1
I wake up fine and dandy but then by the time I find it handy,
To rip my heart apart and start planning my crash landing,
I go up, up, up, up, up to the ceiling,
Then I feel my soul start leaving, like an old man's hair receding,
I'm pleading please, oh please on my knees repeatedly asking,
Why it's got to be like this. Is this living free?
I don't want to be the one, be the one who has the sun's blood on my hands,
I'll tell the moon, take this weapon forged in darkness,
Some see a pen, I see a harpoon.
I'll stay awake,
Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight.
Why am I not scared in the morning?
I don't hear those voices calling,
I must have kicked them out
I must have kicked them out
I swear I heard demons yelling,
Those crazy words they were spelling,
They told me I was gone, they told me I was gone.
But I'll tell them
Why won't you let me go?
Do I threaten all your plans?
I'm insignificant
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them
On the eve of a day that's forgotten and fake,
And the trees they await and clouds anticipate,
The start of a day when we put on our face,
A mask that portrays that we don't need grace,
On the eve of a day that is bigger than us,
But we open our eyes 'cause we're told that we must,
And the trees wave their arms and the clouds try to plead,
Desperately yelling there's something we need,
I'm not free, I asked forgiveness three times,
Same amount that I denied, I three-time mvp'ed this crime,
I'm afraid to tell you who I adore, won't tell you who I'm singing towards,
Metaphorically I'm a whore, and that's denial number four.
I'll stay awake,
Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight
Why am I not scared in the morning?
I don't hear those voices calling,
I must have kicked them out
I must have kicked them out
I swear I heard demons yelling
Those crazy words they were spelling
They told me I was gone,
they told me I was gone.
But I'll tell them,
Why won't you let me go?
Do I threaten all your plans?
I'm insignificant
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'm sorry
To rip my heart apart and start planning my crash landing,
I go up, up, up, up, up to the ceiling,
Then I feel my soul start leaving, like an old man's hair receding,
I'm pleading please, oh please on my knees repeatedly asking,
Why it's got to be like this. Is this living free?
I don't want to be the one, be the one who has the sun's blood on my hands,
I'll tell the moon, take this weapon forged in darkness,
Some see a pen, I see a harpoon.
I'll stay awake,
Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight.
Why am I not scared in the morning?
I don't hear those voices calling,
I must have kicked them out
I must have kicked them out
I swear I heard demons yelling,
Those crazy words they were spelling,
They told me I was gone, they told me I was gone.
But I'll tell them
Why won't you let me go?
Do I threaten all your plans?
I'm insignificant
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them
On the eve of a day that's forgotten and fake,
And the trees they await and clouds anticipate,
The start of a day when we put on our face,
A mask that portrays that we don't need grace,
On the eve of a day that is bigger than us,
But we open our eyes 'cause we're told that we must,
And the trees wave their arms and the clouds try to plead,
Desperately yelling there's something we need,
I'm not free, I asked forgiveness three times,
Same amount that I denied, I three-time mvp'ed this crime,
I'm afraid to tell you who I adore, won't tell you who I'm singing towards,
Metaphorically I'm a whore, and that's denial number four.
I'll stay awake,
Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight
Why am I not scared in the morning?
I don't hear those voices calling,
I must have kicked them out
I must have kicked them out
I swear I heard demons yelling
Those crazy words they were spelling
They told me I was gone,
they told me I was gone.
But I'll tell them,
Why won't you let me go?
Do I threaten all your plans?
I'm insignificant
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
I'll tell them,
Please tell them you have no plans for me
I will set my soul on fire
What have I become?
I'm sorry
Lyrics submitted by bookhouseboy23, edited by Skoobasteve24, djmojo21, ShaneDabruce, Jeisenne
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OK, so I heard Tyler say in an interview that this song IS Twenty One Pilots. That it summarizes who they are. I thought… hmm… really? And after looking at they lyrics, I'm going to take a guess at why he said that...
As anyone who knows their lyrics has figured out, Tyler has been tormented by negative thoughts and even thoughts of suicide. In Christian imagery, and several of their songs, these "evil thoughts" are represented by demons (whether you believe them to be true demons or just psychological attacks from a darkness within). And in Christian belief, demons attack those that they see as a threat.
This song is basically saying - hey, maybe Tyler is being attacked because he is a threat - because he has the capacity/means to be an instrument of good (through his pen / the band's music). There's a purpose for him on this earth.
And in the song, he's crying out to a higher power (God) saying, "Aaaah!! Why? I don't want this on my shoulders! I don't want this purpose! I don't want this pen! Tell the demons you have no plans for me! I don't want to do this! This isn't the freedom you promised!"
And in the end, he tells God that he's "sorry." He realizes the plans that God has for him, to be a mouthpiece of hope - to encourage young people to think, and to survive, and to live. And that's why this song is so important to Twenty One Pilots.
(And as others have said, the three denials (echoing the story of Peter) and the fourth denial about "not telling" whom he's singing toward (God/higher power) is something with which he struggles. He doesn't want to sing and write songs and perform for money and fame ("whore") - he wants to fulfill his purpose.)
That's my interpretation. Not sure I got it right, but if I'm even close (and I think I am), then it's just another reason to love this band.
Wow. I think you really nailed it! I like you're interpretation better than mine :)
@Moonbeam86 that's perfect!!
@Moonbeam86 this interpretation is awesome! In what interview did tyler said that this song is twenty one pilots?
I have heard him say that more than once in video interviews, especially in the pre-Blurryface days, but I'm sorry I don't have the interviews handy. I just did a quick Google search and found a written quote on an interview with WOUB Digital where Josh said: "'Ode to Sleep' is the closest to us with its meaning; it's probably the most connected with us that any song could be."
@Moonbeam86 thanks for taking the time to return to the site and answer @Channell question. Thanks for sharing!
I think this is an amazing interpretation, when you read something like this it makes you feel even better about following a band like this.
@Moonbeam86 <br /> Thanks for sharing! I was recently introduced to this band, and while listening to this song I picked up on the "three denials" reference, or what I thought to be reference, to Peter. When I found your comment I was so stoked to see that someone else came to the same conclusion! I also wondered if he was referring to God when he said "I'm afraid to tell you who I adore, won't tell you who I'm singing towards." I wasn't originally a big fan of this band, but they're starting to grow on me.<br /> Again, if you see this, THANKS for sharing your thoughts!
@Moonbeam86 Thanks!