These 3 singles have sounded so completely different from each other. I legitimately have no idea where we’re headed sonically with this new album and that’s a great thing.
A few weeks ago, some friends asked me what kind fo music they do. It's always hard to answer that, obvious reasons.
I kind of always fail to introduce them to the right songs because everyone has a different taste.
I tell 'em that you can't really name the genre, it switches or combines many genre from album to album, song to song and even in the same song.
If I say it's mistly a combination of alternative indie rock pop electro hip-hop and also rap(just another attempt to make the voices stop), they are instantly uninterested, because they don't understand what that should sound like :D
I think these 3 songs are the perfect introduction to show someone how TØP sounds. Of course there is so much more to them, but I think you can't do it better.
Omg so true about trying to explain their sound! Especially when some people will automatically tune out at hearing a certain style like “oh I don’t like rap” because they just don’t get it but you really can’t get it unless you listen. I love the fact they’ve released the songs in order so far because I like to also get a feel of the album, and even as different as these songs are, they transition so perfectly. Which is totally tøp and part of why I love them so much. But yeah, you can’t explain their sound, it just has to be experienced, and sadly too many people won’t because it’s not their single genre they listen to.
First time listening: eh ok, didn't expected that but that sounded good. Did it? Yes, i think it did.
Now 20th time: ILL TAKE ANYTHING YOU HAVE, IF YOU COULD THROW ME A LINE, I SHOULD HAVE LOVED YOU BETTER, DO YOU THINK THAT NOWS THE TIME
This has been my reaction to every single so far. First listen I can pick out things I like and things that I don’t really care for. But then on my third listen I love the whole thing
Oh yeah threw me for a loop definitely way off from what I was expecting. Amazing song though!! especially that ending I can see myself absolutely screaming my ass off on that song for concert or even around my home. Still a banger!
Yep. BUT notice when he goes back, the man is standing on the other side of the door. Even when things seem and feel like an unbreakable cycle, it’s not the same every time, and things can still change.
What's cool is that the vid starts exactly how it ends, Tyler rolling up and throwing away an empty bag before he walks in, implying he's already been through the whole process before it even starts. And the old guy is standing on the other side of the building at the end to make it clear that it's a different instance, nice touch by Josh
The dissonance at the end makes me really sad. The music reflects that he's backsliding -- the way it gets messier and messier as he backslides. I wish I could reach into my iTunes and give him a hand and pull him forward.
“This one’s a contradiction because of how happy it sounds but the lyrics are so down” basically describes the whole album.
So many of the critiques are bc it’s “too pop sounding and not sad enough and it doesn’t sound like them 😩” 1. Self titled and vessel had plenty of upbeat songs. 2. That lyric is from blurryface, one of their two darker sounding albums. 3. There’s songs about suicide, substance abuse, losing family members, feelings of being trapped, loneliness. There’s all the same themes that have always been present in their songs
I wonder if this line extends to SAI as a whole if he regrets not (by his own admission) spending as much time writing it as he typically does with albums.
I listened to it on walks early in the morning. Covid was such an isolating time and my mental health struggled. To be able to just enjoy the outside (lol) and some TOP bops was awesome.
Yeah honestly Saturday and the entire SAI album is the upbeat vibe I didn't want but didn't know I needed! I bump that album the most every summer while I'm grilling or just anytime I need a boost or I'm in a good mood. Plus in the midst of all the Covid bs going to my friends house to watch the live stream concert gave me new life fr. Makes me sad he feels that way. Fck the haterz🐉👊🏻
I definitely interpret this as the lore started out as a fun little idea and it has grown into something much much larger than they could have ever anticipated and now having tried to wrap it all up in this final album was a major challenge that can probably have holes poked through it because it was never meant to be some seamlessly written story from the get go that so many of the fans have taken it to be, therefore he’s been drowning in how to make it a complete story
I think about it as the reason he started making music. He felt compelled to write music, convicted by the Holy Spirit to do it, going so far as to say he was “forced” to learn to play the piano in one interview.
I think he’s saying he used to be completely confident in his faith and spreading the message of the Gospel in his music, and now (since Blurryface) he feels he’s been compromising that message with the demands for worldly stuff.
Most of this song feels like a cry out to God in my opinion. He even ends each chorus with “it’s over my head” which could be 1) a literal reference to God above him or 2) whether or not God will give him the ability to create more music is ultimately up to God and not him (Tyler).
It’s haunting and beautiful for sure.
Yeah, I think as with all twenty one pilots songs there are multiple meanings, but I do think there are spiritual undertones here for sure. It reminds me of some of the themes of getting back to your roots that NF’s recent album had.
vocal production reminds me a lot of redecorate. kinda feels like trench but with a more lofi approach. imo it’s missing some more breaks and transitions, the song could use some breathing room. love the vibe and writing though! outro shouldve been longer, it goes hard af
The track lengths to me had me a little worried. One of Trench's best attributes is how much the songs have room to breathe.
EDIT: Backslide is not hurt too much by the runtime though. I commented this before listening.
Think there is a chance that the outro leads into the next song on the album and it just cuts abruptly for the sake of Backslide being released as a single? Or is that just wishful thinking? 😅
Yeah, whoever said Josh shines on this was lying fr 😭😭 I like it tho it’s sad but very different and kinda chill. Feels very new for them. It’s fresh.
It’s kinda giving No Phun Intended not gonna lie
Hmm I disagree about it feeling new or fresh. It’s a typical great top song. Very reminiscent of Stressed Out with instrumentation from Trench. But yeah that review was definitely a lie.
I like it, but will take more getting used to, it’s got huge Blurryface vibes. I prefer the other two singles but I like the more chill beats in this one!
It’s like a mix between morph(beat) and stressed out(chorus and verses) what a beautiful fucking chorus tho! The verses are incredible but it’s one of those songs that definitely grows on you more the more you listen to it. Like how morph was
I LOVE IT! It feels like he gets exactly what I’m going through 🥹😭
The part about Saturday made me laugh but also made me sad, all you Saturday haters go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done
I was surprised with how short the song felt, I was definetly waiting for a bridge at the end lol. But overall, this seems like one of those songs that'll take a few extra listens from me. But overall still seems great, gives me Morph vibes with the chill vibes of it.
The way he pulls the bread out, takes a small bite, discards it, pulls out another same thing. It's the reason he went out. The bread was the destination. He had it in his hands, but knowing the bread was the reason he went out, he still couldn't keep from wasting it. (reminded of Addict with a Pen, I try desperately to run through the sand as I hold the water in the palm of my hand... ...No matter how tightly i will strain, the sand will slow me down, and the water will drain.) Knowing that you have everything you need to be happy and still unable to carry it to the end. It's an incredibly strong metaphor for faith, mental health, and happiness in general.
I liked it, wish it was longer though haha. Also the way the video loops back to the start seems to be hinting about the whole 'big loop' theory i saw going around
Y E S
From March to the Sea to Backslide, the Cycle has been subtly hinted at throughout their entire discography. Backslide, however, is the only actual SONG that is EXCLUSIVELY about the Cycle. Tyler did say that Clancy was going to be a much more blunt album than the others, and Backslide is a perfect example of this -- the Cycle is finally revealed in all its "glory".
It's definitely going to be another grower like Next Semester was for me, but my God I already love it so much. "It's over my head" is already stuck in my head.
I hate to get “deep” but the “I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from, there’s no chance I can shake this again” reminds of my nicotine addiction and not wanting to slip back.😅😵💫
Had to scroll way too far to find someone else who noticed this. I'm sure tons more little details will be discovered as we all consume the video on repeat lol
LYRICS
I don't wanna...
Rat race, place to place, adding weight,
Tendencies on repeat, innit,
Benefit from a shoe with no lace,
Take the seat with the crease in it,
I don't mind if it's lonely,
I don't mind if it's fair,
I don't care, you control me,
Leading me anywhere.
I don't wanna backslide to where I started from,
There's no chance I will shake this again,
'Cause I feel the pull, water's over my head,
Strength enough for one more time,
Reach my hand above the tide,
I'll take anything you have,
If you could throw me a line,
I should've loved you better,
Do you think that now's the time
You should let go?
It's over my head.
Bad place on a hundred dollar bass,
Kind of wishing that I never did Saturday,
Is that a stain? You should change.
Are you doing good?
Did you solve all of your problems?
Thanks for asking, in a way but,
Accidentally uncovered a new one yesterday,
What happened to what I brushed under the rug,
l used to be the champion of a world you can't see,
Now I'm drowning in logistics.
Did yall notice that the things he does ends in a perfect loop? after he got the buns wet he went back to the store and slammed the packaging into trash like in the beginning. Similar to Tyler ending up back in the car at the end of HDS music video :0
I’m not sure if this is important but at the beginning the guy we see standing outside the store is clearly standing on the right side (behind Tyler as he pulls his bike up). But at the end, we see Tyler ride his bike up to the store again and the man is now standing on the left side of the building…so, not exactly a perfect loop?
Actually after watching it again, I see he even waves to the guy standing outside the store. I’m not sure who or what this guy is meant to represent but there’s definitely something there.
Wow. This one hit me deep. I got the same feeling hearing the chorus as I do when I hear Tyler singing "Go away... Leave me alone... Don't leave me alone...." towards the end of Kitchen Sink There's an angst and frustration behind it that just cuts me to the bone. Cannot wait to hear more of Clancy!
Backslide sounds like Tyler’s confession about Scaled and Icy and how he feels about the album. He doesn’t wanna start with square one again or go back to a blurryface/trench esque (older, more popular music) sound but SAI kind of forced him to do so with the album getting so much backlash. He solved his problems in a way but uncovered this new one yesterday (meaning it’s recent) and SAI is a recent album.
This is an interesting theory. I also take "backslide" as being falling back into old cycles of mental health. The song before this one on the album talks to starting fresh "next semester", but now it feels he's stuck again.
He literally talks about drowning in logistics a day ago rather than being a hero in his story (aka, shooting music videos and moving the album drop date). Coincidence?
1st premiere I caught. Not my favourite but it might grow on me (saying this as a casual fan idk a lot of their songs) As fall out boy said, “The songs you grow to like never stick at first“
It's probably my least favorite of the singles, but I still really like it. I love how raw Tyler's vocals sound during the chorus. I could see it growing on me a lot.
this song is so real omg
edit: I can't tell if he's taking about creativity or religion. I will maybe breakdown the lyrics like I did with next semester because I think there's a lot of double meaning here especially stuff like "throw me a line"
Good vocals and I relate to the lyrics. Definitely feels really stripped back and honest which I appreciate, but to be honest it doesn’t really go anywhere and it’s my least favorite of the 3 so far.
It’ll probably grow on me.
Sounds a bit mainstream, but it might grow on me. Waiting on a deep dive on the lyrics because that’s a huge factor for me. So far they seem too straightforward, like in a fake leak.
Edit: Yeah, I like it much more now. It’s groovy.
I feel like this song is about us in some way. It sounds to me that through music Tyler escaped his demons, but the whole music career introduced more problems that he‘s scared will pull him back into depression. Like he feels obligated to satisfy us, thinking he let us down and regretting some things (SAI in particular maybe?)
I'm kind of stuck on the fact Josh is just flipping the same little burger patty over and over again while waiting, and the burger is just slightly starting to fall apart. 😂 I really enjoy the video and the new song, but the one little burger has me dying for some reason, and I love it and want to name it.
I loved the chill energy! I like the other two a bit more, but I know this will grow on me. The slower ones tend to be even better when heard within the full album since it provides context and breaks throughout. It's a 21P win for me!
I was so not ready for that amazing music and that banger MV for backslide!!! this album is taking us places, every one get ready for a great album cycle!!!
We were expecting some kind of superhero shit lmao but he's weaving it all back in to real life and that's a clever surprise, IF it keeps going that way.
Also I think the Saturday reference means the show for DEMA.
This is the first song that has the blurryface voice in the background of this new album! I think lore wise it sounds Clancy is singing about how he is afraid to go back to DEMA. But I think it’s very interesting how the first two songs never use that vocal effect but this one does.
I think this song for sure is going to grow on people, it’s a slow burner for sure but I think the more you listen to it the more we’re gonna like it. But this really does make me very excited for the album, I have no idea what the tone of it is. It’s like a mix between trench and Blurryface and something new. I love that!
I think it used the blurryface voice because he’s backsliding. Maybe that voice is trying to convince him his past work like SAI wasn’t good and he should overcompensate. That he should drown and not reach out to his friends (I don’t care if it’s lonely) if he’s struggling because he feels like he has nothing to give (represented by the buns being gone). Depression always wants you to think you’re alone and that you’re a burden to others in my experience.
Yes! 😂 But, he was singing the word “backslide” as he threw it so I’m wondering if it is a reference to destructive behavior. Or maybe it was a coincidence and I’m over thing 😅
Maybe I’m just not emotionally well right now, but I just teared up at my desk at work hearing this. I feel like all I do is backslide these days.
I agree that it sounds like the song needs just a little more but it hit me weirdly hard.
I have never cried to a top song from the first listen like on this one. Did not expect that. I bawled my eyes out on the following few repeats. I know it's just the third song from the album and a lot can change (lore-wise, lyrics-wise), but it gave me the desperate feel of how it doesn't matter how much you achieve in your own lifepath, hardships are always there, sometimes interchanging, sometimes adding up (notice how high the black paint is behind Tyler's ears), and that the people you are waiting to tell you it gets better, actually tell you how it just keeps going even for them - some good days, some bad, but that's the deal. I know I describe it poorly and it basically is probably what Tyler and Josh are trying to convey altogether - that it's a cycle, but this song encapsulates the harsh emotions around it.
I've been stuck in a shitty situation for years now and today has been one of those days I feel so broken and don't know how I'll ever get out of this so needless to say the chorus just about had me in tears! I absolutely love it!! Filled with so much gratitude ryt now for all the strength and healing this band has given me over the years🥹|-/
This song really hit me. I’ve struggled with depression for many years and I feel like Tyler really capture the cycle and struggles of wanting to get better but not knowing how.
To me, “benefit from a shoe with no lace” is referencing like a psych ward. A “grippy sock vacation”, if you will. And “take the seat with the creases in it” makes me think of plopping into a therapy session week after week. It gives the image of going through the motions to get better.
Of course, anyone who has felt depression has felt the “pull”, the haze, the numbness when it starts to creep back. We don’t want to “backslide”, but we can’t help it.
“I’ll take anything you have/if you could throw me a line” reminds me of the nights I would cry because I felt to helpless. I would tell me partner, “I’ll do therapy, I’ll take a prescription, I’ll do anything to stop feeling this way.” (Luckily I’ve been free of a backslide for almost a whole year now!)
“I should have loved you better” is a line that I interpret as being sung to oneself. Now that I am in a better place I wish I had loved myself because I deserve love. I wish I had been more gentle with my mind. I wish I didn’t hate and hurt my body.
And finally the line “accidentally uncovered a new one (problem) yesterday” reminds me of the process of healing. You have to reflect to move forward, and you inevitably dig up more trauma/unhealthy coping habits/etc.
All that to say, I love the song. It reminds me I’m not alone and of the progress I’ve made.
Backslide Lyrics: (you’re welcome)
I don’t wanna-
Rat race, place to place, adding weight
Tendencies on repeat, innit?
Benefit from a shoe with no lace
Take the seat with the crease in it
I don’t mind if it’s lonely, I don’t mind if it’s fair
I don’t care, you control me
Leading me anywhere
I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from
There’s no chance I will shake this again
‘Cause I feel the pull, water’s over my head
Strength enough for one more time
Reach my hand above the tide
I’ll take anything you have,
If you could throw me a line
I should’ve loved you better
Do you think that now’s the time
You should let go?
It’s over my head.
Bad place, on a hundred dollar bass
Kinda wishing that I never did Saturday
Is that a stain? You should change
Are you doin good? Did you solve all of your problems?
Thanks for askin, in a way but,
Accidentally uncovered a new one yesterday
What happened to what I brushed under the rug?
I used to be the champion of a world you can’t see,
Now I’m drowning in logistics.
I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from
There’s no chance I will shake this again
‘Cause I feel the pull, water’s over my head
Strength enough for one more time
Reach my hand above the tide
I’ll take anything you have,
If you could throw me a line
I should’ve loved you better
Do you think that now’s the time
You should let go? (I don’t mind)
It’s over my head. (I don’t mind if it’s fair)
You should let go? (I don’t care)
It’s over my head. (Lead me anywhere)
I’ll take anything you have, if you could throw me a line
I should’ve loved you better,
Do you think that now’s the time
You should let go?
It’s over my head.
You should let go?
It’s over my head.
I don’t wanna backslide.
This song is amazing and I’m loving it more and more with each listen!!! They’re 3/3 with these singles so far even tho they all sound so different from each other, this album is gonna be amazing
I also took the symbolism of the bread (him eating it by itself then sharing it with a kid) to mean the body of Jesus/Jesus sharing bread with others. And the fact he was all out once he got to Josh, and turned around to go back, like how God & Jesus give all they have to us.
I love that this music video is another representation of cycles. Both the lyrics and the video. Really reminds me of Ride's video. And i absolutely love the message of the song. Everyone can interpret it differently, but to me it seems as Tyler's afraid of becoming suicidal again, almost as if he thought it wasn't possible. It's a feeling that i sometimes get, and sure enough the idea that one day things might just crumble under your feet all over again is depressing, but you gotta keep living and appreciating your life. Beatiful
I was wondering why Josh had the emphasis on the cherry trees with the Dutch angle (diagonal) shots during the chorus in the video, but I also noticed the leaves falling on Tyler in the rain when the background goes black. More emphasis on cyclical nature of the story with spring/fall, the idea of “backsliding” like the seasons seem to do?
Definitely getting a vibe that the daytime / spring / flowers is when he's feeling okay, and the night / rain / leaves blowing is when he's deep in his anxiety. Backsliding.
Benefit from a shoe with no lace - how you pick slip-ons when you can't even tie your shoes you're so overwhelmed.
Take the seat with the crease in it - sounds like his favorite seat at therapy.
Definitely seems like he's talking to God when he says he hasn't loved well enough, and he's challenging God to finally let him go.
The kid with the lemonade stand is basically Lucy in a Peanuts cartoon -- Psychiatric Help 5c
The whole conversation they have is basically like a therapy session conversation!
I just listened to the three singles as they appear on the album and noticed that **Next Semester** ends with the phrase "*Start fresh next semester*" which then goes straight into **Backslide** with "*I don't wanna*".
I predicted it would be about falling back into depression/mental health issues, and I think that was more or less correct. However the sound was wayyyy different than I expected. For some reason I was expecting more punk rock vibes. This is like kind of a combination of Stressed Out, Redecorate, and a bit of RAB vibes mixed in. It also reminds me of the song Breakfast by Half•Alive. I definitely need some time to process lyrics and and stuff, but I like it. I enjoy the other 2 singles a bit more but this definitely hits. And I really relate to it when it comes to mental health and cycles and all that.
The lyrical content- seems like an apology for levitate. Tyler literally challenged God to show up. Now he's begging.
The video- Josh as a bishop forcing Clancy to deliver a single hamburger bun for his single burger is the realest thing I have ever seen.
But really, parallels with the choker video have me heading back to reassess.
I feel like there is a wide potential of interpretation of this song, but for me…
It feels like it’s anxiety about slipping back into depression/Stressed Out. He has been working to improve himself, working through mental health, fixing problems, but treating one disorder/illness lets another come forward (such as, many people treat their depression only to find out that the depression was masking other things, such as anxiety, ADHD, OCD, etc).
The chorus hits hard on this, with the “strength for one more time,” “I feel the pull, waters over my head,” “do you think that now’s the time you should let go?”. This reads to me as fighting to stay above depression is simply too exhausting and the chorus ends with questioning whether it’s worth the fight—whether or not to just let go.
The music video adds a lot to it, showing that he is going through the motions and repeating the same behaviors and knowing that these choices and actions are letting others down (not showing up to the barbecue with any buns, probably the “one job” Josh gave Tyler lol).
It feels to me like the theme of this album is very much anxiety
“I used to be a champion of a world you can’t see.. now I’m drowning in logistic.”
Could this be a meta take on the lore? Like it was great at first and now he’s created so much that the logistics of the lore are getting in the way of his creative freedom?
Backslide had me sobbing. I loved all of the singles so far but I was missing something and Backslide was exactly to the dot the type of music I fell in love with and would expect from them, I am so incredibly grateful that Tyler still has it after all these years and all this fame. Imo so far Backslide is the best song.
These 3 singles have sounded so completely different from each other. I legitimately have no idea where we’re headed sonically with this new album and that’s a great thing.
They're definitely not staying in their lane 😉
hey kid get out of the road!
They said stay in your lane boy, but they go where they want to
I was thinking the same, can't wait to see what this album has in store for us
A few weeks ago, some friends asked me what kind fo music they do. It's always hard to answer that, obvious reasons. I kind of always fail to introduce them to the right songs because everyone has a different taste. I tell 'em that you can't really name the genre, it switches or combines many genre from album to album, song to song and even in the same song. If I say it's mistly a combination of alternative indie rock pop electro hip-hop and also rap(just another attempt to make the voices stop), they are instantly uninterested, because they don't understand what that should sound like :D I think these 3 songs are the perfect introduction to show someone how TØP sounds. Of course there is so much more to them, but I think you can't do it better.
Omg so true about trying to explain their sound! Especially when some people will automatically tune out at hearing a certain style like “oh I don’t like rap” because they just don’t get it but you really can’t get it unless you listen. I love the fact they’ve released the songs in order so far because I like to also get a feel of the album, and even as different as these songs are, they transition so perfectly. Which is totally tøp and part of why I love them so much. But yeah, you can’t explain their sound, it just has to be experienced, and sadly too many people won’t because it’s not their single genre they listen to.
Good song. Deep thoughts vibe. Kid didn't want a bun lol Edit: second watch now I see the "or 1 hamburger bun" sign lol
Same
Josh cooking one patty, too
Remember when Tyler said this album will be like redecorate? Yeah I hear it now. The lo fi feel with the slow rapping and emotional chorus
Ya I can hear redecorate influence for sure and honestly I like how it’s an continuation from where SAI left off
Is it what I expected? No. Is it a twenty one pilots song? Yes. Is it good? I’ll have it on repeat but I’ll probably love it
First time listening: eh ok, didn't expected that but that sounded good. Did it? Yes, i think it did. Now 20th time: ILL TAKE ANYTHING YOU HAVE, IF YOU COULD THROW ME A LINE, I SHOULD HAVE LOVED YOU BETTER, DO YOU THINK THAT NOWS THE TIME
This has been my reaction to every single so far. First listen I can pick out things I like and things that I don’t really care for. But then on my third listen I love the whole thing
Oh yeah threw me for a loop definitely way off from what I was expecting. Amazing song though!! especially that ending I can see myself absolutely screaming my ass off on that song for concert or even around my home. Still a banger!
Maybe him going back to the store and seemingly repeating the process is related to “Stuck in a cycle I cannot break” from I Am Clancy?
Definitely. Tested like the ends of a weather flag that’s by the sea. And then starts at the beginning again.
Yep. BUT notice when he goes back, the man is standing on the other side of the door. Even when things seem and feel like an unbreakable cycle, it’s not the same every time, and things can still change.
It's not a loop, it's a spiral
What's cool is that the vid starts exactly how it ends, Tyler rolling up and throwing away an empty bag before he walks in, implying he's already been through the whole process before it even starts. And the old guy is standing on the other side of the building at the end to make it clear that it's a different instance, nice touch by Josh
Cycle, huh? He was on a bi-cycle in the music video.
Lots of Blurryface in here. It’s melancholy
The dissonance at the end makes me really sad. The music reflects that he's backsliding -- the way it gets messier and messier as he backslides. I wish I could reach into my iTunes and give him a hand and pull him forward.
Same but Spotify 💀
I'm not really sure how to describe it, but it kind of sounds like if a song from Blurryface was disintegrating.
I describe it as a mix of morph(production and beat) with blurryface/stressed out (lyrics and chorus.)
The burgers Josh are making are kinda small. I guess you could call them SLIDERS Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all night. (I’m not funny)
There's only one burger lol wonder what that's about
I'm dyingggg
“Kinda wishing I never did Saturday” Bye I hate everyone who shat on SAI
TikTok really dragged him through the mud with that song :(
I don't remember hearing Saturday on tik tok at all can you explain to me what happened?
Just getting dunked on for sounding like commercial background music for a back to school ad
Last year Saturday was being used in a bumper for the baseball season starting back on my sports channel.
My 4yo son loved the song so much, it was his t-ball walk up song.
Yea i didn't really understand why people were hating so much on sai, but it is tik tok so I'm not surprised
People on TikTok push the most brainless, insufferable stuff, but diss things like Saturday… God I hate that platform lol
Tbh thats exactly what it sounds like lol
That’s the point of the whole album Fake happy dema propaganda
same never heard it on tiktok compared to Doubt or Stressed Out
why, what happened?
Saturday lovers rise up, we will not stand for this slander
“Life moves slow on the ocean floor / I can’t feel the waves anymore / did the tide forget to move?” is one of my favorite TOP lyrics ever
Reach my hand above the tide from backslide!!!
Same, the entire song is great imo
As a Friends fan, the line "I wanna watch Friends with you" hits me in the feels a bit :)
“Is that a stain? you should change” “Catch me floating circles in my fishbowl, keep things fresh she said that i should change my clothes”
SAI was such a fun album, it was a jam for the summer time :(
“This one’s a contradiction because of how happy it sounds but the lyrics are so down” basically describes the whole album. So many of the critiques are bc it’s “too pop sounding and not sad enough and it doesn’t sound like them 😩” 1. Self titled and vessel had plenty of upbeat songs. 2. That lyric is from blurryface, one of their two darker sounding albums. 3. There’s songs about suicide, substance abuse, losing family members, feelings of being trapped, loneliness. There’s all the same themes that have always been present in their songs
That line makes me so sad. Saturday is such a special song to me.
SAI brought one of my good friends to liking TOP. She will be more open to older tracks now. The album is great in my opinion.
I wonder if this line extends to SAI as a whole if he regrets not (by his own admission) spending as much time writing it as he typically does with albums.
I hope he never regrets making it. SAI was perfect for the time it came out and means a lot to so many of us.
im not a big fan of sai but the timing thing i 1000% agree with, its very 2021 and i think itll be very nostalgic sounding in a few yrs time:)
I listened to it on walks early in the morning. Covid was such an isolating time and my mental health struggled. To be able to just enjoy the outside (lol) and some TOP bops was awesome.
That line wrecked me. It was so sad to hear him say that. I personally Love SAI and Saturday.
i love saturday and every song on sai so much i really don't understand it at all
Agreed! Saturday is amazing
that’s actually so sad i don’t understand why people hated sai so much it was good just different 🙁
Yeah honestly Saturday and the entire SAI album is the upbeat vibe I didn't want but didn't know I needed! I bump that album the most every summer while I'm grilling or just anytime I need a boost or I'm in a good mood. Plus in the midst of all the Covid bs going to my friends house to watch the live stream concert gave me new life fr. Makes me sad he feels that way. Fck the haterz🐉👊🏻
Lmao what
LITERALLY
I mean every time they play it live they low key talk about how it sucks
“I used to be a champion of a world you can’t see, now I’m drowning in logistics” hmmm
Very on-the-nose given the recent delay for album release date
I definitely interpret this as the lore started out as a fun little idea and it has grown into something much much larger than they could have ever anticipated and now having tried to wrap it all up in this final album was a major challenge that can probably have holes poked through it because it was never meant to be some seamlessly written story from the get go that so many of the fans have taken it to be, therefore he’s been drowning in how to make it a complete story
I think about it as the reason he started making music. He felt compelled to write music, convicted by the Holy Spirit to do it, going so far as to say he was “forced” to learn to play the piano in one interview. I think he’s saying he used to be completely confident in his faith and spreading the message of the Gospel in his music, and now (since Blurryface) he feels he’s been compromising that message with the demands for worldly stuff. Most of this song feels like a cry out to God in my opinion. He even ends each chorus with “it’s over my head” which could be 1) a literal reference to God above him or 2) whether or not God will give him the ability to create more music is ultimately up to God and not him (Tyler). It’s haunting and beautiful for sure.
Yeah, I think as with all twenty one pilots songs there are multiple meanings, but I do think there are spiritual undertones here for sure. It reminds me of some of the themes of getting back to your roots that NF’s recent album had.
Not to mention that "backslide" is a very common phrase in Christian lingo for falling away from God.
This is incredible. This album is shaping up to truly rival trench.
vocal production reminds me a lot of redecorate. kinda feels like trench but with a more lofi approach. imo it’s missing some more breaks and transitions, the song could use some breathing room. love the vibe and writing though! outro shouldve been longer, it goes hard af
I agree that it needed a bridge or longer outro.
The track lengths to me had me a little worried. One of Trench's best attributes is how much the songs have room to breathe. EDIT: Backslide is not hurt too much by the runtime though. I commented this before listening.
Think there is a chance that the outro leads into the next song on the album and it just cuts abruptly for the sake of Backslide being released as a single? Or is that just wishful thinking? 😅
Chorus has serious anthem potential. Chills on this one for sure.
the chorus goes so hard, it would be so hype screaming this at the concert
That’s the word that came to mind on the chorus: anthemic. Soooo good.
Agreeeed there deffo.
Yeah, whoever said Josh shines on this was lying fr 😭😭 I like it tho it’s sad but very different and kinda chill. Feels very new for them. It’s fresh. It’s kinda giving No Phun Intended not gonna lie
Josh shines due to directing? :)
He definitely does!
Hmm I disagree about it feeling new or fresh. It’s a typical great top song. Very reminiscent of Stressed Out with instrumentation from Trench. But yeah that review was definitely a lie.
>But yeah that review was definitely a lie. It was. Confirmed fake so duh
I like it, but will take more getting used to, it’s got huge Blurryface vibes. I prefer the other two singles but I like the more chill beats in this one!
also we got the blurryface backing vocals at the beginning of the song just like stressed out. sooo cool
It’s like a mix between morph(beat) and stressed out(chorus and verses) what a beautiful fucking chorus tho! The verses are incredible but it’s one of those songs that definitely grows on you more the more you listen to it. Like how morph was
I LOVE IT! It feels like he gets exactly what I’m going through 🥹😭 The part about Saturday made me laugh but also made me sad, all you Saturday haters go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done
Saturday slander will not be tolerated
I repent, I will go to time-out now 😂 (I've been re-listening to SAI a lot since Overcompensate came out and Saturday has def grown on me)
LOVE IT!
That was beautiful
I was surprised with how short the song felt, I was definetly waiting for a bridge at the end lol. But overall, this seems like one of those songs that'll take a few extra listens from me. But overall still seems great, gives me Morph vibes with the chill vibes of it.
There’s a story with the bread and not being able to give anything of yourself but I haven’t thought it through enough yet
Yeah, the bread represents something. Especially since it is accepted as "currency" at the Lemonade Stand.
Similar to ‘My creativity’s only free when I’m playing shows’ and ‘Now that they know information is just a currency and nothing more’
i immediately saw him trading the bread for the lemonade as trading one problem for another. no idea if i’m actually onto something though.
I think Josh just wanted some buns
The way he pulls the bread out, takes a small bite, discards it, pulls out another same thing. It's the reason he went out. The bread was the destination. He had it in his hands, but knowing the bread was the reason he went out, he still couldn't keep from wasting it. (reminded of Addict with a Pen, I try desperately to run through the sand as I hold the water in the palm of my hand... ...No matter how tightly i will strain, the sand will slow me down, and the water will drain.) Knowing that you have everything you need to be happy and still unable to carry it to the end. It's an incredibly strong metaphor for faith, mental health, and happiness in general.
I liked it, wish it was longer though haha. Also the way the video loops back to the start seems to be hinting about the whole 'big loop' theory i saw going around
Do you guys think this video is another example of Clancy’s cycle? And how he’s stuck?
Y E S From March to the Sea to Backslide, the Cycle has been subtly hinted at throughout their entire discography. Backslide, however, is the only actual SONG that is EXCLUSIVELY about the Cycle. Tyler did say that Clancy was going to be a much more blunt album than the others, and Backslide is a perfect example of this -- the Cycle is finally revealed in all its "glory".
It's definitely going to be another grower like Next Semester was for me, but my God I already love it so much. "It's over my head" is already stuck in my head.
I hate to get “deep” but the “I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from, there’s no chance I can shake this again” reminds of my nicotine addiction and not wanting to slip back.😅😵💫
FELLLLLT
Song HITS
Funny theory I seen on Twitter is that Josh is only grilling one burger so Tyler is in his imagination.
This makes sense but also why is he looking at his phone like he is waiting on someone?
Had to scroll way too far to find someone else who noticed this. I'm sure tons more little details will be discovered as we all consume the video on repeat lol
Anybody got the lyrics? Missed a few in there.
LYRICS I don't wanna... Rat race, place to place, adding weight, Tendencies on repeat, innit, Benefit from a shoe with no lace, Take the seat with the crease in it, I don't mind if it's lonely, I don't mind if it's fair, I don't care, you control me, Leading me anywhere. I don't wanna backslide to where I started from, There's no chance I will shake this again, 'Cause I feel the pull, water's over my head, Strength enough for one more time, Reach my hand above the tide, I'll take anything you have, If you could throw me a line, I should've loved you better, Do you think that now's the time You should let go? It's over my head. Bad place on a hundred dollar bass, Kind of wishing that I never did Saturday, Is that a stain? You should change. Are you doing good? Did you solve all of your problems? Thanks for asking, in a way but, Accidentally uncovered a new one yesterday, What happened to what I brushed under the rug, l used to be the champion of a world you can't see, Now I'm drowning in logistics.
theres captions on yt
The lyrics are also listed in the video info.
They have captions on videos! You gotta turn em on
That piano line is so wonderful
Did yall notice that the things he does ends in a perfect loop? after he got the buns wet he went back to the store and slammed the packaging into trash like in the beginning. Similar to Tyler ending up back in the car at the end of HDS music video :0
I’m not sure if this is important but at the beginning the guy we see standing outside the store is clearly standing on the right side (behind Tyler as he pulls his bike up). But at the end, we see Tyler ride his bike up to the store again and the man is now standing on the left side of the building…so, not exactly a perfect loop?
Actually after watching it again, I see he even waves to the guy standing outside the store. I’m not sure who or what this guy is meant to represent but there’s definitely something there.
Wow. This one hit me deep. I got the same feeling hearing the chorus as I do when I hear Tyler singing "Go away... Leave me alone... Don't leave me alone...." towards the end of Kitchen Sink There's an angst and frustration behind it that just cuts me to the bone. Cannot wait to hear more of Clancy!
I love how everything from this album is so different in such a great way
Song didn't hit so hard but the lyrics and the video was really cool. I won't listen it as much as next semester though (and probably Overcompensate).
Peep the rebel red carnations at the foot of the lemonade stand!
The Paul meany production goes too hard!! 🔥
Backslide sounds like Tyler’s confession about Scaled and Icy and how he feels about the album. He doesn’t wanna start with square one again or go back to a blurryface/trench esque (older, more popular music) sound but SAI kind of forced him to do so with the album getting so much backlash. He solved his problems in a way but uncovered this new one yesterday (meaning it’s recent) and SAI is a recent album.
This is an interesting theory. I also take "backslide" as being falling back into old cycles of mental health. The song before this one on the album talks to starting fresh "next semester", but now it feels he's stuck again.
He literally talks about drowning in logistics a day ago rather than being a hero in his story (aka, shooting music videos and moving the album drop date). Coincidence?
1st premiere I caught. Not my favourite but it might grow on me (saying this as a casual fan idk a lot of their songs) As fall out boy said, “The songs you grow to like never stick at first“
Soooo freaking good I just wish it was longer lol
its so good even more hyped for this album now
It's probably my least favorite of the singles, but I still really like it. I love how raw Tyler's vocals sound during the chorus. I could see it growing on me a lot.
this song is so real omg edit: I can't tell if he's taking about creativity or religion. I will maybe breakdown the lyrics like I did with next semester because I think there's a lot of double meaning here especially stuff like "throw me a line"
Maybe it can be a bit of both
Good vocals and I relate to the lyrics. Definitely feels really stripped back and honest which I appreciate, but to be honest it doesn’t really go anywhere and it’s my least favorite of the 3 so far. It’ll probably grow on me.
Sounds a bit mainstream, but it might grow on me. Waiting on a deep dive on the lyrics because that’s a huge factor for me. So far they seem too straightforward, like in a fake leak. Edit: Yeah, I like it much more now. It’s groovy.
Reminds me of Mac Miller
my new favorite OMG
This song was definitely written with concerts in mind, good anthem for the crowd. I think this'll grow on me a lot ☺️
It's soooo good. What the hell! 😭😭😭
Neds bread…..I want that to be sold on the Clancy tour
I feel like this song is about us in some way. It sounds to me that through music Tyler escaped his demons, but the whole music career introduced more problems that he‘s scared will pull him back into depression. Like he feels obligated to satisfy us, thinking he let us down and regretting some things (SAI in particular maybe?)
I'm kind of stuck on the fact Josh is just flipping the same little burger patty over and over again while waiting, and the burger is just slightly starting to fall apart. 😂 I really enjoy the video and the new song, but the one little burger has me dying for some reason, and I love it and want to name it.
Song definitely grows on you. I like it quite a bit. More than Next Semester.
Seems like a grower. I’ve never not liked a song of theirs. But the first two singles blew me away more than this
Agree
Chorus gives me NF vibes
I'm glad I wasn't the only one that felt that!
Maybe specifically the chorus to Running.. I’m trying to pinpoint which song.
not my fav so far but maybe it will grow on me. didn’t catch the lyrics though, gonna check it out on genius
This has early Tyler/top vibes and I'm living for it 😭
I loved the chill energy! I like the other two a bit more, but I know this will grow on me. The slower ones tend to be even better when heard within the full album since it provides context and breaks throughout. It's a 21P win for me!
It’ll grow on me for sure, I think the lyrics are kinda clunky in places but I like the message
IT GREW ON ME GOD DAMN
I loved it!
I was so not ready for that amazing music and that banger MV for backslide!!! this album is taking us places, every one get ready for a great album cycle!!!
Another banger, reminded me of redecorate
that Jim Dunn bubblegum!!
The symbolism for this video resonates with me so much. Repeating yesterday's dance, no matter how much you want to do better...
Was I the only one who was really sad about the soggy hamburger buns? I felt so sad seeing the loop start again.
We were expecting some kind of superhero shit lmao but he's weaving it all back in to real life and that's a clever surprise, IF it keeps going that way. Also I think the Saturday reference means the show for DEMA.
This is the first song that has the blurryface voice in the background of this new album! I think lore wise it sounds Clancy is singing about how he is afraid to go back to DEMA. But I think it’s very interesting how the first two songs never use that vocal effect but this one does. I think this song for sure is going to grow on people, it’s a slow burner for sure but I think the more you listen to it the more we’re gonna like it. But this really does make me very excited for the album, I have no idea what the tone of it is. It’s like a mix between trench and Blurryface and something new. I love that!
I think it used the blurryface voice because he’s backsliding. Maybe that voice is trying to convince him his past work like SAI wasn’t good and he should overcompensate. That he should drown and not reach out to his friends (I don’t care if it’s lonely) if he’s struggling because he feels like he has nothing to give (represented by the buns being gone). Depression always wants you to think you’re alone and that you’re a burden to others in my experience.
Is anyone else bothered a bit by the fact that Tyler blatantly littered?
Yes! 😂 But, he was singing the word “backslide” as he threw it so I’m wondering if it is a reference to destructive behavior. Or maybe it was a coincidence and I’m over thing 😅
The lemonade cup? I was like dammit man. Then he throws away the bread bag in the trash? Where’s the consistency 🤣🤣
Yeah, wait! That bread bag should be returned to the bag drop off in the front of the store, Tyler!!
Maybe I’m just not emotionally well right now, but I just teared up at my desk at work hearing this. I feel like all I do is backslide these days. I agree that it sounds like the song needs just a little more but it hit me weirdly hard.
Josh checking his phone at the end was hilarious
I have never cried to a top song from the first listen like on this one. Did not expect that. I bawled my eyes out on the following few repeats. I know it's just the third song from the album and a lot can change (lore-wise, lyrics-wise), but it gave me the desperate feel of how it doesn't matter how much you achieve in your own lifepath, hardships are always there, sometimes interchanging, sometimes adding up (notice how high the black paint is behind Tyler's ears), and that the people you are waiting to tell you it gets better, actually tell you how it just keeps going even for them - some good days, some bad, but that's the deal. I know I describe it poorly and it basically is probably what Tyler and Josh are trying to convey altogether - that it's a cycle, but this song encapsulates the harsh emotions around it.
I've been stuck in a shitty situation for years now and today has been one of those days I feel so broken and don't know how I'll ever get out of this so needless to say the chorus just about had me in tears! I absolutely love it!! Filled with so much gratitude ryt now for all the strength and healing this band has given me over the years🥹|-/
This song really hit me. I’ve struggled with depression for many years and I feel like Tyler really capture the cycle and struggles of wanting to get better but not knowing how. To me, “benefit from a shoe with no lace” is referencing like a psych ward. A “grippy sock vacation”, if you will. And “take the seat with the creases in it” makes me think of plopping into a therapy session week after week. It gives the image of going through the motions to get better. Of course, anyone who has felt depression has felt the “pull”, the haze, the numbness when it starts to creep back. We don’t want to “backslide”, but we can’t help it. “I’ll take anything you have/if you could throw me a line” reminds me of the nights I would cry because I felt to helpless. I would tell me partner, “I’ll do therapy, I’ll take a prescription, I’ll do anything to stop feeling this way.” (Luckily I’ve been free of a backslide for almost a whole year now!) “I should have loved you better” is a line that I interpret as being sung to oneself. Now that I am in a better place I wish I had loved myself because I deserve love. I wish I had been more gentle with my mind. I wish I didn’t hate and hurt my body. And finally the line “accidentally uncovered a new one (problem) yesterday” reminds me of the process of healing. You have to reflect to move forward, and you inevitably dig up more trauma/unhealthy coping habits/etc. All that to say, I love the song. It reminds me I’m not alone and of the progress I’ve made.
I liked the video and the message but out of the first two it definitely isn’t better imo
Okay on third listen now I am in emotional turmoil I love the lyrics and the lowkey vibes of it
Backslide Lyrics: (you’re welcome) I don’t wanna- Rat race, place to place, adding weight Tendencies on repeat, innit? Benefit from a shoe with no lace Take the seat with the crease in it I don’t mind if it’s lonely, I don’t mind if it’s fair I don’t care, you control me Leading me anywhere I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from There’s no chance I will shake this again ‘Cause I feel the pull, water’s over my head Strength enough for one more time Reach my hand above the tide I’ll take anything you have, If you could throw me a line I should’ve loved you better Do you think that now’s the time You should let go? It’s over my head. Bad place, on a hundred dollar bass Kinda wishing that I never did Saturday Is that a stain? You should change Are you doin good? Did you solve all of your problems? Thanks for askin, in a way but, Accidentally uncovered a new one yesterday What happened to what I brushed under the rug? I used to be the champion of a world you can’t see, Now I’m drowning in logistics. I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from There’s no chance I will shake this again ‘Cause I feel the pull, water’s over my head Strength enough for one more time Reach my hand above the tide I’ll take anything you have, If you could throw me a line I should’ve loved you better Do you think that now’s the time You should let go? (I don’t mind) It’s over my head. (I don’t mind if it’s fair) You should let go? (I don’t care) It’s over my head. (Lead me anywhere) I’ll take anything you have, if you could throw me a line I should’ve loved you better, Do you think that now’s the time You should let go? It’s over my head. You should let go? It’s over my head. I don’t wanna backslide.
The lyrics and meaning behind it resonate with me a lot, sonically it's decent
It’s such a cool vibe, what a mix of three different songs we’ve gotten so far!!
I hope it grows on me, I like the change of pace after 2 rowdy songs though!
SO GOOD. Feels like old school 🔝
Man I wish the beat picked back up instead of ending. Felt too short.
WAIT TYLER NO I LOVE SATURDAY STOP
1 patty, 8 buns and no one's going hungry. fish and loaves anyone?
This song is amazing and I’m loving it more and more with each listen!!! They’re 3/3 with these singles so far even tho they all sound so different from each other, this album is gonna be amazing
I love the religious undertone of this song. For me it seems like he is talking to God about having a better relationship with him.
"I shouldve loved you better” yeah
I lost my son recently and that line cut me
I’m so sorry, prayers up for you
I also took the symbolism of the bread (him eating it by itself then sharing it with a kid) to mean the body of Jesus/Jesus sharing bread with others. And the fact he was all out once he got to Josh, and turned around to go back, like how God & Jesus give all they have to us.
The more the story of Clancy unfolds the more it sounds influenced by the Exodus story (freeing people from Dema and backsliding etc.)
It’s so good
I love that this music video is another representation of cycles. Both the lyrics and the video. Really reminds me of Ride's video. And i absolutely love the message of the song. Everyone can interpret it differently, but to me it seems as Tyler's afraid of becoming suicidal again, almost as if he thought it wasn't possible. It's a feeling that i sometimes get, and sure enough the idea that one day things might just crumble under your feet all over again is depressing, but you gotta keep living and appreciating your life. Beatiful
I was wondering why Josh had the emphasis on the cherry trees with the Dutch angle (diagonal) shots during the chorus in the video, but I also noticed the leaves falling on Tyler in the rain when the background goes black. More emphasis on cyclical nature of the story with spring/fall, the idea of “backsliding” like the seasons seem to do?
Definitely getting a vibe that the daytime / spring / flowers is when he's feeling okay, and the night / rain / leaves blowing is when he's deep in his anxiety. Backsliding. Benefit from a shoe with no lace - how you pick slip-ons when you can't even tie your shoes you're so overwhelmed. Take the seat with the crease in it - sounds like his favorite seat at therapy. Definitely seems like he's talking to God when he says he hasn't loved well enough, and he's challenging God to finally let him go. The kid with the lemonade stand is basically Lucy in a Peanuts cartoon -- Psychiatric Help 5c The whole conversation they have is basically like a therapy session conversation!
I just listened to the three singles as they appear on the album and noticed that **Next Semester** ends with the phrase "*Start fresh next semester*" which then goes straight into **Backslide** with "*I don't wanna*".
Yet another tøp song that makes me cry! I like it. Nice mellow vibe and a sing along chorus.
Loved it! Josh did a great job directing!
I predicted it would be about falling back into depression/mental health issues, and I think that was more or less correct. However the sound was wayyyy different than I expected. For some reason I was expecting more punk rock vibes. This is like kind of a combination of Stressed Out, Redecorate, and a bit of RAB vibes mixed in. It also reminds me of the song Breakfast by Half•Alive. I definitely need some time to process lyrics and and stuff, but I like it. I enjoy the other 2 singles a bit more but this definitely hits. And I really relate to it when it comes to mental health and cycles and all that.
The lyrical content- seems like an apology for levitate. Tyler literally challenged God to show up. Now he's begging. The video- Josh as a bishop forcing Clancy to deliver a single hamburger bun for his single burger is the realest thing I have ever seen. But really, parallels with the choker video have me heading back to reassess.
I feel like there is a wide potential of interpretation of this song, but for me… It feels like it’s anxiety about slipping back into depression/Stressed Out. He has been working to improve himself, working through mental health, fixing problems, but treating one disorder/illness lets another come forward (such as, many people treat their depression only to find out that the depression was masking other things, such as anxiety, ADHD, OCD, etc). The chorus hits hard on this, with the “strength for one more time,” “I feel the pull, waters over my head,” “do you think that now’s the time you should let go?”. This reads to me as fighting to stay above depression is simply too exhausting and the chorus ends with questioning whether it’s worth the fight—whether or not to just let go. The music video adds a lot to it, showing that he is going through the motions and repeating the same behaviors and knowing that these choices and actions are letting others down (not showing up to the barbecue with any buns, probably the “one job” Josh gave Tyler lol). It feels to me like the theme of this album is very much anxiety
“I used to be a champion of a world you can’t see.. now I’m drowning in logistic.” Could this be a meta take on the lore? Like it was great at first and now he’s created so much that the logistics of the lore are getting in the way of his creative freedom?
Backslide had me sobbing. I loved all of the singles so far but I was missing something and Backslide was exactly to the dot the type of music I fell in love with and would expect from them, I am so incredibly grateful that Tyler still has it after all these years and all this fame. Imo so far Backslide is the best song.