Doubt

"Doubt" is a profound exploration of the internal conflict between faith and insecurity. At its core, the song is a conversation, or rather a desperate plea, directed towards a higher power, which many interpret as the Christian God. Lead singer Tyler Joseph lays bare his anxieties and fears, ranging from his self-image and immaturity to an overarching fear of uncertainty itself. The song is a key piece within the narrative of the Blurryface album, where the titular character represents Joseph's own insecurities and doubts. The plea, "Don't forget about me, even when I doubt you," serves as the central theme, highlighting a moment of spiritual crisis where the narrator acknowledges his wavering faith but simultaneously affirms his complete dependence on that which he is questioning, admitting he's "no good without you." The song also critiques organized religion, with lyrics like "Gnawing on the bishops / Claw away at the system," suggesting a frustration with the rigid structures and hollow rituals that can feel disconnected from true, personal faith. Ultimately, "Doubt" is a raw and honest confession of vulnerability, the struggle to maintain belief in the face of overwhelming personal demons, and the universal human need for reassurance and connection.

The song begins with a raw confession of fear, itemizing a list of personal insecurities. The narrator is afraid of his own reflection, his immaturity, and even the physical limitations of his room, symbolized by the ceiling. This fear expands into a profound dread of dying in a state of uncertainty. He acknowledges that this constant fear is the root of his anxiety and admits to a disorienting lack of self-understanding, a feeling of not knowing his own inner self.

The chorus erupts as a desperate, stuttered plea to a significant other, widely interpreted as God. He begs not to be forgotten or abandoned, especially in his moments of doubt. It's a declaration of dependence, an admission that without this higher power, he is fundamentally incomplete and lost. This refrain becomes the song's emotional anchor, a raw cry for connection amidst internal chaos.

As the song progresses, the atmosphere grows colder, mirroring a sense of emotional shutdown and isolation. The narrator feels the "temperature dropping" and expresses a hopelessness that this bleak state will ever end. He describes himself as "shaking hands with the dark parts of my thoughts," a powerful metaphor for engaging with his own inner demons, personified in the band's lore as Blurryface. Despite this internal struggle, he clings to this higher power as his only source of hope, stating, "You are all that I've got."

A significant shift occurs in the bridge, where the focus turns to organized religion. The line "Gnawing on the bishops, claw away at the system" suggests a frustration and critical examination of religious institutions and their hierarchical structures. He feels disconnected from the rote, repetitive phrases insisted upon by holy figures, indicating a desire for a faith that is personal and meaningful rather than just ceremonial. He expresses a yearning for the "mark he's made on my skin," likely a reference to his cross tattoo, to regain its spiritual significance for him. This section concludes with a heartfelt plea, hoping he hasn't been left behind in his moment of spiritual crisis.

The song culminates in a powerful outro, where the repeated, almost shouted, plea of "Don't forget about me" intensifies, conveying a sense of urgent desperation. It's the final, resounding cry of a person grappling with immense fear and doubt, holding onto faith as their last lifeline.

"Doubt" was written by Tyler Joseph, the frontman of Twenty One Pilots. It was created for the band's fourth studio album, Blurryface, which was released on May 17, 2015. The song was recorded at Serenity West Recording in Hollywood, California, with Ricky Reed serving as a producer alongside Joseph. Reed also contributed programming and vocals, with LunchMoney Lewis providing background vocals. Josh Dun's drums were a crucial element, shaping the song's rhythmic foundation. The creation of Blurryface involved the band laying down ideas in a portable recording studio while on tour, allowing for a continuous creative process. "Doubt" fits into the album's central concept of Blurryface, a character created by Joseph to personify his insecurities and anxieties. A demo version of the song went viral on TikTok in early 2025, prompting the duo to officially release it on April 9, 2025, ahead of the album's tenth anniversary.

"Doubt" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that deepen its themes of insecurity and spiritual conflict.

• Shaking Hands with the Dark Parts of My Thoughts: This line is a direct metaphor for confronting and becoming familiar with one's own inner demons and negative impulses. It personifies these thoughts as a separate entity one can interact with, a clear reference to the album's overarching antagonist, Blurryface.
• Temperature is Dropping: The falling temperature symbolizes a growing sense of emotional coldness, isolation, and hopelessness. It creates a physical sensation to match the internal state of being worn down by fear.
• Scared of My Own Ceiling: The ceiling represents perceived limitations, boundaries, and a feeling of being trapped. It's a tangible symbol for the intangible barriers the narrator feels are holding him back.
• Gnawing on the Bishops / Claw Away at the System: This imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for critiquing and challenging the established structures of organized religion. "Bishops" represent the hierarchy and leadership, and the act of "gnawing" suggests a persistent, almost desperate, attempt to deconstruct and find fault with a system that feels inauthentic.
• Markings Made on My Skin: This is a direct reference to singer Tyler Joseph's tattoos, particularly his cross tattoo. He expresses a desire for this symbol of faith to "mean something... again," symbolizing a struggle to reconnect with the personal, spiritual meaning behind religious symbols that may have been lost through ritual or doubt.

The emotional landscape of "Doubt" is a turbulent mix of anxiety, fear, desperation, and a sliver of clinging hope. The song opens with an intensely anxious and claustrophobic mood, established by the list of fears and the admission, "Fear might be the death of me, fear leads to anxiety." This creates a palpable sense of being trapped within one's own mind. The chorus introduces a profound sense of desperation and vulnerability, as the narrator pleads for connection and acknowledges his own helplessness. There's a feeling of emotional coldness and isolation in the second verse, conveyed through the imagery of the "temperature dropping." The bridge shifts the emotion towards frustration and spiritual conflict as the narrator critiques organized religion, revealing a desire for more authentic faith. Throughout the track, the primary emotion is a deep-seated tension between faith and doubt, dependence and disbelief. The song never fully resolves this tension, ending on a note of raw, almost frantic, desperation in the outro, leaving the listener with the weight of the narrator's unresolved struggle.

"Doubt" is a significant track on Twenty One Pilots' landmark fourth album, Blurryface (2015), which achieved massive commercial success and cultural impact. The album was the first in history to have every single track receive at least a Gold certification from the RIAA. While not released as a standalone single initially, "Doubt" has been a fan-favorite, resonating deeply with the band's audience due to its raw honesty about mental health, insecurity, and spiritual conflict—themes central to the band's identity. The song's blend of pop, electronic, and rap elements is indicative of the genre-defying style that brought the duo into the mainstream. The lyrical phrase "Gnawing on the bishops" has become particularly notable among fans, sparking extensive discussion about its critique of organized religion and its potential connection to the band's later narrative lore surrounding the fictional city of Dema and its nine ruling "bishops." In 2025, a decade after its release, a demo version of "Doubt" went viral on TikTok, demonstrating the song's enduring relevance and prompting the band to give it an official release, further cementing its place in their discography.

The rhythmic and rhyming structure of "Doubt" is carefully crafted to mirror its emotional trajectory. The song's verses utilize a relatively straightforward, rap-inflected rhythm, with Tyler Joseph's delivery emphasizing the catalogue of fears. The rhyme scheme in the first verse is AABBCC ("image"/"immaturity", "ceiling"/"uncertainty", "me"/"anxiety"), creating a tight, almost claustrophobic feeling that reflects the lyrical content. The pre-chorus and chorus shift both rhythmically and melodically. The rhythm of the chorus lyric "Don't forget ab-b-b-b-bout me" is notable for its deliberate, percussive stutter, which creates a sense of frantic urgency and vulnerability. This contrasts with the smoother flow of the verses. The song's tempo is methodical and mid-tempo, driven by a prominent synth line and a beat that blends pop and hip-hop elements. The bridge section sees a rhythmic shift, stripping back the instrumentation to just a piano and vocals initially, creating a more intimate and contemplative moment before building back into the full-throated final choruses. The outro features a call-and-response pattern with gang vocals, where the rhythmic shouts of "Hey! Hey!" add a final, desperate punch to the plea "Don't forget about me, no."

"Doubt" showcases Twenty One Pilots' signature genre-blending style. Musically, it combines a trap-influenced drum kit, heavy synth melodies, and processed vocals, creating a sound that has been compared to contemporary pop acts like Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" but with vastly different thematic content. The production, handled by Ricky Reed and Tyler Joseph, heavily utilizes auto-tune and vocal saturation, not as a corrective tool but as a stylistic choice to enhance the song's electronic and anxious texture. The arrangement is dynamic, shifting from sparse verses to a fuller, layered chorus. It introduces new elements every few bars, such as strings, organs, and choir-like sounds in the later sections, to build intensity and keep the listener engaged. Lyrically, Joseph employs repetition to great effect, particularly with the opening litany of "Scared of..." which immediately establishes the song's anxious tone. The stuttered delivery of "Don't forget ab-b-b-b-bout me" in the chorus sonically mimics the feeling of trembling or hesitation, reinforcing the lyrical theme of vulnerability. The narrative voice is deeply personal and confessional, functioning like a prayer or a diary entry, which fosters a strong, intimate connection with the listener.

What is the main theme of Twenty One Pilots' song 'Doubt'?

'Doubt' primarily explores the intense internal struggle between faith and crippling insecurity. The song is a plea to a higher power (often interpreted as God) not to be forgotten, even amidst the narrator's own wavering belief and overwhelming anxiety.

What does the line 'Gnawing on the bishops' mean in 'Doubt'?

This line is a critique of organized religion. 'Bishops' symbolize the hierarchy and rigid systems of the church. The act of 'gnawing' suggests a frustration with and a desire to deconstruct these systems, which the narrator feels are inauthentic and lack personal spiritual meaning.

Who is 'Blurryface' in the context of the song 'Doubt'?

Blurryface is a character created by singer Tyler Joseph to personify his insecurities, anxieties, and doubts. In 'Doubt,' the lyrics about being 'scared of my own image' and 'shaking hands with the dark parts of my thoughts' directly reference this struggle with the Blurryface persona.

When was 'Doubt' by Twenty One Pilots released?

The song 'Doubt' was originally released on May 17, 2015, as the eighth track on the album <i>Blurryface</i>. A demo version of the song was also officially released on April 9, 2025, after gaining viral popularity on TikTok.

What is the meaning of wanting the 'markings made on my skin to mean something to me again'?

This lyric likely refers to frontman Tyler Joseph's tattoos, specifically his cross tattoo. It expresses a desire to reconnect with the genuine, personal faith that the tattoo symbolizes, feeling that its meaning has been diluted by religious formalism or his own spiritual crisis.

What genre is the song 'Doubt' by Twenty One Pilots?

It's difficult to place 'Doubt' into a single genre, which is typical for Twenty One Pilots. It blends elements of electropop, alternative R&B, indie pop, and alternative rock, featuring synth melodies, hip-hop-influenced beats, and heavily processed vocals.