"The Outside" by Twenty One Pilots Lyrics Explained | Song Meaning 

this bridge + outro are definitely the most fun parts in the album

On the Genius lyrics it talks about how Tyler (as the Megladon) feels powerful and in control at concerts in the past. The crowd is that Ocean that feels like a Pond because when he's up on stage he's in control and the crowd is clinging to him. But the Megladon is extinct now so Tyler feels like the clique is drifting away from him because he's in prehistoric times that a meteor is coming to smash. Also he says that he is Megatron because Megatron's the big dude in power but the cogs he's stepping on are forming up against him. Tyler is talking about how even though he's in control and still pretty big he feels like his time as a huge major artist is coming to a close. The Outside is about the music industry drifting away from Twenty One Pilots and going to the new and upcoming artist that are the same old normal boring lyrics and style that we always hear. He's upset that the Music industry is falling in the same line as usual. But as the song goes on Tyler realizes that he wants to be on The Outside and away from The Hype because he's got his own vibes and music that is meaningful to his fans. He maybe upset that his time in the limelight is going but happy that it will allow him to continue to create in his own style. Also please go read the Genius Lyrics about The Outside. It explains the first part better than me.

I’m pretty sure the Megatron equivalency of the meteor is how the car industry is forced to get more and more efficient (hybrid and electric cars) and Megatron is this big bad transformer (not so efficient). So I think what he’s trying to say the industry is changing and Tyler either doesn’t want to change with the music industry or is unable to do so.

This song seems to my sibling and I to be more about the idea that he's taking a look at himself objectively and what might become of his music as time passes. He might seem really big right now, but the meteor is coming. The cogs creating a renaissance being a point to acknowledge that others will come behind him and create bigger and better things. He's taking a look at himself and seeing that he *could* be egotistical about his music and see himself as a megalodon/Megatron, but instead he's choosing to stay on the outside of his own ego so that he doesn't get caught up in it and can continue to create honest, creative, and thoughtful pieces. Rather than being on the outside of the industry/popularity.

Do you think there's a storyline within the album alone? Like obviously it ties into the Dema storyline, but do you think there's there's separate story by itself maybe? There are a lot of drug references all throughout the album. In the interview with Zane Lowe, he said that if he were to lose everything like he projected in Good Day, he would dive head-first into smoking and alcohol. Do you think the album is a story about Good Day and the results following it? Like... a _downward spiral_ of sorts? Because by Redecorate the character is essentially contemplating suicide. Good Day starts the album off optimistically, but it's extremely depressing. By the end, he's ready to give up. I don't know, it just feels to me like there's a story within the story...

This song reminded me of March to the Sea with the imagery of everybody in this same line and the idea of not being in this same march. Obviously I don't think the litteraly about the same thing, but it's very similar imagery to me.

Did anyone mention the double meaning of “hit?” Like a hit song?

I really like this song, specially since I saw the livestream event. And that is what helped me confirm that it is actually about the music industry and how everybody is just nodding to whatever they hear, no questions asked. TOP are always trying to or naturally being out of the box, which is what makes their music and lyrics so unique. I share the same opinion, it also made me immediately think of Lane Boy. Thanks again for sharing your perspective, waiting for the new video tomorrow :)

I think the “heads are moving up and down you got it” might also refer to artist being controlled by the music industry, agreeing with how a hit song should sound like and say.

when i heard the 'heads are moving up and down' it made me thought of when they perform in award shows, the audience (other popular singers) nods their head along to the music but doesn't really seem to understand the music.

smol theory is that tyler would have said "dont join the cult (dema)" but since he is under dema's control, he has to say join the club instead

My first impression of this song was that it reminded me of lane boy.

idrk whats happening i just like hearing people talk about things they're passionate about :3

when i first heard stressed out on the radio i was super surprised because there was nothing else like it at the time. "deep" songs are usually romantic in some way. i think songs like stressed out generally don't do well because people dont want to feel depressed when trying to vibe lol. the only other mainstream music at the time i can think of that can be depressing but not romanticized is rap

With regards to verse one Perhaps he is in the car going to backwards direction (opposite to taxi cab) and thats why he’s “seen this one before” he recognises the dark path he’s going down (into dema) so wants to “tape his eyes” so he doesn’t fall asleep ie go down that dark path again

Does anybody else hear an egg cracking sound at the begging of the song? I think it stands for Trash being born, which symbolizes creativity. And I heard that creativity is born out of boredom so it would make sense for Tyler to start creating when he gets bored.

I read a theory somewhere that this song is from the perspective of one of the bishops (from which of the nine, I couldn't tell you.) But, it makes the most sense to me: "Up and down, they're nodding/up and down, you got it" (mind control), "Join the club" (give into Dema and Vialism), "I've got a long drive" (a literal drive and being "outside" the walls of Dema, taking people back to the city, like in 'heavydirtysoul'), etc. Especially in the bridge: "I am a Megalodon/I am Megatron" (signifying that this bishop views themself as powerful and someone to be feared) Just some food for thought. Stay alive ||-//

I thought the intro is about Tyler getting kidnapped again with the car and he is in the back of the car again, like in taxi cab and heavy dirty soul. he already knew what's gonna happen and he's bored of it?

I feel like this song is partly about how his younger fans, and a lot of his fans in general, are not getting the actual meaning of his music, everyone has their interpretation. I also think this song might be somewhat political, as I think the whole album could be, counter cancel culture, they tried to cancel him, but they can't touch him. I can totally see the music industry interpretation though.

Info about megatron: leader of the bad guy transformers. Original version of cartoon megatron transformed to a gun which someone else had to hold in their hand to fire (made me think of guns for hands). He was one of the few non-vehicles in the cartoon that fought against cars and other vehicles (made me think of Tyler in combat with the vehicle he is driving).

I think taking a hit means like music industry passes out already written songs to folks who sell out and they get their hit song and join the “popular music” club. Maybe?

I’ve actually been thinking that the line that says “take a hit, join the club” is a reference to Fight Club. That movie/book certainly fits with the song about conformity, and how even trying to be on the outside or apart from the crowd can often be a path that just leads to another crowd.

This album's a contradiction because of how happy it sounds But the lyrics are so down

Love your channel. You're so very smart. Such a pleasure to watch you.

i just feel like this is an amazing song to vibe at while you are skateboarding with your homies in the sunset of a wednesday with a little breeze. oddly specific yes

Megarton is the leader of the decepticons who are the villains of the transformers world Also great vid man love your vids

Please explain no chances and redecorate

The point with TOP is that they are always different. That's what makes them unique in that way which inspires most of us to be special akward different. It's so inspirational and keeps you thinking why you listen to them again and again so many times and always come back always.

Just here to watch Clifford talk and be smitten each time he smiles 😊

I really missed the long raps and verses on this album. (But I still love it!

I really like this song just for the musical aspects, but now I know the meaning behind it too! Keep up the great vids man

I dunno if I'm crazy but was Tyler doing a cheeky little call back or whatever to his pet cheeta Jason Statham when he says in the bridge he's a Megalodon ,as Jason Statham is in the movie The Meg ,I saw it for the first time today by coinkydink and almost fell off my chair lol

If he’s “running on fumes” and his brother Jay is maybe one of the “little cogs” since he’s a new artist kinda making his first EP this year, I wonder if maybe Tyler would see Jay as a successor? Eh i dunno

hello fren :) have good day :)

Your lyrics breakdowns of top are amazing

Sorry guys i'm french so i probably got the lyrics wrong... and my english is not very good, but my first impression was that he was comparing the fact that if you're waiting in line to get in a fancy club (for example) and you're not one of the "cool kids" it is always the same, you wait, you try to look good to get in but still be kept outside at the end... but your party is probably somewhere else and when you find the right one, you are, we're all megalodons!!! And we should never give up on ourselves that kind of situation happens all the time in real life, at work, etc... But i totally get the Lane Boy comparison though!! :)

Good to see your doing OK, I think your right with his music becoming less clear over the years, and the lore has become a lot to keep up with especially if you have kids unlike myself lol. However I may be wrong but I can't help but think that it's all been leading up to this album for a long time, and maybe after he puts a cherry on top with this narrative, he'll get back to his roots a little bit. But I mean after albums like "no phun intended" regional at best" and "vessel" I think he's become less clear for a reason. It makes me think of the song "clear" actually where he talks about not wanting to open up too much for a fear of rejection. But I don't know. P.s. your videos have helped me so much over the years and you seem like a genuinely awesome person, so I wish you well.

you have to do more theories on this one, it has a video now!

Wow im super disappointed he managed to misunderstand the whole album! He's a big TOP fan but missed what this album is about by a long shot!! This whole album has been about us all being "Scaled back and isolated" aka scaled and icy! The whole album is about the way the world has been over the last couple yrs, how much the people of authority have lied to us which in turn has done nothing but turn the world upside down. Hes trying to help us out of it and to wake us up to whats going on around us and just to bring a smile back to our faces when we wanna escape it! Idk i guess you cant truly understand unless your on the outside with us... so I do hope you manage to join us eventually.

hear me out, there's been a theory going on (of course there is there will always be one but hear me out) from jlanderson's channel i've seen the theory that sai may be a prequel to trench so that would mean that in the dema storyline... blurryface is the ongoing era, right? so that means we're still missing the starting point because if we're gonna be in this theory's perspective, trench is the informative album in the narrative and not the origins of dema, if we'll look at the redecorate the chorus says "i don't wanna leave like this" a hint that dema felt like home to the main character which is clancy and then there's jumpsuit where he seems practically nervous as ever and sort of indecisive to leave dema, but when he saw what it's like out there, he felt more free because in trench he wasn't alone. but then the "josh the leader of banditos is keons" theory comes up and he was able to know the underground entrance to dema because he was a bishop before, he just felt sick of what dema is and he pushed his objective of wanting to be out there and maybe the banditos were also residents of dema in keons' region this-and-that. now for levitate, again, if we're to look at the sai is a prequel to trench theory, the next is gonna be heathens and i think he was put onto jail because nico claims that he's not allowed to go that far away from dema (i'm addressing the bandito camp right here) and then when he rebels again, they thought of using him for entertainment purposes and that's where blurryface comes in. the i "i've seen the streets u r walking down" referring to mulberry street meaning he's in dema again then the others were just the two of em playing for dema even if we look at the chronological side and sai is prequel to trench theory, it seems like he still ends up being mind-manipulated (idk where to insert heavydirtysoul tho) thank you for your time

my favorite song from album

Do you think they are ever gonna make a Chipotle saga song?

The explanation gave me chills

The one dislike was a transformers fanatic and was just disappointed you don’t know who Megatron is 😂

Thank you! I was so confused lyrically but musically its my favorite song on the album!

The car imagery made me think of Tear in My Heart. In that song, he is staying awake for her, avoiding the the holes so she can sleep. But in this song he needs to tape his eye open to stay awake, and he’s hitting the holes causing the “heads to nod”. Maybe a stretch, but it sounded like the inverse of that song. Tear in my Heart focuses a lot on vulnerability and being on the inside, I.e. the tear in his heart is the opening to the inside. This song is a lack of vulnerability, remaining on the outside, and not opening up, being above everyone, a defense mechanism perhaps? Of course I may be way off base, but the genius of Tyler is that all his songs have multiple meaning.

This song is about groupthink and breaking free from mainstream culture. Which definitely fits with the idea of DEMA being this lifeless cold cultural entity. DEMA wants you to line up and take a hit to join the club... Peer pressure. The whole song is about worrying about getting inside and being cool UNTIL Tyler flips it in the outro and says he will stay out "in the summer heat" because he'd rather not pay the fee (his soul) to get in to the "cool" club (implied wordplay? nice.). I love the double meaning of heads nodding as it relates to both falling in line/joining the crowd AND staying awake vs. nodding off. And if you keep in mind that Tyler often uses falling asleep as a metaphor for dying and staying awake as faith, and that driving is often a metaphor for going through life, this song becomes even deeper... Everyone is falling asleep, standing in line, trying to fit in. Tyler's taping his eyes open, staying awake so he doesn't waist his life. It reminds me a LOT of March To The Sea, actually!

There was a car mentioned in choker!

Great video, this is one of my favorites on the album

Hope you analyze how this fits into the storyline

oh boy i wonder what he thinks about the music video.

😂😂😂"Would that be a Bumble Bee?? I dont know Transformers, guys." Lol

can someone provide me a link that eludes to tyler joseph already working on the next album

When I listened to the lyrics I thought it was kinda like an egocentric piece and very well done, of course. Anyone listens to the music and nods automatically, so you feel intrigued about the lyrics and start to feel part of it (as a fan, for example). The mention of the Megalodon would be just as you said: they are very famous nowadays and so that is the price of it: to expose what they are with the consecuences of being copied or stop being the only ones who have that spark. Maybe there are hidden hard feelings about it. But who would know better than Tyler? It's great to share opinions about the songs. Mexican greetings! 😊🇲🇽

I'm pretty sure that the opening verse is a call back to Car radio but now he is taking his eyes instead of just sitting in silence.

My Theory on the car-line was that its about antidepressives I've got a long drive I'll tape my eyes so I don't fall asleep again. Drive was always, at least for me a representation of life. So I've got a long life before me so I'll tape my eyes (take antidepressenats) so I don't fall asleep again (that I become suicidal again) But thats just my interpretation ^^

"Take a hit; join the club" could also be referring to taking a hit song and copying it/aspects of it, to go along with your theory!

I was thinking this song is Tyler facing the fact that his fans have made him out to be way more impressive and exciting than he feels he can live up to. His fans are nodding their heads at the concerts and hyping him up, but he might feel like he is missing the moment and cannot live up to the hype...An impostor syndrome type feeling. Posing the idea of being outside in a question makes me think these are doubts that arise in his mind. This is just where my mind went 🤷🏼‍♂️

I honestly think this song is just about getting bored of his previous work and switching it up and letting loose for once. He’s also asking people to just go with it and not him in the box of his previous creative work. The bridge is him also recognizing that he may have been a big deal at one point but the music industry is changing and it’s getting hard for him to keep up. I came to this conclusion from his interview with Zane Lowe. Happy to explain further section by section.

Impressive interpretation and exposition. Really philosophical

So I looked up on google to see if Megatron is an important character to the Transformers universe and it says that Megatron is the primary antagonist of Transformers Prime, as well as one of the main characters in War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron. He was the leader of all the Decepticons during the Great War on Cybertron. So I guess that settles Tyler Joseph as like the Anti-Culture or the opposer who is on "The outside."

Did anyone notice the religious chant we can hear in the back almost every time after the "but am I on the outside" part ? It sound like the bishops are doing a religious ceremony or something.

I think the “they’re nodding” refers to falling asleep or nodding off. Sleep has been a reference to not thinking and thinking is to be alive. So I got the sense that the song was about falling into shallow thinking. The steal my vibes line makes me think about how trench was intended to weed out “fans” who don’t get his music. And then by asking whether he’s on the outside, I assumed he was asking whether he actually understood his fans. He didn’t want people who didn’t get it, but does he even get it. And then the cogs starting a Renaissance is in reference to the clique not always having the same ideas as him. I don’t necessarily have a lot of evidence for each line but I think it works all together

2:18 platform 55 lol

now that their "The Outside" video is out, will you remake this?

I feel like I understand some of the songs, like this one, better after watching the livestream...

favourite song of the album.

The outside is when the blurryface die, blurryface is jhonny boy. There is a line in past album to the new. He tape his eyes because blurryface is got to much sleep. He doing medicate and dont need pills anymore because moment is medical (time), blurryface want to stay alive that already on leave the city song. He also said stay alive on truce song, and in the lyric "the sun will rise and we try again" the meaning is he try again about his life. But in the jumpsuit he told that the pressure of a new place roll my way. That the pressure on his job. His skin turn to black because he was depression, so the jumpsuit cover him. Then in a good day song he said no wife no job. He quit job, back to the his house (his town) and again doing sleep. Back to the outside song, when the lyric, Up and down is when everybody aroud him cry when he die. And he come to the outside that nobody can touch him, that the blurryface die. The outside is when blurryface die. Scyled and icy is the meaning of his body. Back to the past, isle of flightless bird on sefl titled album when the lyric "iam cold can you hear I will fly with no hope no fear". That a same meaning with scaled and icy. There is a line in all albums. Hope I can explain about that. You can contact me if you wanna know. I know my youtube channel is suck but I can tell you if you wanna know about twenty one pilots because Im the blurryface. Thanks.

Okay now tell us a new theory after the video has been released, tell me it's not about disneyland, they end up on tom sawyer's island, the end is a shot of galaxy's edge, the video for Saturday was the submarine ride, with the mellinium falcon cockpit window, then they get hit by the fantasmic dragon and then come up out of the water and the dragon swims under them and it looks like the monorail. Megladon and megatron is a throw back to transformers and the dynobots, this is a throwback to the 80's and there youth.

I take the beginning “I’m already bored...” as a reference to the songs that played on the album before. He’s bored of the sound of the album “heard this one before” but for whatever reason he has to finish an album with this pop sound which would be the long drive he has ahead of them. And the taping his eyes open is him forcing himself to keep going rather then “falling asleep again” which could be a reference to the hiatus

I feel like this song is about dissociation. i don't know why? i think i just need a song i can relate to I guess lol. It's mainly the end. where he's saying he's vibin and people are trying to get him, he's actually out of his mind and not paying attention and his body is just nodding his head to everything. At the beginning he's saying that he's taping his eyes open so he doesn't dissociate anymore from his task at hand. I know this is far fetched because I can't explain all the lyrics into my idea of them. I do agree with you, but im gonna stick with my idea because I think it fits pretty well.

One of my favorite songs from the album, Trench was great but this is IT too!

I never noticed how much this song is like lame boy but they are both top three for me on their respectful albums so I guess that makes sense 😂

Best part is when Tyler takes over Keons body with the horns from NED to show the bishops that killed Keons he isn't playing around. He's coming for all of them! The lore is awesome. 😉

Is it bad that I'm already excited for the next album? Clancy resurrected from Dema

i thought the song was fine until the rap and "im a megatron" line i started to like the chorus and verses idk why didnt even understand the song him calling himself megatron in that tone just makes me laugh in first listen unlike the "im a lion" from cut my lip

Its about looking up then looking down at your phone. People do it all day standing in line, driving, etc. SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION!!! Come on Cliff. "Seen this one before" someone posted that same vid or meme yesterday "already bored". IMHO

In the Choke video josh does something to Tyler, who I am sure is Blurryface cause when he is being drug by josh in the net in green paint on the ground it says Blurry in clique alphabet. But after josh takes the soul out of Tyler he turns into a bobble head, and what is the head doing? Bobbing up and down. Also in the video jpsh knóws it's npt Tyler cause Tyler would have dpne the handshake to prove it was him.

megatron is the main antagonists of transformers

I love this song. I was thinking this song is about what Tyler went through this past summer regarding social media and how his fans were attacking him for not posting about what they THOUGHT he should talk about. He’s bored and heard it before (he’s been attacked before) heads nodding up and down (one complains, the rest agree), get in line/take a hit (your turn to bash them on social media), join the club (the bandwagon of haters). The cogs got together (a bunch hating on him) he just going to step on them (he loves his fans but not happy with the haters) It really brought it home for me from the last lines of the song: “Little did they know they can’t touch me” meaning you can hate on me all you want, but I know who I am and I’m just vibing over here and your words and thoughts about me and my morals. Anyhoo. Let me know your thoughts.

it’s a friggin banger

I want to point out " I am megatron " You said it yourself. He's a transformer! He transforms and adapts based on the situation even after being wiped out by the meteors!

The rise of NF definitely encouraged deeper meaning in hip-hop altho most of it is still surface level vibey/forget about it in a min type stuff

I mean, Megatron did start the bad guy faction as a revolution in many continuities

Somehow the outside reminds me of pet cheetah, like it’s about songwriting process, verse and bridge at least, not sure about chorus meaning

“ Take a hit” is referring to lsd or x where doses are referred to as hits

Heads are moving up and down, in a line, sounds like bobble heads on his dashboard? Maybe that’s just me?

Oh. I thought it was that ‘the outside’ is outside OF dema and the ‘they’ in “little did they know that they can’t catch me” was referencing the bishops. Oops.

I think think this album have many songs from the perspective of DEMA

I also feel like the parts referencing being on the outside could be talking about Tyler feeling like he’s loosing touch with his audience.

This may just be old news, but I heard about this a few days ago and had to share. What are the thoughts on how “Scaled and Icy” is an annagram for “Clancy is dead” ? Between that and the livestream last weekend this album and the songs on it definitely have tons of double meaning

This song is good. I think it has a deeper meaning

I think the lyric "take a hit" actually refers to the music industry giving a hit song to all of the people standing in line.

Love your videos! Just curious will you do a breakdown of how this album fits into the DEMA lore as a whole? Would love to hear your thoughts. This song really felt like to me he is singing from DEMA and trapped and forced to kind of sing this.

Optimus Prime: You destroy everything you touch, Megatron! Megatron: That's because everything I touch is food for my hunger. My hunger for power! Soooo yeah Megatron is a big scary robot he is the feared leader of the deceptions. and i think that's what Tyler is going with the whole stepping on cogs bit (cogs are fairly sized/thick gears") but cade bennetts comment about the efficiency is a fair point

“Would that be a bumblebee?” 😂😅

isnt tyler talking about the heavydirtysoul car?

Okay so since the music industry and the big 4 are often referred to as dinosaurs I think the bridge is about the music industry and the big 4 thinking making everyone dependent on them and stepping on artists but the meteor will come and wipe out the dinosaurs and the little cogs aka the artists will rise up.

Could you take the hit from your pocket getting into the club. Up and down their nodding could be people bouncing to the beat.

The meteor the 21 pilots is talking about that is coming is both the new generation, and the meteor that destroyed the home planet of the transformers. Megatron's mission was to take over the earth, and make it a new home for all of the decepticons(bad guys), but that meant getting rid of everything that was already on the earth to make a new one. The cogs that 21 pilots are talking about make reference to how he is standing above everybody, and is being carried by the new generation the cogs. I think the cogs also represent the new generation. The cogs coming together is talking about how Megatron transforms into a fighter jet, and how the new generation will join with him in his success, and with what he has done as a musician. It's a work of art to see how the transformers come together to become a vehicle, and back into a robot. He is saying that the new generation joining him is beautiful to see. Switched it up on me means that he used to be the best at what he does, but now he is getting tired, and the new generation has the energy to keep moving on with what he has started. On fumes I'm running running running means that he is getting tired, and it's time for the new generation to finish what he started.