Pilots
57. "I feel for you but when did you believe you were alone?" —"Friend, Please," Twenty One Pilots
58. "I just wanna stay in the sun where I find I know it's hard sometimes / Pieces of peace in the sun's peace of mind" —"Ride," Twenty One Pilots
59. "The world around us is burning, but we’re so cold" —"Fairly Local," Twenty One Pilots
60. “Don’t forget about me even when I doubt you / I’m no good without you.” —"Doubt," Twenty One Pilots
61. "I'd die for you / That's easy to say" —"Ride," Twenty One Pilots
62. "I scream, you scream, we all scream / ‘Cause we’re terrified of what’s around the corner" —"Forest," Twenty One Pilots
63. "I used to say, 'I wanna die before I'm old' / But because of you I might think twice" —"We Don't Believe What's on TV," Twenty One Pilots
64. “I’m dying and trying but believe me I’m fine / But I’m lying I’m so very far from fine” —"Fall Away," Twenty One Pilots
65. "Like who would you live for? Who would you die for? And would you ever kill?" —"Ride," Twenty One Pilots
66. "I’ll stay awake / 'Cause the dark’s not taking prisoners tonight" —"Ode to Sleep," Twenty One Pilots
67. "I need to know that when I fail you'll still be here / 'Cause if you stick around I'll sing you pretty sounds" —"We Don't Believe What's on TV," Twenty One Pilots
68. “I will make you believe you are lovely” —"Lovely," Twenty One Pilots
69. "I wanted to be a better brother, better son / Wanted to be a better adversary to the evil I have done" —"Polarize," Twenty One Pilots
70. "While you're doing fine / There's some people and I who have a really tough time getting through this life / So excuse us while we sing to the sky" —"Screen," Twenty One Pilots
71. "Sometimes you gotta bleed to know that you’re alive and have a soul" —"Tear In My Heart," Twenty One Pilots
72. “Sometimes quiet is violent” —"Car Radio," Twenty One Pilots
73. "Living like a ghost, you walk by everyone you know / You say that you’re fine but you have lost your sway and glow" —"Friend, Please," Twenty One Pilots
74. "And I will hide behind my pride / Don't know why I think I can lie" —"Screen," Twenty One Pilots
75. "I try desperately to run through the sand as I hold the water in the palm of my hand / 'Cause it’s all that I have" —"Addict with a Pen," Twenty One Pilots
76. “I’m a goner / Somebody catch my breath / I wanna be known by you” —"Goner," Twenty One Pilots
77. "My friends and I, we got a lot of problems" —"Polarize," Twenty One Pilots
78. "We get colder as we grow older / We will walk so much slower" —"Oh Ms. Believer," Twenty One Pilots
79. "I do not know why I would go / In front of you and hide my soul / 'Cause you're the only one who knows it" —"Screen," Twenty One Pilots
80. “If you’re one of them then you’re one of me / And you’d do almost anything just to feel free” —"Fake You Out," Twenty One Pilots
81. "For me to drive away with / I began to understand why God died" —"A Car, A Torch, A Death," Twenty One Pilots
82. "You are out of my mind, oh / You aren’t seeing my side, oh / You waste all of this time trying to get to me / But you are out of my mind" —"Not Today," Twenty One Pilots
83. "I know where you stand / Silent in the trees" —"Trees," Twenty One Pilots
84. “I will make you queen of everything you see” —"House of Gold," Twenty One Pilots
85. "I’ve been thinking too much / Help me"— "Ride," Twenty One Pilots
86. "Though I’m weak and beaten down / I’ll slip away into this sound / The ghost of you is close to me / I’m inside-out, you’re underneath" —"Goner," Twenty One Pilots
87. "Take my hand, take my whole life, too / If I can’t help falling in love with you" —"Can't Help Falling in Love," Twenty One Pilots (Elvis cover)
88. “I don’t care what’s in your hair / I just want to know what’s on your mind” —"We Don't Believe What's on TV," Twenty One Pilots
89. "I was doing fine on my own and there wasn’t much I lacked / But you’ve stolen my air catcher, and I don’t know if I want it back" —"Air Catcher," Twenty One Pilots
90. "I’m screaming submission / And I don’t know if I am dying or living / 'Cause I will save face for name’s sake / Abuse grace, take aim to obtain a new name and a newer place" —"Fall Away," Twenty One Pilots
91. "Put out the glitter that your soul hides behind" —"Before You Start Your Day," Twenty One Pilots
92. “Fight it / Take the pain / Ignite it” —"Holding on to You," Twenty One Pilots
93. "You're a legend in my own mind" —"Legend," Twenty One Pilots
94. "I look forward to having a lunch with you again" —"Legend," Twenty One Pilots
95. "I won’t fall in love with fall in / I will try to avoid those eyes" —"Air Catcher," Twenty One Pilots
96. “Peace will win and fear will lose” —"Car Radio," Twenty One Pilots
97. "We’ve made it this far, kid" —"Migraine," Twenty One Pilots
98. "He thinks that faith might be dead / Nothing kills a man faster than his own head / He used to see dreams at night / But now, he’s just watching the backs of his eyes" —"Trap Door," Twenty One Pilots
99. "I must’ve forgot, you can’t trust me / I’m open a moment and close when you show it / Before you know it, I’m lost at sea" —"Holding on to You," Twenty One Pilots
100. “Am I the only one I know waging my wars behind my face and above my throat? / Shadows will scream that I’m alone but I know we’ve made it this far, kid” —"Migraine," Twenty One Pilots
101. "Nobody thinks what I think / Nobody dreams when they blink / Think things on the brink of blasphemy / I’m my own." —"Kitchen Sink," Twenty One Pilots
102. "Just because I play the piano doesn’t mean I / I’m not willing to take you down" —"Not Today," Twenty One Pilots
103. "I ponder of something great / My lungs will fill and then deflate / They fill with fire / Exhale desire" —"Car Radio," Twenty One Pilots
104. “I’m standing in front of you / I’m trying to be so cool” —"Screen," Twenty One Pilots
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Helen Luc is a frequent contributor to YourTango. Her writing focuses on love, relationships, and pop-culture topics.