Ode to Sleep

Ode to Sleep
Twenty One Pilots
Writer(s)	Tyler Joseph
Producer(s)	Greg Wells
Recorded at	Rocket Carousel Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Length	5:13 (Regional at Best) 5:08 (Vessel)
RIAA Certification	Gold
Album	Vessel
EP	Migraine
Original Album	Regional at Best
Vessel Tracklisting
Holding on to You
Regional at Best Tracklisting
Holding on to You
Slowtown
EP Tracklisting
Forest
Guns for Hands

Ode to Sleep is the first song on Twenty One Pilots's third studio album, Vessel. It was recorded in Los Angeles and is produced by Greg Wells. The song was originally recorded for Regional at Best, and was released in 2011, before the album was discontinued following the band's first major label signing. "Ode to Sleep" also appears on the Migraine (EP) as the third track.

Commentary

Following the release of Vessel, Spotify shared an exclusive commentary by Tyler Joseph for each track on the standard edition.

The first track is called Ode to Sleep and I remember back when I was first trying to name the song, we actually played it live first before it was named, and this is back when we had kind of a small following in our hometown and it was small enough that everyone got to write on a piece of paper and put into a bucket it which name they wanted the song to be named. One was Ode to Sleep, I forget — I honestly forget the other names of the songs, but it was cool because a hometown audience got to name the song. I like putting this song first on the album, because it kinda puts the listener through kind of a song structure boot camp, if you will, when it comes to them being able to anticipate what the rest of the album is. So Ode to Sleep is definitely one that we like to intro with, we open up a lot of our sets with this song and I’m really proud of how weird it is.

Official Video

On December 31, 2014, Fueled by Ramen uploaded an official video to their YouTube channel. The video was made over three years, following from Joseph and Dun's first show out of Ohio to a small group of 12, through their success and release of Vessel, eventually ending with a performance to 12,000 people over two nights.

Twenty one pilots- Ode To Sleep -OFFICIAL VIDEO-

Versions

"Ode to Sleep" was originally recorded for Regional at Best, but following the band's signing with Fueled by Ramen and subsequent discontinuation of the album, the song was re-recorded and included on the album Vessel.

A live performance of "Ode to Sleep" at the Newport Music Hall was uploaded to the Twenty One Pilots' Youtube channel on January 6, 2012. A blog post on the Twenty One Pilots' website dated July 1, 2012 also shared this performance. This live version also served as a bonus track on the Japan/Korea release of Vessel. "Ode to Sleep (Live at Newport Music Hall)" was recorded at a show around November 19, 2011.

Twenty one pilots- Ode to Sleep (Live at Newport Music Hall)

Lyrics

I wake up fine and dandy, but then by the time I find it handy To rip my heart apart and start planning my crash landing I go up, up, up, up, up to the ceiling Then I feel my soul start leaving, like an old man's hair receding I'm pleading, "Please, oh, please!" on my knees repeatedly asking Why it's got to be like this, is this living free? I don't want to be the one, be the one who has the sun's blood on my hands, I'll tell the moon Take this weapon forged in darkness, some see a pen, I see a harpoon I'll stay awake 'Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight Why am I not scared in the morning? I don't hear those voices calling I must have kicked them out I must have kicked them out I swear I heard demons yelling Those crazy words they were spelling They told me I was gone They told me I was gone But I'll tell 'em, "Why won't you let me go? Do I threaten all your plans? I'm insignificant" Please tell 'em, you have no plans for me I will set my soul on fire, what have I become? I'll tell 'em On the eve of a day that's forgotten and fake And the trees, they await, and clouds anticipate The start of a day when we put on our face A mask that portrays that we don't need grace On the eve of a day that is bigger than us But we open our eyes 'cause we're told that we must And the trees wave their arms and the clouds try to plead Desperately yelling, "There's something we need!" I'm not free, I asked forgiveness three times Same amount that I denied, I three-time MVP'ed this crime I'm afraid to tell you who I adore Won't tell you who I'm singing towards Metaphorically, I'm a whore, and that's denial number four I'll stay awake 'Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight Why am I not scared in the morning? I don't hear those voices calling I must have kicked them out I must have kicked them out I swear I heard demons yelling Those crazy words they were spelling They told me I was gone They told me I was gone But I'll tell 'em, "Why won't you let me go? Do I threaten all your plans? I'm insignificant" Please tell 'em, you have no plans for me I will set my soul on fire, what have I become? I'll tell 'em, you have no plans for me I will set my soul on fire What have I become? I'll tell 'em I'll tell 'em I'll tell 'em I'll tell 'em Please tell 'em, you have no plans for me I will set my soul on fire What have I become? I'm sorry

Credits

Writers and producers	Tyler Joseph and Greg Wells
Recorded by	Ian MacGregor at Rocket Carousel Studio Los Angeles, CA
Programming	Tyler Joseph and Greg Wells
Piano, keys and ukulele	Tyler Joseph
Drums and auxiliary percussion	Josh Dun
Vocals	Tyler Joseph
Additional synths and keyboards	Greg Wells
Mixed by	Greg Wells at Rocket Carousel Studio Los Angeles, CA
Mastered by	Howie Weinberg & Dan Gerbarg at Howie Weinberg Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
Published by	Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI) / Fueled By Music (BMI) / Stryker Joseph Music (BMI) All rights on behalf of itself and Stryker Joseph Music Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp

Regional at Best (album)  · Web Series  · Trip for Concerts  · Nylon Music Tour  · Mostly November Tour 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 bonus track) Two (Newsletter bonus track)

Era  · Discography  · Vessel (album)  · Videography  · Performances  · Trip for Concerts  · Quiet Is Violent World Tour 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 Glowing Eyes (Bonus track) Kitchen Sink (Bonus track) Lovely (Bonus track) Forest (Bonus track)