Kitchen Sink

Glowing Eyes
Song by Twenty One Pilots from the album Regional at Best
Released	July 8, 2011
Format	Digital
Length	4:26
Tempo	170
Key	Eb major
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

Glowing Eyes is the 7th track on the album, Regional at Best as well as the 13th track on Vessel Bonus Track Version.

Background

The "someone at the door" is responsibility. It could be his own personal health, mental state, spiritual development, outside obligations, or really anything. Whatever is at the door is in need of attention, but he is too engrossed in his own thoughts and torments. He likes to entertain them, either in just a figure of speech sort of way (entertain a thought) or possibly through the songs that he sings.

Basically the metaphor is that he locks himself up in a house of negative thoughts and shuts out the world. [1]

Versions

Studio

Title	Releas	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Glowing Eyes	Regional at Best	4:26	2010-2011	8 July 2011
Glowing Eyes Bonus Track	Vessel	4:26	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/shorts/ZzE64Abub6M

Lyrics

Lyrics

Album version

[Intro: Tyler Joseph] La, la, da, da La, la, da, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da [Verse 1: Tyler Joseph] We all are stranger creatures than when we all started out as kids Culture forbids We have romantic fantasies about what dying truly is Fall off the grid [Pre-Chorus: Tyler Joseph] We live for the night's decor It reveals what we dream of [Chorus: Tyler Joseph] I know there's someone at the door They called for help, of this I'm sure But do I want to say goodbye To all the glowing eyes? I'm holding on to what I know And what I know, I must let go But I would rather play a song For the eyes to sing along [Post-Chorus: Tyler Joseph] La, la, da, da La, la, da, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da (The eyes to sing along) La, la, da, da (Long) La, la, da, da, da (Long) La, la, da, da La, la, da [Interlude: Tyler Joseph with James Truslow] Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh [Verse 2: Tyler Joseph & James Truslow] We all know somebody who knows somebody who's doing great I know some people who know people who are flying straight But I'll kindly enter into rooms of depression While ceiling fans and idle hands will take my life again [Pre-Chorus: Tyler Joseph] We live for the night's decor It reveals what we dream of [Chorus: Tyler Joseph] I know there's someone at the door They called for help, of this I'm sure But do I want to say goodbye To all the glowing eyes? I'm holding on to what I know And what I know, I must let go But I would rather play a song For the eyes to sing along [Bridge: Tyler Joseph with James Truslow] This room is far too dark for us to stay around Redemption's not that far, and darkness is going down This room is far too dark, for us to stay around Redemption's not that far, and darkness is going down La, la, da, da La, la, da, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da, da, da La, la, da, da La, la, da [Chorus: Tyler Joseph] I'm holding on to what I know And what I know, I must let go But I would rather play a song For the eyes to sing along [Outro: Tyler Joseph] Their eyes will sing along, long, long Make them stop Make them stop Make them stop Make them stop Make them stop

Lyrics meaning

Lyrics
With an interesting, upbeat instrumental, Tyler delivers his vocals on “Glowing Eyes” in a similarly cheerful manner. The lyrics however tell a much darker story. The song explores topics such as sociology, depression, apathy, and the alluring pull that the idea of death can have on an individual. The “glowing eyes” seem to represent a form of negativity of which the narrator is reluctant to let go of (addiction). This wish for the preservation of those things that cause our sadness may seem strange, but is actually rather common among the depressed. Regardless of the rumors, Josh Dun is not singing the backup vocals on this track. It was confirmed that the credit belongs to James Truslow, an old friend of Tyler’s.[1]
all meanings of the lyrics are taken from the Genius website

Sources

[1] https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858886311/

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