Forest

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Forest
Song by Twenty One Pilots from the album Regional at Best
ReleasedJuly 8, 2011
FormatDigital
Length4:26
Tempo120
KeyF major
Live debutJuly 19 2011
Last playedOct 29 2014
Live count80
ComposerTwenty One Pilots
LyricistTyler Joseph
WriterTyler Joseph
ProducerTyler Joseph, Josh Dun
LabelSelf-released
Stream / Buy
Twenty One Pilots track listing
  1. Guns For Hands
  2. Holding On To You
  3. Ode To Sleep
  4. Slowtown
  5. Car Radio
  6. Forest
  7. Glowing Eyes
  8. Kitchen Sink
  9. Anathema
  10. Lovely
  11. Ruby
  12. Trees
  13. Be Concerned
  14. Clear
  15. House Of Gold (Newsletter Edition)
  16. Two (Newsletter Edition)

Forest is the 6th track on the album, Regional at Best as well as the 16th track on Vessel Bonus Track Version

Background

I've always felt like this song was about worries, fears, and problems that you can never really leave behind and trying to escape from them momentarily even though you know in the back of you mind they are still there. In the first verse it gets into these problems, "wanting to be listened to" not "heard" and being bothered when others have the same name. Then after another verse it ends with "So let's think of something better" and the chorus starts. I think the "forest" represents a place to escape to and "singing" as something to tune out your problems with. When they mention the chorus being one that everybody knows I imagine it's because it's supposed to be "normal" and "expected" which is what he is trying to be by avoiding his problems and putting up a front. The "hands held higher" and "we'll" be on fire" part is the problems catching up to him. Then in the next verse he addresses them: "Quickly moving towards the storm Moving forward, torn into pieces Over reasons of what these storms are for I don't understand why everything I adore Takes a different form when I squint my eyes

Have you ever done that, when you squint your eyes And your eyelashes make it look a little not right And when just enough light comes from just the right side And you find that you're not who you're supposed to be? This is not what you're supposed to see"

In these verses he has stepped out of the forest and is slowly coming back to the reality of his situation. That nothing is perfect and the harder he focuses on it, the worse the problems seem. After spending so much time away in his "forest" he has forgotten his own problems and when they suddenly show up again he panics and they seem 10x worse. Hence:

"Please, remember me, I am supposed to be king of the king Devil swinging on the swing, something happened in my imagination The situation's becoming dire, my treehouse is on fire And for some reason I smell gas on my hands This is not what I had planned"

In fear he runs back to his "forest" and continues to ignore his problems. [1]

Versions

Studio

Title Releas Length Recorded Released Notes
Forest Regional at Best 4:26 2010-2011 8 July 2011
Forest Bonus Track Vessel 4:06 2011-2012 8 Jan 2013 Forest, along with other songs from Regional at Best were remastered for their next album, Vessel


Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbOzgUbdrKc

Lyrics

Lyrics

Album version
[Intro]

Ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh

Ooh

[Verse 1]

I don't know why I feed on emotion

There's a stomach inside my brain

I don't wanna be heard, I wanna be listened to

Does it bother anyone else that someone else has your name?

Oh, does it bother anyone else that someone else has your name, your name?

[Pre-Chorus]

I scream, you scream

We all scream, 'cause we're terrified

Of what's around the corner

We stay in place

'Cause we don't wanna lose our lives

So let's think of something better

[Chorus]

Down in the forest, we'll sing a chorus

One that everybody knows

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire

Singing songs that nobody wrote

[Verse 2]

My brain has given up, white flags are hoisted

I took some food for thought, it might be poisoned

The stomach in my brain throws up onto the page

Does it bother anyone else that someone else has your name?

Does it bother anyone else that someone else has your name?

[Pre-Chorus]

I scream, you scream

We all scream, 'cause we're terrified

Of what's around the corner

We stay in place

'Cause we don't wanna lose our lives

So let's think of something better (Better)

Oh

[Chorus]

Down in the forest, we'll sing a chorus

One that everybody knows

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire

Singing songs that nobody wrote

[Bridge]

Quickly moving towards the storm, moving forward, torn

Into pieces over reasons of what these storms are for

I don't understand why everything I adore

Takes a different form when I squint my eyes

Have you ever done that? When you squint your eyes

And your eyelashes make it look a little not right

And then when just enough light comes from just the right side

And you find you're not who you're supposed to be?

This is not what you're supposed to see

Please, remember me?

I am supposed to be

King of a kingdom, or swinging on a swing

Something happened to my imagination

The situation's becoming dire

My tree house is on fire

And for some reason I smell gas on my hands

This is not what I had planned

This is not what I had planned

Down in the forest, we'll sing a chorus (Forest, chorus)

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire

Singing songs that nobody wrote

[Chorus]

Down in the forest, we'll sing a chorus

One that everybody knows, yeah

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire

Singing songs that nobody wrote

[Outro]

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire

Hands held higher, we'll be on fire (Fire)

Lyrics meaning

Lyrics
“Forest” is about conquering inner demons through music and community. It’s easily considered to be a fan favorite, and is frequently played live by the duo.

The song was later featured as a bonus track on the band’s 2013 album Vessel along with various other songs from Regional at Best.

The band released a small excerpt of the song which Tyler sings while walking through a city. It includes the main chorus of the song sung before and after the bridge which is sung in a similar style to Tyler’s “Street Poetry.” [2]

all meanings of the lyrics are taken from the Genius website

Sources

[1] https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858875305/

[2] https://genius.com/Twenty-one-pilots-forest-lyrics

Twenty One Pilots
Members Tyler JosephJosh Dun
Former Members Chris SalihNick Thomas
Albums Twenty One PilotsRegional at BestVesselBlurryfaceTrenchScaled and IcyClancy
EPs Johnny Boy (EP)Live At UG Studios • Three SongsSpotify SessionsHolding on to You (EP)Quiet Is Viølent

The LC LPDouble-SidedTOPxMMTrench 10" TripletLocation Sessions

Live releases Blurryface LiveScaled and Icy (Livestream Version)
Singles Holding on to YouGuns For HandsLovelyHouse Of GoldFake You OutCar Radio

Fairly LocalTear In My HeartStressed OutLane BoyRideHeathensHeavydirtysoul CancerJumpsuitNico And The NinersLevitateMy BloodChlorineThe Hype Level Of ConcernChristmas Saves The YearShy AwayChokerSaturdayThe OutsideOvercompensateNext SemesterBackslideThe Craving (single version)

Tours Local ShowsTwenty One Pilots TourRegional at Best TourMostly November TourBlurryface World Tour

Emotional Roadshow World TourTour De ColumbusThe Bandito TourTakeover TourThe Icy TourClancy World Tour

List of Twenty One Pilots songsList Twenty One Pilots music videos