Twenty One Pilots fans are a specialized breed. They’re used to darkness, metaphorical basements, and Tyler Joseph’s lyrical battles with personified depression. So, when the lead single "Saturday" dropped in May 2021, a good chunk of the Clique had a collective "wait, what?" moment. It felt too bright. It sounded like something you’d hear at a grocery store or a beach party. But if you actually look at the context of Scaled and Icy, "Saturday" is probably one of the most calculated, slightly terrifying songs the duo has ever released. It’s not just a weekend anthem.
It’s a coping mechanism disguised as a radio hit.
Tyler Joseph wrote this during the 2020 lockdowns. Remember that feeling? Every day bled into the next. Time didn't just slow down; it dissolved. In the song, he literally sings about losing track of time, needing his wife, Jenna, to remind him what day it is. "Lose my sense a time or two / Weeks feel like days," he admits. It’s relatable, sure, but in the lore of the band, this upbeat pop sound is actually a front.
The Propagandist Pop of Scaled and Icy
To understand why "Saturday" sounds the way it does, you have to look at the album title. Scaled and Icy is an anagram for "Clancy is Dead." For the uninitiated, Clancy is the protagonist of the band’s multi-album conceptual narrative. The theory—which is basically confirmed by the "Choker" and "Saturday" music videos—is that the colorful, poppy sound of this era was forced.
The bishops of Dema (the bad guys in the T0P universe) basically hijacked the band's creative process to produce "propaganda" music.
They wanted something digestible. Something that keeps the citizens of Dema distracted from their own misery. "Saturday" is the peak of that distraction. It’s catchy as hell because it’s supposed to be. Paul Meany, who co-produced the track with Tyler, polished it to a mirror shine. It has that funky, Nile Rodgers-esque guitar riff and a beat that makes you want to move, but the lyrics are quietly desperate.
Think about the bridge. It’s a literal phone call between Tyler and Jenna.
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"I just want to know if you're coming to the show tonight?"
"I'm not sure if I can make it."
That’s a real moment. It grounds the song in reality while the music tries to float away into pure pop escapism. It’s a tug-of-war.
Breaking Down the Production
Sonically, "Saturday" is a departure from the grit of Trench. Josh Dun’s drumming is tight and rhythmic, leaning more into disco-pop than the rock-heavy syncopation of their previous work. The bassline carries the whole track. Honestly, it’s one of the best basslines Tyler has ever written. It’s bouncy. It’s infectious.
But it’s also short. The song clocks in at just under three minutes. That’s the modern streaming formula, but for a band that usually builds sprawling, five-minute epic tracks like "Bandito," the brevity of "Saturday" feels intentional. It’s a sugar rush. It gives you the high and then leaves you wanting more, which is exactly how propaganda works.
That Music Video and the Shipwreck
If you still think "Saturday" is just a happy song, watch the music video directed by Andrew Donoho. It starts as a literal party on a submarine. Everyone is dancing. Tyler and Josh are performing. It’s the ultimate "Saturday" vibe.
Then the sea monster shows up.
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The Trash the Dragon creature—another symbol of the Scaled and Icy era—smashes through the hull. The party turns into a survival situation. This is where the mask slips. The upbeat music continues even as the submarine is flooding and people are panicking. It’s a visual representation of "painting over the cracks." You can dance on a Saturday, but the weight of the world (or the depths of the ocean) is always waiting to break in.
Interestingly, the submarine in the video is called the The Scaled and Icy. Submarines are inherently claustrophobic. They are pressurized environments. That's exactly what the lockdown felt like for Tyler. He was stuck in his home studio, trying to create something that felt "outside" while he was very much "inside."
Why the Backlash Missed the Point
A lot of long-term fans felt betrayed by the "mainstream" sound. They wanted Trench 2.0. They wanted more brooding tracks like "Jumpsuit." But Twenty One Pilots has always been about subverting expectations. If they had released another dark, moody album during a global pandemic, it would have been predictable.
By releasing "Saturday," they did something much weirder.
They made a song about the fear of losing your creative spark by making a song that sounded like it had no spark. It’s meta. It’s layered. It’s basically Tyler Joseph saying, "I’m tired, I’m stuck at home, and I’m going to write a disco song because if I don’t, I might lose my mind."
Real-World Impact and Legacy
Despite the initial hesitation from the hardcore "Lore-heads," the song performed exceptionally well. It hit No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart. It became a staple of their live shows, often transitioned into with a massive burst of energy and confetti.
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In a live setting, the "forced" nature of the song disappears. It becomes a genuine moment of connection. When thousands of people scream "Paint the town!" it doesn't feel like propaganda anymore. It feels like a release. That’s the magic of this band; they can take a concept that is technically "fake" (the Dema propaganda) and turn it into something that feels 100% real to the audience.
How to Listen to Saturday Properly
If you want to get the most out of this track, don't just put it on a summer playlist and forget about it.
- Listen for the phone call. That bridge is the heart of the song. It’s the only part where Tyler sounds like himself, rather than the "performer" the bishops want him to be.
- Watch the live versions. Specifically, look for the Scaled and Icy livestream version. The production value was insane, and it really drives home the "captured" narrative.
- Connect it to the rest of the album. Listen to "Good Day" immediately before "Saturday." Both songs use cheerful melodies to mask deep-seated anxiety. It’s a theme.
- Appreciate the simplicity. Sometimes, a song doesn't need to be a 10-minute odyssey about mental health. Sometimes, acknowledging that you don't know what day it is is enough.
Twenty One Pilots proved with "Saturday" that they could play the pop game better than almost anyone else, all while leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for the fans who knew where to look. It’s a song about the mundane struggle of keeping your head above water. It’s about the importance of having someone—like Jenna—to pull you back to reality when the days start to blur.
Next time it pops up on your shuffle, don't just skip it because it’s "too poppy." Listen to the desperation behind the beat. It’s there. It’s always there with Tyler and Josh. That’s what makes them one of the most interesting acts in music right now. They can make you dance to your own existential dread and make you thank them for it.
Go back and listen to the transition from "Saturday" into "Never Take It" on the album. The shift from the pop-centric weekend vibe to the more aggressive, guitar-heavy defiance of the next track tells the real story of Scaled and Icy. It’s not an album of surrender; it’s an album of survival. "Saturday" was just the colorful bait on the hook.