“Garbage Lyrics” by twenty one pilots
“Garbage” is a song by twenty one pilots, the duo (Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun) known for blending alternative, pop, hip-hop, and intimate confessional songwriting. The band’s lyrics frequently explore mental health, identity, and interpersonal strain; this track continues that tradition by zeroing in on self-loathing, emotional breakdown, and the fear of hurting others. Stylistically it uses terse, repetitive phrasing and physical imagery (shirtsleeves, lashing out) to make the experience of internal collapse feel immediate and bodily. The song reads as a present-tense confession from someone acutely aware of their deteriorating state and desperate for connection and forgiveness.
Lyrics (full — as provided)
[Intro] I didn’t do it
(One, two) [Verse 1] I feel like garbage
I feel like
My systems are operating at twenty percent [Pre-Chorus] Or less
I’ll walk you through the numbers
I’ll show you nothing’s left
Oh-oh [Chorus] (Yeah, yeah) I’m biting down on my shirtsleeve
(Yeah, yeah) I’ll lash out if you’re in arm’s reach
(Yeah, yeah) I’m so lost, like, what is happening?
Like, like
I feel like garbage [Post-Chorus] Ooh, yeah [Verse 2] I can’t decide if
I could feel more or I just knew less
When I was younger
Bright-eyed with wonder
Do you know which name it’s under? (Oh-oh-oh) [Pre-Chorus] Or less
I’ll walk you through the numbers
I’ll show you nothing’s left
Oh-oh [Chorus] (Yeah, yeah) I’m biting down on my shirtsleeve
(Yeah, yeah) I’ll lash out if you’re in arm’s reach
(Yeah, yeah) I’m so lost, like, what is happening?
Like, what is happening? [Bridge] Would you move closer if I grew quieter?
Maybe this is you
Maybe you don’t fix and you like it like this [Chorus] I feel like garbage (Yeah)
I feel like garbage
I feel like (Yeah)
Like [Outro] I’ll lash out, lash out, lash out (Hey)
I’m biting down on my shirtsleeve
Like, I’ll lash out, lash out, lash out
Don’t give up on me
Don’t give up on me
No, no, no, please, please, please
Block-quoted important lines
“I feel like garbage” — core refrain of self-judgment.
“My systems are operating at twenty percent” — physical/metaphorical depletion.
“I’m biting down on my shirtsleeve / I’ll lash out if you’re in arm’s reach” — bodily containment vs threat of harm.
“Don’t give up on me” — plea for forgiveness and persistence of care.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
Intro — “I didn’t do it (One, two)”
Sets a defensive opening tone: denial/blame and then a counted-in, like a confession about to begin.
Verse 1 — “I feel like garbage… My systems are operating at twenty percent”
Plain declaration of self-loathing and exhaustion; “systems” suggests mind/body functioning—low energy, cognitive depletion.
Pre-Chorus — “Or less / I’ll walk you through the numbers / I’ll show you nothing’s left”
Tyler offers metrics (numbers) to quantify decline — emphasizing objective proof of collapse; “nothing’s left” signals emptiness.
Chorus — physical images
- “Biting down on my shirtsleeve” — self-soothing or self-punishment (keeping from speaking or from acting out).
- “I’ll lash out if you’re in arm’s reach” — fear of hurting loved ones; anger as reflex.
- “I’m so lost… I feel like garbage” — confusion + persistent shame.
Verse 2 — childhood comparison
Contrasts current numbness with youthful wonder; questions whether emotional dampening is loss of feeling or loss of knowledge (less feeling vs less knowing how to feel).
Pre-Chorus (repeat) — reiterates depletion; reinforces inevitability.
Bridge — “Would you move closer if I grew quieter? / Maybe this is you / Maybe you don’t fix and you like it like this”
Explores relational dynamics: is the partner willing to approach vulnerability? Or is the partner complacent, preferring brokenness? Suggests complicated blame and fear of abandonment.
Chorus / Outro — escalating plea
Repetition intensifies: physical containment vs explosive risk. Final lines “Don’t give up on me” shift from self-judgment to urgent appeal — the speaker asks for patience and continued presence.
Side-by-side annotated lyric sheet
| Lyric | Meaning (+emoji) |
|---|---|
| I feel like garbage | Deep self-loathing; low self-worth. 🗑️😞 |
| My systems are operating at twenty percent | Cognitive/energetic depletion; burnout. ⚙️🔋⬇️ |
| I’ll walk you through the numbers | Trying to prove collapse objectively. 📊🩺 |
| I’m biting down on my shirtsleeve | Self-soothing or stifled anger. 🧥🦷 |
| I’ll lash out if you’re in arm’s reach | Fear of harming those close to you. ✋💥 |
| I’m so lost, like, what is happening? | Confusion and disorientation. ❓🌪️ |
| Bright-eyed with wonder (when I was younger) | Contrast to past openness/innocence. 🌟👦 |
| Would you move closer if I grew quieter? | Testing partner’s willingness to meet vulnerability. 🤝🔇 |
| Maybe you don’t fix and you like it like this | Suspecting the other prefers status quo. 🪛❌ |
| Don’t give up on me | Plea for continued support/forgiveness. 🙏🤞 |
Song Details (table)
| Field | Info |
|---|---|
| Artist | twenty one pilots |
| Title | “Garbage” |
| Language | English |
| Tone | Confessional, vulnerable, anxious |
| Primary imagery | Bodily containment (shirtsleeve), depletion (“twenty percent”), lashing out |
| Central focus | Self-loathing, fear of hurting others, plea for persistence |
Theme — central ideas
- Self-degradation & exhaustion — repeated “I feel like garbage” makes self-hatred the emotional center.
- Fear of hurting loved ones — physical metaphors show the narrator restraining dangerous impulses.
- Numbness vs. memory of wonder — juxtaposition between present emptiness and past openness.
- Relational testing — bridge questions whether others will approach or withdraw.
- Desire for redemption — final plea reveals hope beneath despair.
Meaning — overall interpretation
“Garbage” is a candid examination of a mind under strain: the narrator is aware of how depleted and dangerous they feel and oscillates between self-blame, fear of outward harm, and an urgent request that others remain. The physical metaphors (biting sleeve, lashing out) make emotional states tangible and warn that without support, relational damage is likely. Ultimately the song asks to be held through a period of dysfunction rather than abandoned for it.
FAQs (brief, practical)
Q: Is “feeling like garbage” clinical depression?
A: The lyrics describe symptoms common in depression/anxiety (low energy, shame, irritability), but they are artistic portrayal — not a clinical diagnosis.
Q: Why the shirtsleeve image?
A: It’s a compact physical gesture: suppressing speech/teeth, self-restraint, and hiding—symbolic of containment and self-punishment.
Q: Is the narrator dangerous?
A: The song expresses fear of lashing out; it’s more about anxiety and impulse control than explicit violent intent. If someone expresses similar feelings in real life, encourage professional help.
Q: Who is the “you” addressed?
A: Likely a partner, friend, or listener — someone whose presence matters and whose choice to stay or leave is consequential.
Q: How does this fit twenty one pilots’ work?
A: It continues their focus on inner struggle, mental health, and the tension between performance and private pain.
Conclusion (summary + emojis)
“Garbage” compresses shame, exhaustion, and fear of hurting others into short, visceral images. It moves from confession (“I feel like garbage”) to quantified depletion (“twenty percent”), to a physical struggle to contain impulses, and ends with a raw plea: don’t give up on me. The track’s power lies in its bluntness and the way bodily metaphors make mental breakdown feel immediate and urgent. 🗑️🧥⚠️🙏
