Downstairs

About this song

The song was a demo that fans knew as "Korea" for fourteen years, living only on drummer Josh Dun's laptop before being reworked for the album Breach. Tyler Joseph said Dun asked whether they could finish it, and that he had changed since writing it but came to see it as an awesome song. It is similar to some of the band's earlier work on Regional at Best.

What it's about

The song uses the metaphor of a downstairs cellar where the speaker hides his beliefs and emotions from others and possibly himself. Its religious imagery, including words like "unholy" and "mercy," paints a picture of the shame felt from withdrawing from one's religion.

Summary written with AI, based on the song's page on Genius.

Fun facts

• Covered once, including “Downstairs by onthespot_music”.
• Written by Tyler Joseph.
• Produced by Paul Meany and Tyler Joseph.