Tyler Joseph explains the meaning behind Twenty One Pilots' Shy Away lyrics

8 April 2021, 12:00

Twenty One Pilots fans think Jenna Joseph just accidentally leaked a new song

By Sam Prance

Twenty One Pilots' Shy Away lyrics were inspired by Tyler Joseph's younger brother Jay Joseph.

Skeleton clique assemble! Twenty One Pilots have returned with another banger but what do their 'Shy Away' lyrics mean?

Yesterday (Apr 8), Twenty One Pilots sent fans into meltdown after people spotted TØP billboards in various cities all around the world. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun later announced that they are releasing their sixth studio album, Scaled and Icy, on May 21st with a livestream experience. Not only that but they also put out the album's lead single 'Shy Away'.

READ MORE: Twenty One Pilots' Scaled and Icy album: Everything we know so far

Fans are already living for the band's new sound and now Tyler Joseph has explained the meaning behind 'Shy Away'.

What do Twenty One Pilots' 'Shy Away' lyrics mean?

Discussing the song with Jack Saunders, Taylor revealed: "I’ve just been having a good time, playing some guitar for the first time, ever. I think nothing is more inspiring than learning a new instrument that I’ve never played before, specifically, the electric guitar and I had my younger brother [Jay Joseph] over, he’s like “Hey, I wanna watch your process from start to finish, how do you start a song, how do you record a song, how to you write a song?"

He then added: "[I] just kinda came up with the beginnings of the song, almost as a tutorial for him on how to layout a song, how to start it, how to record it, how to produce it out. Lyrically, it kinda turned out to talk about being an older brother and how the only tougher than trying to figure out what your own purpose is, is watching someone you love try to figure out their purpose."

Tyler also said: "This track means a lot to me for a few other reasons as well, the majority of this record was written and produced in my own studio. And specifically for Josh, […] this is the first time that he’s recorded drums all on his own, no engineer, no one helping him at all […]. We were working from across the country at the time."

In other words, we have Jay Joseph to thank for Twenty One Pilots' new single.

Read TØP's full 'Shy Away' lyrics below

Twenty One Pilots - Shy Away (Official Video)

VERSE 1
When I get home
You better not be there
We're placin' bets you won't

PRE-CHORUS
Shed your modesty
And the only thing to leave behind
Is your own skin on the floor

CHORUS
Don't you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Manifest a ceiling
When you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Searchin' for that feelin'
Just like an "I love you" (Ooh, ooh)
That isn't words (Ooh, ooh)
Like a song he wrote, that's never heard (Ah-ah-ah)
Don't you (Ssh)

VERSE 2
When you get home
You barely recognize the pictures
They put in a frame

PRE-CHORUS
'Cause you shed your modеsty
Don't circle the track
Take what you havе
And leave your skin on the floor

CHORUS
Don't you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Manifest a ceiling
When you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Searchin' for that feelin'
Just like an "I love you" (Ooh, ooh)
That isn't words (Ooh, ooh)
Like a song he wrote (Ah-ah-ah)
That's never heard

VERSE 3
When I get home
Boy, you better not be there
You're long gone

PRE-CHORUS
You shed your modesty
Don't circle the track
Just break the cycle in half
And leave your skin on the floor

CHORUS
Don't you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Manifest a ceiling
When you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Searchin' for that feelin'
Just like an "I love you" (Ooh, ooh)
That isn't words (Ooh, ooh)
Like a song he wrote (Ah-ah-ah)
That's never heard
That's never heard (Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah)

OUTRO
An "I love you"
That isn't words
Like a song he wrote
That's never heard
Don't you shy away