Meaning of “Pet Cheetah” by Twenty One Pilots

“Pet Cheetah” is a song recorded and released in 2018 by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. In the song, the lead vocalist of Twenty One Pilots, Tyler Joseph doesn’t use the phrase “Pet Cheetah” in its literal sense. He is therefore not saying that he actually owns a cheetah. What is he saying then?

He uses the phrase as a metaphor to refer to how he goes about creating songs and the challenges he encounters in the process.

In the lines above, Tyler tells the world that he owns a cheetah named Jason Statham which he keeps down in his basement. He goes on to talk about raising it and bathing it. Anyone who knows a cheetah knows how difficult it is nurturing and bathing it. This difficulty is exactly what Tyler has to deal with when writing songs. However, having trained the cheetah to make beats, it is now faster working in the studio than on its feet.

It is noteworthy that the cheetah can run faster than any animal on land.

Who is Jason Statham?

Jason Statham is an English actor famed the world over for starring in a number of action movies. Throughout his career, Statham has appeared in such films as The Transporter trilogy, The Bank Job and The Expendables action series.

For Tyler to have named his pet cheetah after Statham, it is clear Statham is a favorite actor of his.

Facts about “Pet Cheetah”

• “Pet Cheetah” was co-written and co-produced by Tyler Joseph and fellow musician/songwriter Paul Meany.
• Josh Dun (the one half of Twenty One Pilots) didn’t partake in the writing of this track. Thus he receives no songwriting credit.
• “Pet Cheetah” is the twelfth track from the duo’s 2018 album, Trench. Trench was released on October 5, 2018. It is the fifth studio album o the duo’s musical career.
• The song’s title isn’t mentioned in the chorus.
• This tune consists of three choruses, two verses, an interlude, a bridge and an outro.
• Tyler mentions the phrase “pet cheetah” 14 times in the song’s lyrics.

Has actor Jason Statham made any comments about this song considering he has been name dropped in the lyrics?

As of October 11, 2018 (the date this post was published), Statham hasn’t made any comments in relation to this track.

Did Twenty One Pilots shoot a music video for “Pet Cheetah”?

The duo released this track without any accompanying music video.

Was “Pet Cheetah” released as a single?

Trench produced only four singles. This track wasn’t one of them.

Is this the first time that Paul Meany has collaborated with Twenty One Pilots?

No. Meany first worked with the duo on their 2016 EP TOPxMM. On Trench, Meany co-wrote 8 of the tracks on the album. He also co-produced the album with Tyler.  Meany gained stardom as the frontman of the band Mutemath.