Nico And The Niners

Album: Trench (2018)
Charted: 79
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song introduces Twenty One Pilots lead singer Tyler Joseph's new alter ego, Clancy, following his Blurryface moniker on the duo's last album. He is trapped in the walled city of Dema, which is ruled by nine bishops who follow a fictional religion called Vialism. (Presumably, Nico is the name of one of these nine bishops). It also presents the "banditos," a rebel group who rescue people trapped in Dema. They urge Clancy to flee the evil walled city wearing a yellow jumpsuit that is used to avoid detection from the bishops. (They are unable to see the color yellow.)

    I'm heavy, my Jumpsuit is on steady
    I'm lighter when I'm lower, I'm higher when I'm heavy, oh ooh
    I'm so high, my Jumpsuit takes me so high
    I'm flying from a fire, from Nico and the Niners, oh


    The bishops are a metaphor for the anxieties, insecurities and negative thoughts that Tyler Joseph struggles with and wants to escape from. In a similar vein, Twenty One Pilots' Blurryface album was named after a character that represents all the things that he stresses about.
  • Tyler Joseph told Kerrang that the city of Dema represents what Twenty One Pilots were going through at the time of Trench's formation: the transitional phase between album cycles.

    "Ultimately," he explained, "it's the story of emotions that one would feel when they're between two places. And that can apply to a lot of people's lives – being between jobs, or schools, or seasons. And, I guess, that Trench represents that feeling in between two places. That's the broadest way to look at it. But as you zoom in, it can mean a lot of other things, too."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Mike Love of The Beach Boys

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?