you guys got it. It's basically saying to stop glorifying suicide and celebrating the person after they've died. And to not use the act of suicide as a weapon. Tyler admits to having depression and really struggled in his late teens early twenties. He's never said publicly that he was ever suicidal, but by some of his early song writing you can infer that he was in some pretty dark places. And to basically look at those around you who are old and have lived full lives through the good and bad, and celebrate that, and strive for that. They lived and survive through shit, and so can you.
The meaning of a “neon gravestone” is, well for starters a gravestone marks and identifies someone’s death. The neon represents how much we praise or give attention to those who commit suicide. There’s this attitude that my life is pointless but by being a martyr for bullying mental health etc. my suicide will have more impact and meaning than my life. As soon as juice died his songs topped the charts everyone started checking him out etc. To those who feel life is pointless and nobody cares about them, suicide is appealing because it’s a tragedy that garners attention and empathy. Things they never received while alive, and it’s a way to scar or harm those who wronged you. Which is a fucked up way to view life and your existence.
G W plus I think the neon gravestone is attractive because it’s described as neon. It stands out as an option that is always screaming at you. You can’t miss a neon sign and so it’s the idea that when one looks through their options there’s a gravestone that is bright and enticing
You guys are pretty spot on with this one. Tyler's spoken about how much thought they had to give to this song because it's an incredibly sensitive subject, and in the end they decided they wouldn't release the song unless it felt like something they *had* to release. They've touched on the subject of suicide in earlier songs, but here they outright attack it. Basically they condemn the act of suicide, and plead for people to stop glorifying those who do it, because it might be giving other people ideas about how they too can use suicide as a "weapon", or as a means to an end. The last verse kind of puts the nail in the coffin to how different this song is to other songs that talk about suicide, when he basically says "I'm really happy we finally feel brave enough to talk about suicide, and that it's not a taboo subject anymore, but because of that we have to look at it from this angle as well."
"id mourn for a kid but wont cry for a king" i think is the most hard hitting line in the song.... everytime i hear that sentence my head and heart just drop...
I love seeing "when" you get it. You got it, seen so many ppl reactions to this and others from then it flews right by them. You figured it out, proud applause ;)
“Neon gravestones” refers to how appealing the grave can look when you’re suicidal that’s why The whole line is “neon gravestones try to call for my bones” and then “but they won’t get them” is Tyler saying even though suicide may seem appealing to him sometimes he doesn’t want to give up
I think the message is just that, in the efforts to break down the stigma of mental illness and suicide, its almost becoming glorified and a means to an end someone might be seeking. He's saying, if I were to lose to myself and take my own life, don't hold me up as an example and make me even bigger......look at your grandparents or someone that's lived their life (and all the struggles that come with it) and not given in/up.
"Neon Gravestones" Call (Call) Call (Call) Call (Call) What's my problem? Well, I want you to follow me down to the bottom Underneath the insane asylum Keep your wits about you while you got 'em 'Cause your wits are first to go while you're problem-solving And my problem? We glorify those, even more, when they My opinion Our culture can treat a loss Like it's a win and right before we turn on them We give them the highest of praise, and hang their banner from a ceiling Communicating, further engraving An earlier grave is an optional way No Neon gravestones try to call (Neon gravestones try to call) Neon gravestones try to call for my bones (Neon gravestones try to call) Call (For my bones) Call, call, call Call Call What's my problem? Don't get it twisted It's with the people we praise who may have assisted I could use the streams and extra conversations I could give up, and boost up my reputation I could go out with a bang They would know my name They would host and post a celebration My opinion will not be lenient My opinion, it's real convenient Our words are loud, but now I'm talking action We don't get enough love? Well, they get a fraction They say, "How could he go if he's got everything?" I'll mourn for a kid, but won't cry for a king Neon gravestones try to call (Neon gravestones try to call) Neon gravestones try to call for my bones (Neon gravestones try to call) Call (For my bones) Call, call, call Call Call Promise me this If I lose to myself You won't mourn a day And you'll move onto someone else Promise me this If I lose to myself You won't mourn a day And you'll move onto someone else (Call) (Call) Neon gravestones try to call (Neon gravestones try to call) Neon gravestones try to call for my bones (Call, call, call) Neon gravestones try to call (Neon gravestones try to call) Neon gravestones try to call for my bones But they won't get them No, they won't get them They won't get them But they won't get them Don't get me wrong The rise in awareness Is beating a stigma that no longer scares us But for sake of discussion In spirit of fairness Could we give this some room for a new point of view? And, could it be true that some could be tempted To use this mistake as a form of aggression? A form of succession? A form of a weapon? Thinking "I'll teach them" Well, I'm refusing the lesson It won't resonate in our minds I'm not disrespecting what was left behind Just pleading that "it" does not get glorified Maybe we swap out what it is that we hold so high Find your grandparents or someone of age Pay some respects for the path that they paved To life, they were dedicated Now, that should be celebrated
If you look at the nico video again you'll see the bishop "Nico" and the other bishops are making neon gravestones. The whole Trench album is basically a story, took me ages to figure it all out (thanks Reddit!) Great reaction again guys
You guys did really well, u were right. It's about the glorification of suicide and appreciation of people once they are gone. A lot of their music deals with depression and suicide topics.
The neon is to represent how they are immortalized and held at a higher platform when they die because of their fame. Many celebrities die young at their own hands and they are remembered for that instead of their music. They are brighter in death because of who they are and what they did.
This is an older one but speaking of heavier songs of theirs, I would really love to see you guys check out the UG Studios version of Addict With a Pen!
His high notes have definitely come a long way and his voice is smoother now, but have you heard Oh Ms Believer or especially Prove Me Wrong? He’s always been good at singing, but the production on their old stuff was *rough*
I feel like he’s saying that the voices in his head (the neon grave stones) are telling him to.. end his life but he’s fighting it. Like when he says “No” and “no they wont get em” saying he wont give up.
The I'll mourn for a kid part I think that means he wants to get rid of the stigma that you should feel worse if a kid was to die compared to an adult with a good life which is true every adult was once a kid just because your a kid doesnt mean you're worth more an adult dying is just as tragic but media portrays a childs death to be sadder and now that stigma has seeped into society.
I respectfully disagree. I think the 'kid' in the line is representative of his fans & other 'fans' & stans of celebrities (the celebrity example being the 'king')..'how could he go if he's got everything? (the celebrity/the 'king') I'll mourn for a kid, (who might just be inspired by seeing all that love & attention given to the object of their ship, from them suiciding), but won't cry for a king'..meaning he won't shed a tear for someone who has the same struggles as he himself has, but who won't make the additional efforts, the truly difficult shit that might actually give them the strength to resist giving in; he has said before that he has no respect for those celebrities who resent having to be a role model, as if they never asked for that job. I think this is also why he says we should immediately move on if he's not able to get through his own internal issues. Lastly, when you think of shows like '13 reasons why', the weaponizing of the act of suicide becomes more clear. Its like he's saying this culture right now perceives this hugely destructive & irreversible act as somehow superior to the much more quiet, but infinitely stronger courage of the lives lead by your elders, through hardships & despair none of us can even imagine today. Muchlove, suki
throughout tylers late teens and early twenties he suffered through intense depression. his earlier albums such as regional at best and no phun intended really show what he suffered through. same with the album vessel. tyler has touched depression topics, as well as suicide, multiple times. once he realized that he wasn't alone, he wanted to spread that message to others and show that they aren't alone either. so he gave up a full ride basketball scholarship to pursue music and show others that they aren't alone through metaphors and music. he's a lyrical genius and probably one of the best we have in our generation. without twenty one pilots, i feel like mental health wouldn't be as spoken about as it is now
What I took from it is that after someone dies specifically from suicide people who never cared for them suddenly like them and feel bad some people commit suicide for these reason if I'm gone maybe people that hate me might care about me a little more
From what I take from when he says Neon Gravestones, I think he's saying death and the gravestone looks good. He talks a lot about suicide in this song.
Luna The Wolf I think the neon gravestones are people whose deaths have been glorified. People who weren’t truly appreciated in life and it’s only after they’ve died/committed suicide that people give them the recognition they deserve/desired
The last verse is him saying glorify the life theyve paved instead of being victims of suicide they lived a full life. Using this mistake as a form of aggression is using the action of suicide that the ultimate form of "I'll teach them" guilt tripping whoever pr whatever and "teaching them a lesson" as it were. The band truly touches on deep subjects and Tyler himself uses the music as a release from his own personal battle. I would definitely reccomend leave the city. Its him dealing with a crisis of faith and trying to figure out what he should do.
Yessss!!! Thank you for reacting to this! This is in my top 3 songs by them! It's so deep and I can relate so much to this song and Tyler. Much love and keep bringing the Twenty One Pilots and NF reactions!
With the “Cause your wits are first to go while you're problem-solving” part I think it’s about how when you become so stressed/upset/angry you can’t think logically because you’re so worked up the logic part of your brain can’t be accessed. Also love your work dudes! So glad I found your channel 😍
Check it out. His label was telling him this song was a 'timebomb' in the middle of the album. They called it a career-ender. Kinda freaked him out. But not enough to withdraw it. He stood by these words, which he tried to make as respectful as possible (for those families of like, Chris Cornell & Chester Bennington, et al), he enunciated every word as clearly as he could so there would be no misunderstanding of his message. Unfortunately, the main casualty of all of that infighting shit was the storyline of Dema & Trench. I won't get into it here too much, but, suffice to say, that the act of a suicide that deeply impacts the greatest number of people is the most holy 'sacrament' of the religion of Vialism, the brainwashing slop they serve up at Dema (keeping in mind that the city of Dema is a metaphor of every fucked mental health sickness & the depths to which we feel trapped inside, totally silent & unreachable) & that Trench is a precarious landscape of terrifying newness, & fragility, which we travel through as we try to heal..the Banditos are those who have escaped the city, & are now encamped in the wilds of Trench, not yet safe, & doing their best to retrieve the frens whom are continually vulnerable to being dragged back to Dema. If you can believe it, I have not even skimmed the surface. Lov, suki
The lyric "If u loose to myself..." is indeed tyler talking about him loosing to his depression and anxiety. The lyric "you wont mourn a day." is saying not to glorify the fact that he killed himself.
This is one of my favourites because its so hard hitting and honest. The bars though! You pretty much got it. He's saying that suicide shouldn't be glorified, its tragic and shouldn't be praised. Ugh these lyrics get me every time 💛
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king" I see that as someone saying they'd feel bad for the death of someone who had nothing but they feel no remorse for someone who ends their life if they have all the fame and money, adding a notion that you can't struggle if you have "everything" or what most of society deems as success.
That whole album was so good, and it sounded amazing. I don't really listen to top anymore but that album is still amazing and high up on my list of top albums.
For the last line about the grandparents, he’s saying to mourn their death and think about what they did it their life and not mourn about someone you don’t know like a celebrity.
You guys hit it spot on. This song is from an album called Trench and to really understand the whole story you have to listen to all of the songs in order then go through and try to decode the message. Tyler puts a story behind each of his albums. Some will say all of his music is one long story that hes breaking apart into different sections. Each album ties into one another. He writes about his life and what he is experiencing and his opinion but so many people just look over it. Tyler and Josh have saved me more than once with their music and they are truly my favorite band. I suggest to listen to the song then piece it together but that's just how i do it. Sometimes its easier sometimes it isn't. But i really do suggest the whole album. Also, the music videos help a lot to understand what the song is about. There is a music video to The Hype that references one of their songs from their album Vessel released in 2013. It also references Stressed Out from their album Blurryface released in 2015.
I think you guys did a great job with this one by the end. I agree that this is about not glorifying these young great people that loses their lives whether intentional or not. What should REALLY be celebrated is a long good life that has true meaning. My 2 cents.
Neon gravestones is a metaphor for the glorification of celebrity suicide. “I’ll cry for a kid, but won’t mourn for a king”. A random kid can be powerless to change their situation and can feel suicide is their only way out, but someone who has the money, power, and resources to basically do anything they want...
I hiiiiiiiighly recommend working through their albums as units or parts of a whole. Their songs are not standalone - you can learn so so much more about the meaning of one song from listening to others, which is one of the reasons I love them so much. He also spoke in concert of this song and it’s dedication to his grandfather, but I’m hazy on the details and haven’t gone down that rabbit hole to clarify just yet. These two are truly fabulous and about as under rated as an artist can be.
The line “promise me this, if I lose to my self. You won’t mourn today and you’ll move onto someone else “ means that they want the people they know not to mourn the life they had but live the life like they lived. They want them to be happy even if they’re gone.
I don’t think you could have been more spot on about this one, I never really looked at it that way until now, now it all makes sense. I think you were totally right in this breakdown
He’s a little backstory Tyler used to be a really suicidal teen and so he talks about his struggles as not taking his life and then he wrote this song about how suicide is not an optional way to end things such your problems
It's refreshing to see someone actually REACT to a video and not just listen to it and say "that was neon gravestone, comment below what you want me to listen to next". You actually put effort into honoring the lyrics and the artistry and that is awesome.
As an older person (but I still feel like a kid), I see a lot of the younger generation that seems to have extreme problems with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. That wasn't a thing when I was young. You busted your ass, worked hard, and sucked it up. Now for some back then, that meant you quietly drowned your troubles in drink and drug, or other vices and distractions. But today it seems like prescription psych drugs, endless therapy and suicide is the way. This song seems to acknowledge Tyler's struggle with depression and stress, but in the end he seems to be saying look to those who've struggle through hardships and prevailed, sort of a way to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and a source of hope. I find a net positive to this song taken as a whole.
When he says "An earlier grave is an optional way.... NO" hits so hard every time. I really don't understand how he's able to wright these texts, he must be a god or something. Also I think he means the grandparents were dedecated to their life doing the best they could with what they had while now kids are throwing their lives away to be famous or something like that, as if their lifes dont have any value.
taxi cab is one of my favorite songs from them, and i know tyler mentioned before its one of his favorite songs he wrote too? im p sure. all of their songs are really good, just to zone out to or if youre in a deeper mood then listening like *really* listening to the lyrics,,, a whole other feeling. lovely video
What I would define a neon grave stone is that when they say an earlier grave is an optional way that’s the neon grave stone and when they call for his bones that means that it’s calling for him and he might lose to himself in that process
I’ve watched every video you made about twenty one pilots and i love your reactions pleaaase do more. It’s fun seeing you guys trying to figure out what the lyrics actually mean.
MuffSquad Damn brothers y'alls are Kickin ass on these reactions crazy deep song trying to figure it out kick started and existential crisis but love watching your reactions so thank you for putting yourselves out there for us appreciate what you guys do God bless you and yours catch you on the next one. 💯🔥🙏
I take this song as being about high profile suicide. Tyler struggles with depression and the gravestone (suicide) calls to him. He's asking not to glorify him if he loses to his depression and that nobody should be. Also check out their cover of "Cancer" originally by My Chemical Romance
Omg I’m sorry for the bombing but it’s beautiful to see someone who doesn’t listen to twenty one pilots understand the lyric and step back and understand. Bc it’s not just music to most... this band has humbly saved so many lives including mine I was lucky enough to go to two concerts when bandito was a thing
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king." Means when kids kill themselves it is not their fault. Other people are responsible for them and they didn't help them. "Kings" are celebrities and adults who are successful. They have everything they need to fight suicidal tendencies and they are responsible for themselves. They have all the money they need to get all the help they would ever need.
Well done guys! You nailed it! Great reaction to one of my favorite TOP songs. This song hits me right in the feels. We all go through shit in life and suicide may feel like an option but it's NOT and the glorification of it needs to end.
I interpret neon gravestones to mean like suicide being glorified, to the point it stands out above everything else, it's neon so your eyes are drawn to it above all else. It being neon is making it seem like it's better than it is. The beauty of it is you can interpret it basically however you want
The last verse is probably the most important; it is talking about how so many TOP fans glorify Josh and Tyler and not the lyrics/message: "maybe we swap out what it is that we hold so high" It is not about Tyler or Josh being gods of a culture, it's about living above the culture and bettering ourselves. The boys are just human like us; they never wanted to be worshiped and it's about time that we started taking their real message to heart... love yourself, not us.
I think one thing you guys didn't mentioned is the "Call.. call.. call.." which I think is either a call to action and to speak up or telling those who are struggling to talk to someone or call/text a help line.
Gravestones symbolizing death. Picture a gravestone with neon lights on it flashing to draw you in like a billboard. Drawing you into death and suicide. They call for his bones but they won’t get em because he’s resisting and fighting suicide. In Nico and the Niners the bishops are forging and worshiping neon lights in the shape of gravestones. The bishops are the dark parts of his thoughts. The whole album is concept and intertwined.
What I took from it was that most people wont know someone until they die. Once they are gone, everyone praises them like they were their god. I think its saying more people will get famous from their death, but not remembered for their life. The way he used 'neon gravestones' I think of it as praising someones grave instead of celebrating their life, as it said in the end of the song
I personally think if the neon gravestone as a want for death and like he's like trying to stop himself from thinking of it as an option but it just keeps calling for him
I think that the line "an earlier grave is an optional way. No." Is saying that suicide shouldn't be an option for anyone and that no one should feel that it is an option.🤔
The neon represents the flashy colors of celebrity, the things culture tells you to focus on that are actually just a distraction from anything real or meaningful. In the video for Nico and the Niners, you see the Niners filling glass tubes with neon and then worshiping them: it's a light, but it gives no heat. It's meaningless and artificial, but that's what the Niners use to "fill their vessels". In other words, it's the things that negative emotions feed on, and make us all look up to, but they don't actually mean anything important.
Here is my take for this song. For Linkin Park fans, it is a known fact that Chester is a huge fan of twenty one pilots and Tyler must have known about that. However, he does not approved of people trying to glorify suicide. What LP fam did for Chester, from an outside perspective, must have come across as glorifying. Huge memorials everywhere, increased number of suicidal calls, etc. When Tyler said that part about "they can host a celebration".. Chester's official memorial at the Hollywood Bowl was called, "Celebrating the Life of Chester Bennington". When he said, he would cry for a child but wont mourn for a king, I interpret it as if a kid took his own life, thats a pity coz he didnt get the help he needed and havent lived much, but for those that are older, who has all the access to rehab and mental health facilities, it's a shame that it was not avoided. This part right here, I can feel the anger from Tyler. I know, coz im a huge LP fan, that fans have been tagging him over and over and over again for him to offer condolences in public (he did in private as per Mike Shinoda's AMA speech) but he never did publicly, maybe coz this was the silence era, but more so because he doesnt want the tøp fans to support and glorify this. Thus the line, "if i lose to myself, promise me this, that you wont mourn a day and move on to someone else". He doesnt want people to get stuck mourning, like what stan did to Kurt Cobain, to Chris Cornell, to Chester. He appreciates that there is talk about mental health because of this suicides, but he doesnt want this to be the choice or option of an artist to get back to the world when they feel the world has wronged them. There is an undertone that Chester must have felt like it. He is very close to Chris Cornell and people have forgotten who Chris is and Soundgarden/Audioslave is, but when Chris died, all of a sudden Chris was celebrated, his works put in a pedestal (NEON GRAVESTONE). This is at the same time that Linkin Park just released an album and that fans and the world diss them and called them sellouts. So in a way, could be that Chester was angry, as he gave everything to his art, took his own life as a revenge. And thats what Tyler doesnt want to happen to him and he wanted to make sure that fans understood that he if he ever took his own life, he shouldnt be celebrated. I personally think that Tyler is a Chester fan but he was angry when he wrote this, like some of us must have felt, and this is his way of dealing with the loss. I love both human beings. I miss Chester so much. And i cried so much when I first heard this and I hate to admit that Tyler is right. It felt like a direct attack but he needs to make this record and I understand that. It eventually became cathartic.
Great job on this one guys! Many reactors miss the point since Tyler never actually states suicide and even drops the word. Glad you caught it. Tyler supports mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. But he won't cry for a king, because this glorifies suicide, and sends the wrong message to the fans, especially impressionable teens. And he wants us to promise we will not glorify him if he looses to himself. He wants to remove the tempation.
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king" i think it means kid who isn't famous or known they would cry for versus a famous person who would have millions of people mourn him/her if they diedfrom suicide , murder , etc. Thas my thought.
Hi! I think you guys were spot on, from my interpretation I saw it as how neon is a fake or artificial light and I think that translates to the praise and “light” we shed on people of influence after they’ve committed suicide. I think Tyler’s also warning how when celebrities demonstrate this it can cause people to believe that if they commit suicide people will praise their life and mourn them and that the people will shed this artificial light, which gives them an extra push to follow through. That’s just my opinion though! :)
As people said, pretty much got it. Basically about glorifying the suicide of many artists and even other things like overdoses and all that. I feel the "neon gravestones' is used as a way neon signs draw you in. Usually when you see neon signs you get ingerested and are like "oh thats nice". Its like saying "death seems to be drawing me in, but I can't do this. I can't end my own life" Tyler himself said this was the most import song they've ever written, and i agree tbh. Its a message many people need to hear and many are afraid to speak on.
you guys got it. It's basically saying to stop glorifying suicide and celebrating the person after they've died. And to not use the act of suicide as a weapon. Tyler admits to having depression and really struggled in his late teens early twenties. He's never said publicly that he was ever suicidal, but by some of his early song writing you can infer that he was in some pretty dark places. And to basically look at those around you who are old and have lived full lives through the good and bad, and celebrate that, and strive for that. They lived and survive through shit, and so can you.
Yep. Most of their Vessel songs and earlier refer to this idea
Especially if you listen to Tyler Joseph’s “No Phun Intended” album
instaBlaster.
To quote one of their earlier songs: "nothing kills a man faster than his own head"
The song you mean is trapdoor, right?
@@Sophie-pb2nk yep
He used to see dreams at night
But now he's just watching the backs of his eyes
GladaCitrus and he pretends, that he’s okay but you should see
Welcome to the world of Trench. The whole album is this world Tyler created in his head. It is confusing and beautiful
Confusing and beautiful... a great way to put it honestly...
I had to listen to the album like twenty times to really understand what the meaning of the album as a whole meant
Lyrical miracle hahah
You should check out guns for hands it’s about suicidal fans
Sharud Da Shlime God uhhh yes 😎
Its the first of theire songs that I ever herd, still one of my favorites.
The meaning of a “neon gravestone” is, well for starters a gravestone marks and identifies someone’s death. The neon represents how much we praise or give attention to those who commit suicide. There’s this attitude that my life is pointless but by being a martyr for bullying mental health etc. my suicide will have more impact and meaning than my life. As soon as juice died his songs topped the charts everyone started checking him out etc. To those who feel life is pointless and nobody cares about them, suicide is appealing because it’s a tragedy that garners attention and empathy. Things they never received while alive, and it’s a way to scar or harm those who wronged you. Which is a fucked up way to view life and your existence.
Awesome info dude. Great read. Thank you for taking the time to write this
MuffSquad No problem! You choose a great band to react to.
G W plus I think the neon gravestone is attractive because it’s described as neon. It stands out as an option that is always screaming at you. You can’t miss a neon sign and so it’s the idea that when one looks through their options there’s a gravestone that is bright and enticing
Anya Reid definitely, the symbolism in this song is complex. Tyler is a true artist and Poet.
@@gw9363 I did find a religious reference in the NATN music video
You guys are pretty spot on with this one. Tyler's spoken about how much thought they had to give to this song because it's an incredibly sensitive subject, and in the end they decided they wouldn't release the song unless it felt like something they *had* to release. They've touched on the subject of suicide in earlier songs, but here they outright attack it. Basically they condemn the act of suicide, and plead for people to stop glorifying those who do it, because it might be giving other people ideas about how they too can use suicide as a "weapon", or as a means to an end. The last verse kind of puts the nail in the coffin to how different this song is to other songs that talk about suicide, when he basically says "I'm really happy we finally feel brave enough to talk about suicide, and that it's not a taboo subject anymore, but because of that we have to look at it from this angle as well."
Thank you. It all makes sense. Also thank you for taking the time to write this insightful comment!
"It's about dying, bro"
".............yeah"
Pretty much sums it up
♡
I laughed so hard at that part, like "...yeah.. I thought we already understood that." hahahahha
Can’t find that part in the video 😂😂😂
5:49 this is our favorite comment 😂😂
“Holding onto you” music video is a must see.
Stay tuned. Thank you for the suggestion!
MuffSquad yes do holding onto you or guns for hands live
"id mourn for a kid but wont cry for a king" i think is the most hard hitting line in the song.... everytime i hear that sentence my head and heart just drop...
I love seeing "when" you get it. You got it, seen so many ppl reactions to this and others from then it flews right by them. You figured it out, proud applause ;)
“Neon gravestones” refers to how appealing the grave can look when you’re suicidal that’s why The whole line is “neon gravestones try to call for my bones” and then “but they won’t get them” is Tyler saying even though suicide may seem appealing to him sometimes he doesn’t want to give up
I think the message is just that, in the efforts to break down the stigma of mental illness and suicide, its almost becoming glorified and a means to an end someone might be seeking. He's saying, if I were to lose to myself and take my own life, don't hold me up as an example and make me even bigger......look at your grandparents or someone that's lived their life (and all the struggles that come with it) and not given in/up.
"Neon Gravestones"
Call (Call)
Call (Call)
Call (Call)
What's my problem?
Well, I want you to follow me down to the bottom
Underneath the insane asylum
Keep your wits about you while you got 'em
'Cause your wits are first to go while you're problem-solving
And my problem?
We glorify those, even more, when they
My opinion
Our culture can treat a loss
Like it's a win and right before we turn on them
We give them the highest of praise, and hang their banner from a ceiling
Communicating, further engraving
An earlier grave is an optional way
No
Neon gravestones try to call
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Neon gravestones try to call for my bones
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Call
(For my bones)
Call, call, call
Call
Call
What's my problem?
Don't get it twisted
It's with the people we praise who may have assisted
I could use the streams and extra conversations
I could give up, and boost up my reputation
I could go out with a bang
They would know my name
They would host and post a celebration
My opinion will not be lenient
My opinion, it's real convenient
Our words are loud, but now I'm talking action
We don't get enough love?
Well, they get a fraction
They say, "How could he go if he's got everything?"
I'll mourn for a kid, but won't cry for a king
Neon gravestones try to call
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Neon gravestones try to call for my bones
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Call
(For my bones)
Call, call, call
Call
Call
Promise me this
If I lose to myself
You won't mourn a day
And you'll move onto someone else
Promise me this
If I lose to myself
You won't mourn a day
And you'll move onto someone else
(Call)
(Call)
Neon gravestones try to call
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Neon gravestones try to call for my bones
(Call, call, call)
Neon gravestones try to call
(Neon gravestones try to call)
Neon gravestones try to call for my bones
But they won't get them
No, they won't get them
They won't get them
But they won't get them
Don't get me wrong
The rise in awareness
Is beating a stigma that no longer scares us
But for sake of discussion
In spirit of fairness
Could we give this some room for a new point of view?
And, could it be true that some could be tempted
To use this mistake as a form of aggression?
A form of succession?
A form of a weapon?
Thinking "I'll teach them"
Well, I'm refusing the lesson
It won't resonate in our minds
I'm not disrespecting what was left behind
Just pleading that "it" does not get glorified
Maybe we swap out what it is that we hold so high
Find your grandparents or someone of age
Pay some respects for the path that they paved
To life, they were dedicated
Now, that should be celebrated
If you look at the nico video again you'll see the bishop "Nico" and the other bishops are making neon gravestones. The whole Trench album is basically a story, took me ages to figure it all out (thanks Reddit!) Great reaction again guys
You guys did really well, u were right. It's about the glorification of suicide and appreciation of people once they are gone. A lot of their music deals with depression and suicide topics.
The neon is to represent how they are immortalized and held at a higher platform when they die because of their fame. Many celebrities die young at their own hands and they are remembered for that instead of their music. They are brighter in death because of who they are and what they did.
This is an older one but speaking of heavier songs of theirs, I would really love to see you guys check out the UG Studios version of Addict With a Pen!
Stay tuned we will definitely get to those!
MuffSquad not gonna lie the vocals are quite bad in their older stuff
His high notes have definitely come a long way and his voice is smoother now, but have you heard Oh Ms Believer or especially Prove Me Wrong? He’s always been good at singing, but the production on their old stuff was *rough*
Yes!!!!!
I feel like he’s saying that the voices in his head (the neon grave stones) are telling him to.. end his life but he’s fighting it. Like when he says “No” and “no they wont get em” saying he wont give up.
The I'll mourn for a kid part I think that means he wants to get rid of the stigma that you should feel worse if a kid was to die compared to an adult with a good life which is true every adult was once a kid just because your a kid doesnt mean you're worth more an adult dying is just as tragic but media portrays a childs death to be sadder and now that stigma has seeped into society.
I respectfully disagree.
I think the 'kid' in the line is representative of his fans & other 'fans' & stans of celebrities (the celebrity example being the 'king')..'how could he go if he's got everything? (the celebrity/the 'king') I'll mourn for a kid, (who might just be inspired by seeing all that love & attention given to the object of their ship, from them suiciding), but won't cry for a king'..meaning he won't shed a tear for someone who has the same struggles as he himself has, but who won't make the additional efforts, the truly difficult shit that might actually give them the strength to resist giving in; he has said before that he has no respect for those celebrities who resent having to be a role model, as if they never asked for that job.
I think this is also why he says we should immediately move on if he's not able to get through his own internal issues.
Lastly, when you think of shows like '13 reasons why', the weaponizing of the act of suicide becomes more clear. Its like he's saying this culture right now perceives this hugely destructive & irreversible act as somehow superior to the much more quiet, but infinitely stronger courage of the lives lead by your elders, through hardships & despair none of us can even imagine today.
Muchlove, suki
throughout tylers late teens and early twenties he suffered through intense depression. his earlier albums such as regional at best and no phun intended really show what he suffered through. same with the album vessel. tyler has touched depression topics, as well as suicide, multiple times. once he realized that he wasn't alone, he wanted to spread that message to others and show that they aren't alone either. so he gave up a full ride basketball scholarship to pursue music and show others that they aren't alone through metaphors and music. he's a lyrical genius and probably one of the best we have in our generation. without twenty one pilots, i feel like mental health wouldn't be as spoken about as it is now
The next twenty one pilots reaction should be "Cut My Lip"
Thanks for the suggestion!
Sup, Brandon?
What I took from it is that after someone dies specifically from suicide people who never cared for them suddenly like them and feel bad some people commit suicide for these reason if I'm gone maybe people that hate me might care about me a little more
"i'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king" means so much to me :')
From what I take from when he says Neon Gravestones, I think he's saying death and the gravestone looks good. He talks a lot about suicide in this song.
Luna The Wolf I think the neon gravestones are people whose deaths have been glorified. People who weren’t truly appreciated in life and it’s only after they’ve died/committed suicide that people give them the recognition they deserve/desired
The last verse is him saying glorify the life theyve paved instead of being victims of suicide they lived a full life. Using this mistake as a form of aggression is using the action of suicide that the ultimate form of "I'll teach them" guilt tripping whoever pr whatever and "teaching them a lesson" as it were. The band truly touches on deep subjects and Tyler himself uses the music as a release from his own personal battle.
I would definitely reccomend leave the city. Its him dealing with a crisis of faith and trying to figure out what he should do.
Yessss!!! Thank you for reacting to this! This is in my top 3 songs by them! It's so deep and I can relate so much to this song and Tyler. Much love and keep bringing the Twenty One Pilots and NF reactions!
This song always gets me, it’s so beautiful but dark
With the “Cause your wits are first to go while you're problem-solving” part I think it’s about how when you become so stressed/upset/angry you can’t think logically because you’re so worked up the logic part of your brain can’t be accessed. Also love your work dudes! So glad I found your channel 😍
Check it out. His label was telling him this song was a 'timebomb' in the middle of the album. They called it a career-ender. Kinda freaked him out. But not enough to withdraw it. He stood by these words, which he tried to make as respectful as possible (for those families of like, Chris Cornell & Chester Bennington, et al), he enunciated every word as clearly as he could so there would be no misunderstanding of his message.
Unfortunately, the main casualty of all of that infighting shit was the storyline of Dema & Trench. I won't get into it here too much, but, suffice to say, that the act of a suicide that deeply impacts the greatest number of people is the most holy 'sacrament' of the religion of Vialism, the brainwashing slop they serve up at Dema (keeping in mind that the city of Dema is a metaphor of every fucked mental health sickness & the depths to which we feel trapped inside, totally silent & unreachable) & that Trench is a precarious landscape of terrifying newness, & fragility, which we travel through as we try to heal..the Banditos are those who have escaped the city, & are now encamped in the wilds of Trench, not yet safe, & doing their best to retrieve the frens whom are continually vulnerable to being dragged back to Dema.
If you can believe it, I have not even skimmed the surface.
Lov, suki
This song is my favourite from the album, I feel like it’s so underrated. It’s so powerful.
AGREED!@
The lyric "If u loose to myself..." is indeed tyler talking about him loosing to his depression and anxiety. The lyric "you wont mourn a day." is saying not to glorify the fact that he killed himself.
Fall Away live Ft Dr.Blum should definitely be next. Such an amazing song 🔥🔥
Stay tuned!!!
This song is a masterpiece it helped me on my recovery out of mental hospital. It’s on point and carries a deep message
This is one of my favourites because its so hard hitting and honest. The bars though! You pretty much got it. He's saying that suicide shouldn't be glorified, its tragic and shouldn't be praised. Ugh these lyrics get me every time 💛
one of my favorite tøp songs so I'm glad someone suggested it!
I felt like I was listening to Trench all over again for the first time and that made my day 💛
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king" I see that as someone saying they'd feel bad for the death of someone who had nothing but they feel no remorse for someone who ends their life if they have all the fame and money, adding a notion that you can't struggle if you have "everything" or what most of society deems as success.
I think you have to listen to the song several times to take in everything and understand it truly but you guys were pretty much spot on.
Praise josh for the amazing drums and Tyler for the amazing vocals.
That whole album was so good, and it sounded amazing. I don't really listen to top anymore but that album is still amazing and high up on my list of top albums.
It was very moving watching Jonah start to realize what the song was about, and then how introspective he got for the rest of the song.
For the last line about the grandparents, he’s saying to mourn their death and think about what they did it their life and not mourn about someone you don’t know like a celebrity.
I perceived it more like celebrate the life, life of the elders who've struggled and kept moving on instead of glorifying death
You guys hit it spot on. This song is from an album called Trench and to really understand the whole story you have to listen to all of the songs in order then go through and try to decode the message. Tyler puts a story behind each of his albums. Some will say all of his music is one long story that hes breaking apart into different sections. Each album ties into one another. He writes about his life and what he is experiencing and his opinion but so many people just look over it. Tyler and Josh have saved me more than once with their music and they are truly my favorite band. I suggest to listen to the song then piece it together but that's just how i do it. Sometimes its easier sometimes it isn't. But i really do suggest the whole album. Also, the music videos help a lot to understand what the song is about. There is a music video to The Hype that references one of their songs from their album Vessel released in 2013. It also references Stressed Out from their album Blurryface released in 2015.
Ive been listening to them for 5 years. I highly recommend “March To The Sea”. One of my favourite songs.
I think you did awesome with this one. Having the lyrics helped you guys!
For sure! Thank you!!
I think you guys did a great job with this one by the end. I agree that this is about not glorifying these young great people that loses their lives whether intentional or not. What should REALLY be celebrated is a long good life that has true meaning. My 2 cents.
Neon gravestones is a metaphor for the glorification of celebrity suicide.
“I’ll cry for a kid, but won’t mourn for a king”. A random kid can be powerless to change their situation and can feel suicide is their only way out, but someone who has the money, power, and resources to basically do anything they want...
I hiiiiiiiighly recommend working through their albums as units or parts of a whole. Their songs are not standalone - you can learn so so much more about the meaning of one song from listening to others, which is one of the reasons I love them so much. He also spoke in concert of this song and it’s dedication to his grandfather, but I’m hazy on the details and haven’t gone down that rabbit hole to clarify just yet. These two are truly fabulous and about as under rated as an artist can be.
he never said he was suicidal but as a teen he wrote a song called "i need something to kill me" so ig he's gone through some shit
The line “promise me this, if I lose to my self. You won’t mourn today and you’ll move onto someone else “ means that they want the people they know not to mourn the life they had but live the life like they lived. They want them to be happy even if they’re gone.
I don’t think you could have been more spot on about this one, I never really looked at it that way until now, now it all makes sense. I think you were totally right in this breakdown
He’s a little backstory Tyler used to be a really suicidal teen and so he talks about his struggles as not taking his life and then he wrote this song about how suicide is not an optional way to end things such your problems
It's refreshing to see someone actually REACT to a video and not just listen to it and say "that was neon gravestone, comment below what you want me to listen to next". You actually put effort into honoring the lyrics and the artistry and that is awesome.
As an older person (but I still feel like a kid), I see a lot of the younger generation that seems to have extreme problems with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. That wasn't a thing when I was young. You busted your ass, worked hard, and sucked it up. Now for some back then, that meant you quietly drowned your troubles in drink and drug, or other vices and distractions. But today it seems like prescription psych drugs, endless therapy and suicide is the way.
This song seems to acknowledge Tyler's struggle with depression and stress, but in the end he seems to be saying look to those who've struggle through hardships and prevailed, sort of a way to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and a source of hope. I find a net positive to this song taken as a whole.
When he says "An earlier grave is an optional way.... NO" hits so hard every time. I really don't understand how he's able to wright these texts, he must be a god or something.
Also I think he means the grandparents were dedecated to their life doing the best they could with what they had while now kids are throwing their lives away to be famous or something like that, as if their lifes dont have any value.
taxi cab is one of my favorite songs from them, and i know tyler mentioned before its one of his favorite songs he wrote too? im p sure. all of their songs are really good, just to zone out to or if youre in a deeper mood then listening like *really* listening to the lyrics,,, a whole other feeling. lovely video
What I would define a neon grave stone is that when they say an earlier grave is an optional way that’s the neon grave stone and when they call for his bones that means that it’s calling for him and he might lose to himself in that process
I’ve watched every video you made about twenty one pilots and i love your reactions pleaaase do more. It’s fun seeing you guys trying to figure out what the lyrics actually mean.
MuffSquad Damn brothers y'alls are Kickin ass on these reactions crazy deep song trying to figure it out kick started and existential crisis but love watching your reactions so thank you for putting yourselves out there for us appreciate what you guys do God bless you and yours catch you on the next one. 💯🔥🙏
I take this song as being about high profile suicide. Tyler struggles with depression and the gravestone (suicide) calls to him. He's asking not to glorify him if he loses to his depression and that nobody should be. Also check out their cover of "Cancer" originally by My Chemical Romance
I was watching this while doing my math homework, because I can. Turns out I work really well with these guys talking about song lyrics
This is my favorite song by Twenty One Pilots❤️ I love how it’s about not glorifying suicide
He'll mourn for someone normal and won't cry for a celebrity
Omg I’m sorry for the bombing but it’s beautiful to see someone who doesn’t listen to twenty one pilots understand the lyric and step back and understand. Bc it’s not just music to most... this band has humbly saved so many lives including mine
I was lucky enough to go to two concerts when bandito was a thing
Neon gravestones has to be one of my favs from trench!!
This was written about chester bennington.
Kudos man! You must be the singular reactor who caught that meaning so frickin fast!
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king." Means when kids kill themselves it is not their fault. Other people are responsible for them and they didn't help them. "Kings" are celebrities and adults who are successful. They have everything they need to fight suicidal tendencies and they are responsible for themselves. They have all the money they need to get all the help they would ever need.
Well done guys! You nailed it! Great reaction to one of my favorite TOP songs. This song hits me right in the feels. We all go through shit in life and suicide may feel like an option but it's NOT and the glorification of it needs to end.
I interpret neon gravestones to mean like suicide being glorified, to the point it stands out above everything else, it's neon so your eyes are drawn to it above all else. It being neon is making it seem like it's better than it is. The beauty of it is you can interpret it basically however you want
Now y’all gotta finish the trilogy with Levitate
neon gravestones is such a beautiful song
A neon gravestone is representing anyone who has taken their life
when i read + breakdown i was like me at 3am in a forest screaming the lyrics
It is so funny how they don’t understand 🤣
Eilish Joseph Dun ❤️😂
you HAVE to react holding on to you live at fox theater. It's dopeee
We will! Stay tuned!!
The judge, Run and go, or Trees. Trees is a fan favorite
The last verse is probably the most important; it is talking about how so many TOP fans glorify Josh and Tyler and not the lyrics/message: "maybe we swap out what it is that we hold so high" It is not about Tyler or Josh being gods of a culture, it's about living above the culture and bettering ourselves. The boys are just human like us; they never wanted to be worshiped and it's about time that we started taking their real message to heart... love yourself, not us.
I crash into a wall Ive hit a thousand times before
But I still ignore the dark red blood stains on the floor
I think one thing you guys didn't mentioned is the "Call.. call.. call.." which I think is either a call to action and to speak up or telling those who are struggling to talk to someone or call/text a help line.
When did Oli Sykes and Zack de la Rocha start a TH-cam channel? Badass!
You guys should definitly need to react to "migrane"
Gravestones symbolizing death. Picture a gravestone with neon lights on it flashing to draw you in like a billboard. Drawing you into death and suicide. They call for his bones but they won’t get em because he’s resisting and fighting suicide. In Nico and the Niners the bishops are forging and worshiping neon lights in the shape of gravestones. The bishops are the dark parts of his thoughts. The whole album is concept and intertwined.
What I took from it was that most people wont know someone until they die. Once they are gone, everyone praises them like they were their god. I think its saying more people will get famous from their death, but not remembered for their life. The way he used 'neon gravestones' I think of it as praising someones grave instead of celebrating their life, as it said in the end of the song
I personally think if the neon gravestone as a want for death and like he's like trying to stop himself from thinking of it as an option but it just keeps calling for him
Lovely reaction 💛💚 more TØP
I think that the line "an earlier grave is an optional way.
No." Is saying that suicide shouldn't be an option for anyone and that no one should feel that it is an option.🤔
The neon represents the flashy colors of celebrity, the things culture tells you to focus on that are actually just a distraction from anything real or meaningful. In the video for Nico and the Niners, you see the Niners filling glass tubes with neon and then worshiping them: it's a light, but it gives no heat. It's meaningless and artificial, but that's what the Niners use to "fill their vessels". In other words, it's the things that negative emotions feed on, and make us all look up to, but they don't actually mean anything important.
Here is my take for this song. For Linkin Park fans, it is a known fact that Chester is a huge fan of twenty one pilots and Tyler must have known about that. However, he does not approved of people trying to glorify suicide.
What LP fam did for Chester, from an outside perspective, must have come across as glorifying. Huge memorials everywhere, increased number of suicidal calls, etc. When Tyler said that part about "they can host a celebration".. Chester's official memorial at the Hollywood Bowl was called, "Celebrating the Life of Chester Bennington".
When he said, he would cry for a child but wont mourn for a king, I interpret it as if a kid took his own life, thats a pity coz he didnt get the help he needed and havent lived much, but for those that are older, who has all the access to rehab and mental health facilities, it's a shame that it was not avoided. This part right here, I can feel the anger from Tyler. I know, coz im a huge LP fan, that fans have been tagging him over and over and over again for him to offer condolences in public (he did in private as per Mike Shinoda's AMA speech) but he never did publicly, maybe coz this was the silence era, but more so because he doesnt want the tøp fans to support and glorify this. Thus the line, "if i lose to myself, promise me this, that you wont mourn a day and move on to someone else".
He doesnt want people to get stuck mourning, like what stan did to Kurt Cobain, to Chris Cornell, to Chester. He appreciates that there is talk about mental health because of this suicides, but he doesnt want this to be the choice or option of an artist to get back to the world when they feel the world has wronged them.
There is an undertone that Chester must have felt like it. He is very close to Chris Cornell and people have forgotten who Chris is and Soundgarden/Audioslave is, but when Chris died, all of a sudden Chris was celebrated, his works put in a pedestal (NEON GRAVESTONE). This is at the same time that Linkin Park just released an album and that fans and the world diss them and called them sellouts. So in a way, could be that Chester was angry, as he gave everything to his art, took his own life as a revenge. And thats what Tyler doesnt want to happen to him and he wanted to make sure that fans understood that he if he ever took his own life, he shouldnt be celebrated.
I personally think that Tyler is a Chester fan but he was angry when he wrote this, like some of us must have felt, and this is his way of dealing with the loss.
I love both human beings. I miss Chester so much. And i cried so much when I first heard this and I hate to admit that Tyler is right. It felt like a direct attack but he needs to make this record and I understand that. It eventually became cathartic.
Great job on this one guys! Many reactors miss the point since Tyler never actually states suicide and even drops the word. Glad you caught it.
Tyler supports mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. But he won't cry for a king, because this glorifies suicide, and sends the wrong message to the fans, especially impressionable teens.
And he wants us to promise we will not glorify him if he looses to himself. He wants to remove the tempation.
We are Twenty Øne Piløts fans! We have never heared of this song. Lol
Exactly!!
I’m binge watching you guys react to this at 4:03am
"I'll mourn for a kid but won't cry for a king" i think it means kid who isn't famous or known they would cry for versus a famous person who would have millions of people mourn him/her if they diedfrom suicide , murder , etc. Thas my thought.
Hi! I think you guys were spot on, from my interpretation I saw it as how neon is a fake or artificial light and I think that translates to the praise and “light” we shed on people of influence after they’ve committed suicide. I think Tyler’s also warning how when celebrities demonstrate this it can cause people to believe that if they commit suicide people will praise their life and mourn them and that the people will shed this artificial light, which gives them an extra push to follow through. That’s just my opinion though! :)
Love you two and your reactions. Nice seeing you love your cat too
As people said, pretty much got it. Basically about glorifying the suicide of many artists and even other things like overdoses and all that.
I feel the "neon gravestones' is used as a way neon signs draw you in. Usually when you see neon signs you get ingerested and are like "oh thats nice". Its like saying "death seems to be drawing me in, but I can't do this. I can't end my own life"
Tyler himself said this was the most import song they've ever written, and i agree tbh. Its a message many people need to hear and many are afraid to speak on.
The piano is sampled from Moonlight Sonata btw.
Kitchen sink or goner or before you start your day are must listens
first!
Would love to see you guys react to the music video for "trees" (by TOP)
Could ya check out Kitchen Sink, or Addict With A Pen UG Session
8-Bit Modern yes stay tuned!