| "Johnny Boy" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Twenty One Pilots | |
| from the album Twenty One Pilots | |
| Released | May 4, 2009 |
| Recorded | 2009 |
| Studio | Tyler Joseph's home studio, Columbus, Ohio |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:39 |
| Label | Self-released |
| Songwriter(s) | Tyler Joseph |
| Producer(s) | Tyler Joseph |
"Johnny Boy" is a song by American alternative band Twenty One Pilots. The song was first released on the band's demo tapes, and later officially released on their self-titled debut studio album, Twenty One Pilots (2009). [2]
In a 2020 interview, the father of the band's frontman Tyler Joseph, Chris, revealed the meaning of the song. [3] Around the time the song was recorded, the United States was going through an economic recession, causing Chris to become unemployed. "I was an admissions director, and they said 'Hey, we gotta get rid of this position.' And I was without a job for a while. A lot of people were out of work at that time." [4] An alternative meaning that has been cited by many musical scholars references the ephemeral existence of one John Norris, the first individual to claim the nickname "Johnny Boy". He attributed this nickname to his boyish ways and languid behavior. In a constant state of repose, he would only come out of this state, when blaringly summoned by two words...."Johnny" and "Boy". To him, this nickname was like "a warm blanket on a rainy and dreary day" (John Norris, Biography 1982). Many musical scholars believe that Twenty-One Pilots were inspired, by this man's, John Norris, aka. Johnny Boy's, steadfast dedication to something as pointless and fleeting as a name. Though John Norris was impassioned by a measure so banal and mindless, Tyler Joseph (songwriter) wanted to showcase that we can find meaning in virtually anything, no matter how stupid. John Norris is still alive to this day, and he lives in his own reality, on an island called John, that only real "Johnny Boys" inhabit.
Writers from Cleveland.com wrote about the song, saying "(It) remains a fan-favorite for Twenty One Pilots diehards. It's by no means the band's best song, but it feels like Tyler Joseph going for a Jack's Mannequin moment. The song is also the centerpiece of the band's debut." [5]
Twenty One Pilots are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, who both left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up has consisted of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The duo is best known for their singles "Stressed Out", "Ride", and "Heathens", which achieved commercial success between 2015 and 2016. The duo received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for "Stressed Out".
Vessel is the third studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, which was released on January 8, 2013. It is the band's first album released via Fueled by Ramen, and is their major-label debut album. Vessel debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200 chart, but reached number 21 in 2016. As of July 2019, the album has sold over two million equivalent album units in the U.S. All of its tracks have been certified at least Gold by the RIAA, which made Twenty One Pilots the first group or artist to achieve this feat with two separate albums. The album received positive reviews from critics.
"Holding On to You" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots from their second studio album Regional at Best (2011). It was re-recorded and later included as the second song on the track list of their major-label debut album, Vessel (2013). "Holding On to You" features upbeat rhythms and bouncy suspended chords over which Tyler Joseph delivers scattershot raps with down-to-earth sentiments and sings grandiose, euphoric choruses. The track's indie-inspired synth-pop transforms from a sensitive ballad to a hip-hop number with rapped verses and codas. The song contains lyrical elements of "Lean wit It, Rock wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz. Lyrically, "Holding on to You" is an ode to self-control. It addresses "the claiming of one's own life and holding onto your values." The song's lyrics express introspective lines as well as a sentiment about taking back control of one's own mind, lost to mental health.
"House of Gold" is a song by American alternative duo Twenty One Pilots. It originally appeared as a bonus track on their second album Regional at Best (2011) and was rounded out and re-released on their major-label debut studio album Vessel (2013). "House of Gold" is an alternative folk song driven by ukulele that is built on an aching melody and stomping drums. Tyler Joseph wrote and dedicated the song to his mother, Kelly Joseph.
Joshua William Dun is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer of the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside Tyler Joseph, but he has collaborated with other artists as well. His band has been nominated for six Grammy Awards, of which he has won one.
Tyler Robert Joseph is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman for the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside bandmate Josh Dun. Across his career he has recorded eight albums: one solo, and seven with Twenty One Pilots. He has been nominated for six Grammy Awards as a member of the duo, of which he has won one.
Blurryface is the fourth studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. It was released on May 17, 2015, through Fueled by Ramen. Lyrically, the album incorporates themes of mental health, doubt, and religion. It contains the hit singles "Stressed Out" and "Ride", both of which reached the top-five on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Tear in My Heart" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, for their fourth studio album Blurryface (2015). The song was released as a single on April 6, 2015 and was released to radio on April 14 of the same year.
"Lane Boy" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, for their fourth studio album, Blurryface. "Lane Boy" was released on YouTube worldwide on May 4, 2015, being released as a single on Google Play Store on the same day. The music video was released on July 20, 2015.
"Ode to Sleep" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. It was originally recorded for their second studio album, Regional at Best (2011), and was later re-recorded for their third album, Vessel (2013).
"Heavydirtysoul" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots from their fourth studio album Blurryface (2015). It was written by vocalist Tyler Joseph, who derived some of its lyrics from a poem called "Street Poetry" which he had written and published three years earlier. The track was produced by American record producer Ricky Reed and recorded at Serenity West Recording in Hollywood, California. As the opening track of Blurryface, "Heavydirtysoul" acts as the album's introduction, both musically and thematically. The song contains a self-referential statement where Joseph touches on the concept by candidly addressing its music with self-aware lyrics that give away his insecurities.
Twenty One Pilots is the debut studio album by American band Twenty One Pilots, released independently on December 29, 2009. It is the band's only album to feature founding members Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, who both departed the group in 2011.
Trench is the fifth studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, released on October 5, 2018, through Fueled by Ramen and Elektra Records. It was the band's first studio album in three years, after the breakthrough success of their fourth studio album, Blurryface (2015). Recorded in secret during a year-long public silence, it is a concept album which explores mental health, suicide, and doubt, themes prominently featured in the band's previous works, framed in the metaphorical city of Dema and the surrounding continent known as "Trench". The album was also the first release of the newly revived Elektra Music Group.
"Chlorine" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. It was released through Fueled by Ramen on January 22, 2019, as the fifth single from their fifth studio album, Trench (2018). The track was written and produced by lead singer Tyler Joseph and Paul Meany of rock band Mutemath. It is a trip hop, rap rock and electropop song which discusses "how creativity can cleanse dark impulses but cause its own pain".
"Neon Gravestones" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. It is the seventh track from their fifth studio album, Trench (2018). Tyler Joseph, the frontman of the band, wrote the song and produced it with Paul Meany. It is a hip hop piano ballad which confronts the glorification of suicide by media.
"The Hype" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots from their fifth studio album Trench (2018). The song was released as the sixth and final single from Trench on July 16, 2019, by Fueled by Ramen and Elektra Music Group. The track was written by lead singer Tyler Joseph, with production being handled by himself and Paul Meany. The song's lyrics discuss perseverance and loyalty. "The Hype" reached a peak of number 3 on the US Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.
"The Judge" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. It was released on their fourth studio album Blurryface in May 2015. It was written by Tyler Joseph and produced by Mike Crossey.
"Morph" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots from their fifth studio album, Trench (2018). It was released as a promotional single the same day as the album's release. The song was written by vocalist Tyler Joseph in a studio in his basement. It was produced by Joseph, with co-production from Paul Meany of Mutemath, and recorded at United Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. Even though the song is one of the less conceptual of their concept album, it still reveals more about the surroundings of a world named "Trench" and a dystopian city called "Dema". A key discovery comes in "Morph" with the identity of Nicolas Bourbaki, the titular character of the song "Nico and the Niners" and one of the main antagonists in the story.
Regional at Best is the second studio album by the American band Twenty One Pilots, and its first as the core duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. Self-released on July 8, 2011, it was the band's final independent record before being signed to Fueled by Ramen in 2012, and has since been removed from circulation.
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