I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
All tagged josh dun
“Cut My Lip”, the 10th song on the album Trench by twenty one pilots; it’s a sincere song, that addresses the skeleton clique, which is exciting. So let’s talk about that.
“The Hype”, the 8th song on the album Trench by twenty one pilots; it’s such a deep song, that has —as usual— some personal things, where Tyler Joseph speaks to someone —which is new to twenty one pilots— about something that he’s almost never spoke about before. So let’s talk about this.
“Neon Gravestones“ is probably the hardest and the most controversial song on Trench; the thoughts and ideas in this song are worth considering, even if you find that you disagree in some way, you still need to consider what's being said here, because it is interesting, important, and dare I say it could even be life-changing.
“Smithereens”, the 6th song on the record Trench by twenty one pilots, a love song that isn’t like any other love song, and we love it. Let’s talk about it.
“Chlorine” is the fifth song in the album Trench by twenty one pilots, it is a beautiful song yet a confusing one, so let’s start breaking this one a bit, maybe we’ll get to know what is going on with Tyler Joseph, and Ned… Haven’t you seen Ned?!
“My Blood” is the forth song in the album Trench, it’s about family; such a beautiful and catchy song, and it’s probably the most repetitive song in the album, but it works well, so let’s talk about this.
“Morph” is probably the most intricate song in the record, it is well-put together, and just a beautiful song; but also perhaps one of the most confusing, in fact it's my most confusing song from the entire album.
When Twenty One Pilots released Blurryface, they designed their album cover to be very symbolic and very cryptic just as Tyler Joseph promised. In an interview with Alternative Press, he says, "There are so many layers-both literally and in the meaning of the album cover-that are so important to Josh & I. We've worked very hard on it. We can't wait for you guys to discover it once you get your hands on it. But every element was very thought-through, and very intentional."
After the small victory celebrated in "Not Today," it would seem that Twenty One Pilots frontman Tyler Joseph's Blurryface has come back. This last song on the band's new album Blurryface is a prayer to God. Tyler needs ultimately powerful help to rid himself of darkness and depression, and he's seeking it from a supernatural source.
Only two songs left on Twenty One Pilots' Blurryface, and this one's "Not Today." The song is clever and quick and engaging. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are forecasting the end of their album with a climactic fight against Tyler's alter-ego Blurryface, the darker part of him. The song is a powerful tell-off to a tendency that tries to compel him to recede into himself and to stay dark.
Twenty One Pilots released its album Blurryface a little early. They told everyone they planned to let it out on the 19th, but the Skeleton Clique woke up to Blurryfacefor sale this morning. The album had already been leaked last week, so some fans had it, but now everyone's purchasing and listening to it like mad. And for good reason. Blurryface is a strong album with an underlying theme threading its way through the entire thing, connecting song to song, developing conflicts and resolutions. One of the notable resolution songs is "Hometown."
Apparently, now it's time for Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun of Twenty-One Pilots to take on the entire music industry. In "Lane Boy," the two attempt to explain a musical style that seems to change with every Blurryface single that they release. The songs are intense and interesting, and this one, musically especially, is supercharged, a good match for the aggressive lyrics. The song describes the band's break from the direction of the music industry as well as a commitment to an entrepreneurship that doesn't focus on money.
It's wonderful when a singer says exactly what you've been thinking, and I experienced that twice while listening to "We Don't Believe What's on T.V." Tyler Joseph has a real talent for being "in tune" with other members of his generation, and Twenty One Pilots' tenth song on Blurryface is a fun, ukulele driven example of that.
My first strategy to discover "Polarize's" meaning was to find a source that explained polarization. A lot of people wear polarized sunglasses, and they're advertised as something special, but do any of us know what "polarize" actually means? Of course, then I realized that reading the lyrics first would have been more helpful. The lead singer, Tyler Joseph, defines the word in one of the verses, so I needn't have wasted the time. But my search was worth it, and the information learned will come in handy later as we explore the meaning of Twenty One Pilots' ninth song on Blurryface, "Polarize."
Since even Tyler Joseph doesn't know exactly what "The Judge" is about, explaining it may be more difficult than usual. He sings, "I don't know if this song / Is a surrender or a revel / I don't know if this one / Is about me or the devil." While that seems like something he should have sorted out by now, with a little help from the rest of the song, listeners will be able to forge their own way through what is actually a very beautiful seventh song on Twenty One Pilots' new album Blurryface.
The fifth Twenty One Pilots single, "Ride," is out, and it's full of thoughts on death, life, and living. It's somewhat cryptic, and the music is reminiscent of "Isle of Flightless Birds" but (as with any song on Blurryface) certainly different enough to defy styles and trends. "Ride" is the third track on the album and just one more way that Twenty One Pilots, as promised in "Lane Boy," is going to keep doing their own thing.
"Stressed Out" is about the transition from childhood to adulthood. The music is intense and varied with a wide array of styles being mashed into the only 3:45 long, also-unique music video, in which Tyler and Josh revisit their childhood homes and families to ride kid's three wheelers and perform in their old bedrooms. But most interesting of all, the lyrics of "Stressed Out" are perhaps even deeper than those of the previous two songs from Blurryface, though they are a bit less symbolic and more sincerely clear.
