Guns For Hands: Difference between revisions

Guns for Hands
Guns for Hands
Song by Twenty One Pilots from the album Regional at Best
Released	July 8, 2011
Format	Digital
Length	4:33
Time signature	4/4
Tempo	129
Key	F#
Live debut	July 9 2011
Last played	April 1 2023
Composer	Twenty One Pilots
Lyricist	Tyler Joseph
Writer	Tyler Joseph
Producer	Tyler Joseph, Josh Dun
Label	Self-released
Stream / Buy
Twenty One Pilots track listing
Twenty One Pilots track listing
	Guns For Hands; Holding On To You; Ode To Sleep; Slowtown; Car Radio; Forest; Glowing Eyes; Kitchen Sink; Anathema; Lovely; Ruby; Trees; Be Concerned; Clear; House Of Gold (Newsletter Edition); Two (Newsletter Edition); Vessel track listing Ode To Sleep; Holding On To You; Migraine; House Of Gold; Car Radio; Semi-Automatic; Screen; The Run And Go; Fake You Out; Guns For Hands; Trees; Truce;

VisualWikitext

Latest revision as of 12:54, 26 August 2024

Guns for Hands is the 1st track on the album, Regional at Best as well as the 10th track on Vessel

Background

Tyler Joseph has spoken several times about the track, including on Vessel Commentary Edition:

"This next song, "Guns for Hands"… I don’t dive too specifically into the lyrical content just because, one, I obviously want it to be something to someone and wouldn’t want to ruin my definition of it, but also, you know, it’s very close to me, you know, sometimes it’s hard to talk exactly about what it is I was going through in that moment and try to explain the song’s lyrics, I just want to listen to the song. I mean, I’m saying exactly what I’m trying to say in the song, for me to explain what I’m trying to say in a different setting is kind of weird for me. But, "Guns for Hands" specifically, I like to talk about what that song’s trying to say. There was one show in particular that this song was inspired by. I was playing a show in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it’s just this kind of a barn full of kids, and after this show, more than usual, there was kind of an unusual number of kids came up to me and felt inclined to share with me what it is they were going through. You know, a lot of their struggles, a lot of their, you know, whether that be depression or suicidal thoughts, a lot of stuff along that vein. And I just thought, I was like wow, I mean I’m — am I just in a hotbed of kids going through stuff, I mean is this just kind of like a crazy ratio of everyone struggling with this thing? And then I remember not too long after that, I was in New York, and I was — I think I saw like a pizza shop or something and I saw a magazine that was you know at the entrance of the pizza shop, this big article about this specific town in New York that has a lot of kids, you know, high school age, going through a lot of the same stuff. And I realised you know, this isn’t just a — it’s not just an isolated event, it’s something that there’s a lot of kids throughout the entire country — even the world — that are struggling with the questions that they have, you know, ‘what’s the point?’, ‘what’s my purpose?’, ‘why am I here?’ and when you don’t have the answers to those questions, sometimes it can lead you to do something that you ultimately shouldn’t do.

So, "Guns for Hands" is talking about I wanna tell you that I know you have the ability to hurt yourself. You do. You have that ability. I feel like a lot of the older generation when they hear about someone struggling with it, their first reaction is like, “No, you’re not, you’re not struggling with that. Don’t think about that, you know, think about something else, you know, you’re just trying to get attention.” But this song was really trying to say like; “Listen, I know you have the ability to hurt yourself. I recognize that, but let’s take that energy and let’s point it at something else, let’s divert that, let’s kind of shift that momentum and look at something like art, or something like this music specifically, or even point it at me, you know, just point it anywhere, but don’t point it at yourself.” And so that’s what that song’s saying and that song will always be important to me. And I’m not a professional when it comes to this topic, but I write songs, and I feel like someone should say something about it." [1] [2]

Versions

Studio


Title	Releas	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Guns for Hands	Regional at Best	4:33	2010-2011	8 July 2011
Guns for Hands	Vessel	4:36	2011-2012	8 Jan 2013	Guns for Hands, along with other songs from Regional at Best were remastered for their next album, Vessel

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_iPVOMPt8E

Lyrics

Album version


I know what you think in the morning When the sun shines on the ground And shows what you have done It shows where your mind has gone And you swear to your parents That it will never happen again I know, I know-ow-ow What that means, I know-ow-ow-ow-ow [Chorus] That you all have guns And you never put the safety on And you all have plans To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep But I can't, but I can't when you all have Guns for hands, yeah I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep But I can't, but I can't when you all have Guns for hands, yeah [Verse 2] Let's take this a second at a time Let's take this one song, this one rhyme Together, let's breathe Together, to the beat But there's hope out the window So that's where we'll go Let's go outside and all join hands But until then you'll never understand [Chorus] That you all have guns And you never put the safety on And you all have plans To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it (Don't take it) I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep But I can't, but I can't when you all have Guns for hands, yeah [Interlude] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Whoo! (Da-da da-da-da) (Da-da da-da-da) (Da-da da-da-da, ah uh) (Da-da da-da-da) [Bridge] We've turned our hands to guns Traded our thumbs for ammunition I must forewarn you of my disorder, or my condition 'Cause when the sun sets It upsets what's left of my invested interest Interested in putting my fingers to my head The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they should shoot at this Simply suggest my chest and this confused music It's obviously best for them to turn their guns to a fist [Chorus] I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep But I can't, but I can't when you all have Guns for hands, yeah I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep (I'm trying to sleep) I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep (I'm trying to sleep) But I can't, but I can't when you all have Guns for hands, yeah

Album version

I know what you think in the morning

When the sun shines on the ground

And shows what you have done

It shows where your mind has gone

And you swear to your parents

That it will never happen again

I know, I know-ow-ow

What that means, I know-ow-ow-ow-ow

[Chorus]

That you all have guns

And you never put the safety on

And you all have plans

To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

But I can't, but I can't when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

But I can't, but I can't when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

[Verse 2]

Let's take this a second at a time

Let's take this one song, this one rhyme

Together, let's breathe

Together, to the beat

But there's hope out the window

So that's where we'll go

Let's go outside and all join hands

But until then you'll never understand

[Chorus]

That you all have guns

And you never put the safety on

And you all have plans

To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it (Don't take it)

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

But I can't, but I can't when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

[Interlude]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Whoo!

(Da-da da-da-da)

(Da-da da-da-da, ah uh)

(Da-da da-da-da)

[Bridge]

We've turned our hands to guns

Traded our thumbs for ammunition

I must forewarn you of my disorder, or my condition

'Cause when the sun sets

It upsets what's left of my invested interest

Interested in putting my fingers to my head

The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids

Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they should shoot at this

Simply suggest my chest and this confused music

It's obviously best for them to turn their guns to a fist

[Chorus]

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

But I can't, but I can't when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep (I'm trying to sleep)

But I can't, but I can't when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

Lyrics meaning

Lyrics
Frontman Tyler Joseph has stated the following regarding this track: "I know you have the ability to hurt yourself, I recognize that, but let’s take that energy and let’s point it at something else, let’s divert that, let’s kind of shift momentum and look at something like art, or something like this music specifically or even point it at me, just point it anywhere. But don’t point it at yourself … that song will always be important to me." [1]
all meanings of the lyrics are taken from the Genius website

Sources

[1] https://genius.com/Twenty-one-pilots-guns-for-hands-lyrics


Twenty One Pilots
Members	Tyler Joseph • Josh Dun
Former Members	Chris Salih • Nick Thomas
Albums	Twenty One Pilots • Regional at Best • Vessel • Blurryface • Trench • Scaled and Icy • Clancy
EPs	Johnny Boy (EP) • Live At UG Studios • Three Songs • Spotify Sessions • Holding on to You (EP) • Quiet Is Viølent • The LC LP • Double-Sided • TOPxMM • Trench 10" Triplet • Location Sessions
Live releases	Blurryface Live • Scaled and Icy (Livestream Version)
Singles	Holding on to You • Guns For Hands • Lovely • House Of Gold • Fake You Out • Car Radio • Fairly Local • Tear In My Heart • Stressed Out • Lane Boy • Ride • Heathens • Heavydirtysoul • Cancer • Jumpsuit • Nico And The Niners • Levitate • My Blood • Chlorine • The Hype • Level Of Concern • Christmas Saves The Year • Shy Away • Choker • Saturday • The Outside • Overcompensate • Next Semester • Backslide • The Craving (single version)
Tours	Local Shows • Twenty One Pilots Tour • Regional at Best Tour • Mostly November Tour • Blurryface World Tour • Emotional Roadshow World Tour • Tour De Columbus • The Bandito Tour • Takeover Tour • The Icy Tour • Clancy World Tour
List of Twenty One Pilots songs • List Twenty One Pilots music videos

Guns For Hands: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 12:54, 26 August 2024

Contents

Background

Versions

Studio

Live

Lyrics

Lyrics

Lyrics meaning

Sources

Navigation menu

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 == Background ==
-Tyler Joseph has spoken several times about the track, including:
+Tyler Joseph has spoken several times about the track, including on [[Vessel Commentary Version|Vessel Commentary Edition]]:
-"People try to interpret what the song is saying and in a way I feel like I’m supposed to let that live and not answer the question. In short, there was a particular show that I was playing and at this time we were really able talk to everyone after a show. I remember this show in particular more than usual, kids came up to me and felt like they needed to share what it was they were going through and a lot of what they were going through had to do with suicide… thank goodness it had a lot to do with them overcoming it and using music and using songs, in particular my songs, to help them get over that and I was so inspired and so moved by that show and those kids that came up to me and shared with me their struggles with suicide and this song is very inspired by them and those people that struggle with that. I don’t claim to be a professional opinion on the topic because it’s dangerous to talk about suicide and to claim you have a voice on the issue but this song is about taking that negative energy and aiming it at something else, not aiming it at yourself, really giving these kids the power to know that they do have control over their circumstances." [https://genius.com/Twenty-one-pilots-guns-for-hands-lyrics <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>]
+"''This next song, "Guns for Hands"… I don’t dive too specifically into the lyrical content just because, one, I obviously want it to be something to someone and wouldn’t want to ruin my definition of it, but also, you know, it’s very close to me, you know, sometimes it’s hard to talk exactly about what it is I was going through in that moment and try to explain the song’s lyrics, I just want to listen to the song. I mean, I’m saying exactly what I’m trying to say in the song, for me to explain what I’m trying to say in a different setting is kind of weird for me. But, "Guns for Hands" specifically, I like to talk about what that song’s trying to say. There was one show in particular that this song was inspired by. I was playing a show in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it’s just this kind of a barn full of kids, and after this show, more than usual, there was kind of an unusual number of kids came up to me and felt inclined to share with me what it is they were going through. You know, a lot of their struggles, a lot of their, you know, whether that be depression or suicidal thoughts, a lot of stuff along that vein. And I just thought, I was like wow, I mean I’m — am I just in a hotbed of kids going through stuff, I mean is this just kind of like a crazy ratio of everyone struggling with this thing? And then I remember not too long after that, I was in New York, and I was — I think I saw like a pizza shop or something  and I saw a magazine that was you know at the entrance of the pizza shop, this big article about this specific town in New York that has a lot of kids, you know, high school age, going through a lot of the same stuff. And I realised you know, this isn’t just a — it’s not just an isolated event, it’s something that there’s a lot of kids throughout the entire country — even the world — that are struggling with the questions that they have, you know, ‘what’s the point?’, ‘what’s my purpose?’, ‘why am I here?’ and when you don’t have the answers to those questions, sometimes it can lead you to do something that you ultimately shouldn’t do.''
+''So, "Guns for Hands" is talking about I wanna tell you that I know you have the ability to hurt yourself. You do. You have that ability. I feel like a lot of the older generation when they hear about someone struggling with it, their first reaction is like, “No, you’re not, you’re not struggling with that. Don’t think about that, you know, think about something else, you know, you’re just trying to get attention.” But this song was really trying to say like; “Listen, I know you have the ability to hurt yourself. I recognize that, but let’s take that energy and let’s point it at something else, let’s divert that, let’s kind of shift that momentum and look at something like art, or something like this music specifically, or even point it at me, you know, just point it anywhere, but don’t point it at yourself.” And so that’s what that song’s saying and that song will always be important to me. And I’m not a professional when it comes to this topic, but I write songs, and I feel like someone should say something about it.''" [https://open.spotify.com/album/213bMr2NI3VDcBLWpkKFxG?si=eI28ZfglTEyduJj9QkyzBQ&nd=1&dlsi=fdb771cf272b449b <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] [https://twentyonepilots.fandom.com/wiki/Vessel_(Commentary_Version) <nowiki>[2]</nowiki>]
 == Versions ==
@@ Line 105: / Line 107: @@
 {| class="wikitable" style="border:hidden;"
 |+
+|I know what you think in the morning
+When the sun shines on the ground
+And shows what you have done
+It shows where your mind has gone
+And you swear to your parents
+That it will never happen again
+I know, I know-ow-ow
+What that means, I know-ow-ow-ow-ow
+[Chorus]
+That you all have guns
+And you never put the safety on
+And you all have plans
+To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+But I can't, but I can't when you all have
+Guns for hands, yeah
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+But I can't, but I can't when you all have
+Guns for hands, yeah
+[Verse 2]
+Let's take this a second at a time
+Let's take this one song, this one rhyme
+Together, let's breathe
+Together, to the beat
+But there's hope out the window
+So that's where we'll go
+Let's go outside and all join hands
+But until then you'll never understand
+[Chorus]
+That you all have guns
+And you never put the safety on
+And you all have plans
+To take it, to take it, don't take it, take it, take it (Don't take it)
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+But I can't, but I can't when you all have
+Guns for hands, yeah
+[Interlude]
+Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
+Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
+Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
+Yeah, yeah
+Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
+Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
+Whoo!
+(Da-da da-da-da)
+(Da-da da-da-da)
+(Da-da da-da-da, ah uh)
+(Da-da da-da-da)
+[Bridge]
+We've turned our hands to guns
+Traded our thumbs for ammunition
+I must forewarn you of my disorder, or my condition
+'Cause when the sun sets
+It upsets what's left of my invested interest
+Interested in putting my fingers to my head
+The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids
+Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they should shoot at this
+Simply suggest my chest and this confused music
+It's obviously best for them to turn their guns to a fist
+[Chorus]
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
+But I can't, but I can't when you all have
+Guns for hands, yeah
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep (I'm trying to sleep)
+I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep (I'm trying to sleep)
+But I can't, but I can't when you all have
+Guns for hands, yeah
+|}
+</div>
+|}
+{| class="lyric-outside-table"
+|-
+! <span class="mw-customtoggle-myDivision1">Album version</span>
+|-
+|<div class="mw-collapsible" id="mw-customcollapsible-myDivision1" style="width: 100%; height:20em; overflow:auto;>
+{| class="lyric-table"
 |I know what you think in the morning
 When the sun shines on the ground