Twenty One Pilots, Stressed Out | Somber Sunday 💎

Twenty One Pilots deal reminisce back on youth and deal with insecurity on the Grammy-winning “Stressed Out,” the perfect fit for Somber Sunday.   

Somber Sunday perfectly captures the end of the weekend with its sadness, disappointment, and look towards yet another mad Monday.  While no one should ever be disappointed hearing a Twenty One Pilots song, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are totally “Stressed Out” on the second edition of Somber Sunday, April 12, 2020.  With “Stressed Out,” a highlight from Blurryface (2015), the duo won their first Grammy. Notably Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun accepted their Grammys without pants on. Anyways…

“Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young / How come I’m never able to identify where it’s comin’ from?” On “Stressed Out,” Tyler Joseph seeks escapism by reminiscing on the simpler times of his childhood.  The chorus, the centerpiece of the record, sums this up simply and effectively:

“Wish we could turn back time to the good old days
When our momma sang us to sleep, but now we’re stressed out.”

Moving beyond the escapism, for the first time, in the context of Blurryface, Blurryface, a character constructed by Joseph, represents his flaws and insecurities (“My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think…”).  Blurryface exhibits vulnerability, something that many people can relate to, but few depict as openly as Joseph does here.

“I was told, when I get older, all my fears would shrink
But now I’m insecure, an’ I care what people think…”

Yes, “Stressed Out” is quite alluring for a SOMBER SUNDAY song, but there’s nothing happy about insecurity, self-esteem issues, and such.

Twenty One Pilots • Blurryface • Fueled by Ramen • 2015

Photo Credit: Fueled by Ramen