Cancer by Twenty One Pilots Lyrics Meaning – Dissecting the Emotional Labyrinth
Lyrics
If you could get me a drink
Of water ’cause my lips are chapped and faded
Call my aunt Marie
Help her gather all my things
And bury me in all my favorite colors
My sisters and my brothers, still
I will not kiss you
‘Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you
I will not kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (turn away)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
Kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (turn away)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
Turn away
‘Cause I’m awful just to see
And all my hairs abandoned all my body
All my agony
Know that I will never marry
Baby, I’m just soggy from the chemo
I’m counting down the days to go
This just ain’t livin’
And I just hope you know
I will not kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (turn away)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
Kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (turn away)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
If you say (if you say)
Goodbye today (goodbye today)
I’ll ask you to be true (I’ll ask you to be true)
‘Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you
Yes, the hardest part of this
I will not kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (call my)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
Kiss you (kiss you)
Lips are chapped and faded
Call my (call my)
Lips are chapped and faded (faded)
When Twenty One Pilots opted to cover ‘Cancer,’ originally a My Chemical Romance anthem, they took on not just a song, but a profound narrative woven with the threads of loss, love, and the brutality of a terminal illness. As a band that has never shied away from the depths of emotional complexity, Twenty One Pilots’ rendition offers a stripped-down, piano-driven interpretation, casting a spotlight on the raw vulnerability of the lyrics.
Unpacking ‘Cancer’ necessitates a journey into the delicately-crafted vignettes of mortality, the strained relationship between the patient and their loved ones, and the quiet acceptance of an imminent departure. The track marries a hauntingly simple melody with the potent imagery of an individual saying their last, heart-wrenching goodbyes.
The Thirst for Normalcy Amidst Devastation
Commencing with the line, ‘If you could get me a drink of water ’cause my lips are chapped and faded,’ Tyler Joseph’s soft-spoken intonation captures a fundamental human need, one as simple as a drink of water, against the backdrop of a profound life crisis. This unassuming request exhibits the gravity of the situation, where the most mundane acts become significant.
It’s a testament to the resilience and also the fragile hope of wanting to hold on to normalcy when life is slipping through one’s fingers. The chapped lips are not only a physical manifestation of illness but a poetic emblem of the thirst for life that remains unresolved.
A Palette of Final Wishes – Colorful Goodbyes
The lyrics, ‘And bury me in all my favorite colors,’ resonate with a somber beauty. They conjure up images of someone yearning to retain their identity even in death, to be remembered amidst the vibrancy of the life they’ve led.
The mention of favorite colors serves as a bridge between the living and the deceased, an intimate detail shared with survivors as a means to maintain a personal connection beyond the confines of mortality.
Unearthing the Hidden Meaning – Mortality and Isolation
While on the surface, ‘Cancer’ might be interpreted solely as a narrative on physical ailment, there’s a deeper, overarching theme of isolation and alienation. As the patient confronts the inevitability of death, there’s a voluntary separation, ‘I will not kiss you,’ signifying the emotional and physical gulf that the disease imposes.
The repeated refrain ‘Lips are chapped and faded’ echoes as a somber leitmotif throughout the song, reiterating the deterioration of health and the disintegration of connections once cherished.
The Crescendo of Pain – ‘This Just Ain’t Livin”
‘Baby, I’m just soggy from the chemo,’ Joseph contours with achingly genuine emotion the profound suffering that comes with the life-extending yet often devastating treatment of chemotherapy.
The singer’s admission, ‘This just ain’t livin’,’ is the realest testimonial to the plight of the terminally ill, where the struggle for life becomes a mere semblance of living, bringing to the fore the agonizing conversation about the quality versus the quantity of life in the face of death.
Memorable Lines Etched in Heartbreak
The closing lines, ‘If you say goodbye today, I’ll ask you to be true,’ lay bare a final plea for honesty and fidelity. It’s less about the fear of being forgotten and more about the importance of truth in the last moments of life.
And with the succinctly poignant admission, ‘Yes, the hardest part of this is leaving you,’ Twenty One Pilots encapsulate the universal dread of parting, distilled into a single, unforgettable sentiment that transcends the song’s narrative and reaches straight into the listener’s soul.
