Screen by Twenty One Pilots Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Digital Heartache
Lyrics
In front of you and hide my soul
‘Cause you’re the only one who knows it
Yeah, you’re the only one who knows it
And I will hide behind my pride
D-don’t know why I think I could lie
‘Cause there’s a screen on my chest
Yeah, there’s a screen on my chest
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you
(Oh-oh-oh) I’m trying to be so cool
Everything together trying to be so cool
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you
(Oh) Oh, I’m standing in front of you
(Oh-oh-oh) I’m trying to be so cool
Everything together trying to be so cool
I can’t see past my own nose
I’m seeing everything in slo-mo
Look out below crashing down to the ground
Just like a vertical locomotive, that’s a train
Am I painting the picture that’s in my brain?
A train from the sky, locomotive, my motives are insane
My flow’s not great, okay, I conversate with people
Who know if I flow on a song, I’ll get no radio play
While you’re doing fine, there’s some people and I
Who have a really tough time getting through this life
So excuse us while we sing to the sky
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you
(Oh-oh-oh) I’m trying to be so cool
Everything together trying to be so cool (I’m standing)
(Oh) I’m standing in front of you (I’m standing)
(Oh) Oh, I’m standing in front of you (I’m standing)
(Oh-oh-oh) Oh, I’m trying to be so cool
Everything together trying to be so cool
Oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, mm
We’re broken, we’re broken
We’re broken, we’re broken people
We’re broken people, yeah
We’re broken, we’re broken
We’re broken, we’re broken people
We’re broken people, yeah
We’re broken, we’re broken
We’re broken, we’re broken people
We’re broken people, yeah
(Stand) I’m standing in front of you (we’re broken, we’re broken)
(Stand) I’m standing in front of you (we’re broken, we’re broken people, oh)
(Stand) I’m trying to be so cool (we’re broken people)
(Stand) Everything together trying to be so cool
(I’m standing) I’m standing in front of you (we’ve broken, we’ve broken)
(I’m standing) Oh, I’m standing in front of you (we’ve broken, we’ve broken people)
(I’m standing, oh-oh) Oh, I’m trying to be so cool (we’ve broken people)
Everything together trying to be so cool
In an era where the lines between the personal and the digital increasingly blur, Twenty One Pilots’ ‘Screen’ emerges as an anthem for the conflicted soul. The track, nestled within the duo’s acclaimed album ‘Vessel,’ explores the vulnerability and facade we carry in everyday interactions, especially when put before the glaring lens of today’s connected world.
Frontman Tyler Joseph, known for his dense lyrical ingenuity, crafts a poignant tale of honest reflection and desire for genuine connection. As we delve deeper into the song’s lyrics, what at first seems to be a surface-level struggle for coolness, unravels to reveal layers of self-doubt, social anxiety, and a yearning for authenticity in an age of screens.
The Great Pretense: A Lyrical Confession
The opening lines of ‘Screen’ immediately introduce us to a conflict that resonates with many — the presentation of a facade. ‘I do not know why I would go / In front of you and hide my soul’ suggests an inner turmoil, a question that probes at the heart of our personal presentations. Why do we feel the need to hide what lies within us?
It’s a potent commentary on the human condition, magnified by Joseph’s candid revelation that he’s aware of his performance, yet feels compelled to continue the act. This song presents itself as an internal monologue, a mental tug-of-war between the desire to reveal one’s true self and the fear of exposing vulnerabilities.
Behind the Screen: Metaphors of Modern Alienation
When Joseph croons, ‘Yeah, there’s a screen on my chest,’ he’s not only painting a vivid picture, but also hitting the nerve of modern existential angst. Twenty One Pilots uses the imagery of a screen as a protective barrier that, while intended to conceal emotions, perhaps displays them more publicly—a living paradox.
This visual metaphor speaks to the crux of ‘Screen’: an individual’s struggle with the performance of life. In a digital age where our screens increasingly mediate our interactions, Joseph captures the disconnect between our true selves and the avatars we project into the world.
The Downward Spiral: Eccentric Images, Heavy Realizations
Twenty One Pilots is well-versed in constructing eccentric yet evocative imagery in their music, and ‘Screen’ is no exception. Joseph’s characterization of his thoughts as ‘a train from the sky, locomotive, my motives are insane’ isn’t just for the sake of wordplay; it highlights a chaotic mental state, one that may be unraveled and raw.
This chaotic accident from above encapsulates the crashing feeling that comes from the pressures to maintain the cool facade. The line ‘my flow’s not great, okay, I conversate with people / Who know if I flow on a song, I’ll get no radio play’ is a self-acknowledgment of imperfection and society’s indifference to what doesn’t fit the mold — a reflection on both personal and professional vulnerability.
Singing to the Sky: The Anthem of Broken Souls
In a poignant turn, ‘Screen’ shifts from individual struggle to a collective declaration. ‘We’re broken, we’re broken / We’re broken, we’re broken people’ — the repetitious and cathartic cry becomes an anthem for those facing hardship. It’s a unifying call that moves beyond personal story into a shared experience.
By doing so, Joseph and drummer Josh Dun transform the song into a rallying cry for understanding and companionship in suffering. This solidarity turns the screen from a shield into a stage, using the metaphorical display to connect instead of conceal, building strength in the communal recognition of each other’s flaws.
The Memorable Lines: Uncool and Unequivocally Human
Throughout ‘Screen,’ certain lyrics etch themselves into the fabric of listeners’ memories, becoming mantras of their own. ‘I’m standing in front of you / I’m trying to be so cool / Everything together trying to be so cool,’ repeats like the soundtrack to every socially awkward moment where one tries to gather their composure.
It’s a series of lines that resonate because they encapsulate a truth seldom spoken: the effort it takes to appear collected is, in itself, an overwhelming task. This transparency in Joseph’s writing invites listeners to embrace their uncool aspects, fostering a sense of self-acceptance in the earnestness of his confession.
