The Judge is a song from 21 Pilot’s 2015 album “Blurryface”. Blurryface is a recurring character that is often cosplayed by Joseph Tyler Joseph. Twenty One Pilots is a band that was formed by Nick Thomas, Chris Salih, and Tyler Joseph. Thomas and Salih left in 2011, leaving the band to the lead vocalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun.
Twenty One Pilots shot to fame as a duo in 2015 when they released their single, “Stressed Out”. “Stressed Out” as well as “Ride” reached the top 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Both the songs were from the same album, “Blurryface”. The Judge by Twenty One Pilots is another song from the same album on similar themes. All in all, most of the songs on the album is about the insecurities of the lead vocalist Tyler Joseph. The band’s unique tone coupled with their dark yet relatable lyrics, especially in Blurryface, helped them solidify their position in the mainstream.
What does the title mean?
The whole song seems to be about a “bad guy” who is in front of a judge. Of course, there’s a lot of symbolism involved and the song goes a lot deeper than that. Yet, the title of the song can lay bare the whole story behind its lyrics in one go. Once you listen to it, you’ll find probably end up interpreting the title in two ways. The judge can mean “God” who is judging Tyler or a part of himself (Blurryface). On the other hand, it could be Tyler himself who is judging himself – a sign of instability and losing grip on reality. An overarching theme towards which the whole song gravitates.
What does the Intro mean?
“Na-na-na-na, ooh-oh
Na-na-na-na, ooh-oh
Na-na-na-na, ooh-oh”
The introduction of the song is accompanied by a thundering rumble, which is then mellowed down by the ukulele. It is perhaps symbolic of the thundering voices inside the head of Blurryface or Tyler. It depends upon from whose perspective you view the song.
Verse 1 – What does it mean?
“When the leader of the bad guys sang
Something soft and soaked in pain
I heard the echo from his secret hideaway
He must’ve forgot to close his door
As he cranked out those dismal chords
And his four walls declared him insane”
Tyler begins by talking about the leader of the bad guys singing. Either Tyler or Blurryface notices that there’s something soft and soaked in pain inside the leader. This could either be a reference to the devil or Tyler’s own demons. On a more meta-level, this could also mean that Tyler got a glimpse into Blurryface itself. In other words, he got a glimpse into his own insecurities.
It’s a common saying that often there’s something soft behind a tough exterior. When Tyler sings this song, he becomes invulnerable to judgement. He lets everything out, even Blurryface. Apart from that, the last half of the song mentions his battles with insanity. Often, many people who struggle with mental illnesses and similar problems self-diagnose themselves. In popular art, it is depicted by shutting themselves in. This is depicted in the lyrics.
The phrase “four walls” can also be a reference to insane asylums with padded rooms. Many of those who succumb to various mental illnesses report losing an inside battle (inside the four walls of their selves).
What does the Pre-Chorus mean?
“I found my way
Right time, wrong place
As I pled my case”
The Pre-Chorus is about standing in front of “The Judge”.
Either Tyler/Blurryface is standing in front of God to judge him or he is talking to his inner-self. Moreover, it seems that Tyler wants to be free and that act can only be performed by the judge. In sense, it’s his guilt that is pushing him to get a judgement as soon as possible. There are a lot of religious overtones in this song, especially that of Christianity. The assumption that man is sinful by nature can also be a factor in Blurryface or Tyler desperately looking for judgement. Another thing to note is the phrase “Judgement Day” which recurs quite a lot in Christian theology.
What does the Chorus mean?
“You’re the judge, oh no
Set me free
You’re the judge, oh no
Set me free
I know my soul’s freezing
Hell’s hot for good reason
So please, take me”
The Chorus seems as if Tyler is surprised to identify the judge, but he slowly accepts the reality. He then begs the judge to set him free. This can be interpreted by assuming that Tyler either wants to be from Blurryface (a manifestation of his insecurities) or this life.
These pieces of lyrics certainly give us a vivid idea of how strong this desire to escape his own reality is present in Blurryface or Tyler. Coldness is often associated with loneliness and alienation. Tyler says that hell is hot because it’s for souls that are freezing. He longs for warmth. He longs to feel something. 21 Pilots are known to create songs with dark themes and they resonate with their audience because the lyrics always end up being too real.
Refrain – What does it mean?
“Nah-nah-nah-nah, ooh-oh
Nah-nah-nah-nah, ooh-oh
Nah-nah-nah-nah, ooh-oh”
The refrain is the same as the introduction of the song accompanied by a ukulele. Thus, it’s a bit lighter than the chorus in a thematic sense.
Verse 2 – What does it mean?
“Three lights are lit, but the fourth one’s out
I can tell ’cause it’s a bit darker than the last night’s bout
I forgot about the drought of light bulbs in this house
So I head out down a route I think is heading south
But I’m not good with directions and I hide behind my mouth
I’m a pro at imperfections and I’m best friends with my doubt
And now that my mind’s out and now I hear it clear and loud
I’m thinking “Wow, I probably should’ve stayed inside my house.””
The second verse is mostly about physical sensations – sight, hearing, etc. It implies Tyler or the singer’s difficulty coping with reality as they lose their grip on reality.
Most patients lose their grip on reality slowly as their mental faculties burn out. Moreover, the dip into depression is also a slow one. Many people can see their slip into hopelessness and despair.
Towards the latter half of the verse, Tyler talks about his imperfections and the constant doubt in his mind. That, again, is also a sign of an illness waiting to bloom in a person’s mind. From a religious point of view, this “doubt” can refer to doubt in faith.
Bridge – What does it mean?
“I don’t know if this song
Is a surrender or a revel
I don’t know if this one
Is about me or the devil
I don’t know if this song
Is a surrender or a revel
I don’t know if this one
Is about me or the devil
Ooooh
Oh! Yeah
Ooooh”
The bridge of the song turns the whole song around. The bridge implies that the whole song can also be from the perspective of the devil or Blurryface. Blurryface is a character that personifies all the insecurities of Tyler. That is evident from other songs in the album.
What does the Outro mean?
“You’re the judge, oh no
Set me free, oh no
You’re the judge, oh no
Set me free, oh no
I know my soul’s freezing
Hell’s hot for good reason
So please”
The outro is the same as the chorus, but there’s a hidden imperfection slipped into it by Tyler. During the outro, Tyler screams out “Josh Dun”. Give the song a listen again and see if you can catch it.
Conclusion
When it comes to grim lyrics and grim themes, Twenty One Pilots take the cake. It does not matter which genre you prefer their lyrics are bound to impress anyone who does not take words for granted. Each and every phrase opens up like layers being peeled from an onion.
