Kitchen Sink

Kitchen Sink
Song by Twenty One Pilots from the album Regional at Best
Released	July 8, 2011
Format	Digital
Length	5:34
Tempo	120
Key	B major
Live debut	July 9 2011
Last played	Nov 6 2014
Live count	40
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 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)

Kitchen Sink is the 8th track on the album, Regional at Best as well as the 14th track on Vessel Bonus Track Version

Background

The whole concept of that song is that I feel that humans are always struggling when it comes to purpose, trying to figure out their purpose is, what purpose even is, what’s the point, justifying your own existence.

A lot of kids and people my age struggle with “what’s the point,” and with the logo, what it really means is it’s an encouragement. When someone asks me what the logo means to me, the logo means something to me because I made it mean something to me. That’s the point. The point is that I created something that only I understand and whether or not I decide to disclose the meaning of it, that’s the beginning of purpose for me.

The meaning of purpose for me, is by creating something, if it be by writing lyrics, painting a picture, by expressing yourself through art…if it’s photography or music or theater, or whatever it is. It doesn’t have to be artistic, but if you create something and only you know the meaning of it, that’s the beginning of purpose for you.

When you’re in the room by yourself trying to decide whether to stay alive, you can tell yourself “I should probably stay alive because I’m the only one who knows the meaning of that thing,” so the logo is an encouragement for people to create. That’s what it means.

–Tyler Joseph via Youtube interview [1]

Versions

Studio

Title	Releas	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Kitchen Sink	Regional at Best	5:34	2010-2011	8 July 2011
Kitchen Sink Bonus Track	Vessel	5:34	2011-2012	8 Jan 2013	Kitchen Sink, along with other songs from Regional at Best were remastered for their next album, Vessel

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6bz_1Bxd_g

Lyrics

Lyrics

Album version

[Instrumental Intro] [Verse 1: Tyler Joseph] Nobody thinks what I think Nobody dreams when they blink Think things on the brink of blasphemy I'm my own shrink Think things are after me, I'm my catastrophe At my kitchen sink You don't know what that means Because a kitchen sink to you is not a kitchen sink to me Okay, friend? Are you searching for purpose? Then write something, yeah, it might be worthless Then paint something, and it might be wordless Pointless curses, nonsense verses You'll see purpose start to surface No one else is dealing with your demons Meaning maybe defeating them could be the beginning Of your meaning, friend [Chorus: Tyler Joseph] Go away, go away Go away, go away Leave me alone, leave me alone Leave me alone, leave me alone Leave me alone Leave me alone Leave me alone [Verse 2: Tyler Joseph] Nobody thinks what you think, no one Empathy might be on the brink of extinction They will play a game And say they know what you're going through And I tried to come up with an artistic way to say They don't know you And neither do I So here's a prime example of a stand-up guy who Hates what he believes and loves it at the same time Here's my brother And his head's screwed up, but that's all right [Bridge: Zack Joseph] Time gains momentum the moment when I'm living in 'em I'm winning a momentary, sinning a moment passing after A re-beginning moment's mending memories Pretending enemies are friends of me Sending me straight to bending me My bad behavior but I bet I could have been a better man Copy and paste caught me, and copy, better rhymes bother me The better the rhythm, the badder I am But I bet I'll battle with 'em battle Better I am, gamblin' man, better bet I am a gambling man, I am? [Chorus: Tyler Joseph] Go away, go away Go away, go away Leave me alone, leave me alone Leave me alone, leave me alone [Outro: Tyler Joseph] Leave me alone! Don't leave me alone! Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh

Lyrics meaning

Lyrics
When asked about the famous symbol that has come to represent the band, |-/, frontman Tyler Joseph told interviewers that the meaning of that symbol has a lot to do with “Kitchen Sink,” an extremely important song to him. "Something happened to me at a kitchen sink. There was something I realized. That song ‘Kitchen Sink’ and that reference means something to me. But if I were to tell you exactly what that meant, those times where I need the motivation to continue forward, I wouldn’t have that as part of my motivation. In my darkest hour, when I’m trying to figure out what to do with myself, there’s that thing, that song…If I were to no longer continue forward, there would be no one there to explain this thing. I will not tell you what a kitchen sink is to me because it represents something that only I understand." [2]
all meanings of the lyrics are taken from the Genius website

Sources

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klU6dJUPAVI&t=254s

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