The band's single "It's Time", which previously appeared on the "It's Time" and "Continued Silence" EPs in addition to appearing on "Night Visions", is the group's biggest hit, reaching #33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In a dark kitchen in the middle of a sweaty night in Las Vegas, all 6’4” of Dan Reynolds is hunched over a laptop, slapping beats on the table and crooning lyrics into a tiny microphone. Before long, he and the other three members of indie rock band Imagine Dragons would be playing “It’s Time,” that same laptop-demo-turned-supersized-anthem, from the roof of a parking garage to a wave of thousands of screaming fans. This song title to the single from their 2012 debut KidInaKorner/Interscope release “Continued Silence EP” is an all too apt descriptor of the band’s hard-earned success—but it’s also emblematic of the deep-seated anxiety Reynolds and the rest of the band experienced leaving behind any realistic expectation of a normal job to do the thing they love most.
A third-generation Las Vegas native, Reynolds is no stranger to the adage “the house always wins,” choosing to pave his musical career with a near obsessive work ethic and hundreds of unused demos rather than roll the dice with the first songs that sprung from his mouth. It’s no surprise, then, that he was drawn to guitarist Wayne Sermon, another founding member of Imagine Dragons. Having practically grown up in a recording studio and graduated Berklee College of Music, Wayne had been practicing his guitar through meals and other socially inappropriate situations as long as he could remember; he challenged Dan in a way that was both uncomfortable and exactly what they both needed. When they began writing songs together and recognized something special was happening, Wayne called up his Berklee friend Ben McKee, who promptly dropped out of school with only a few credits left, moving across the country to play bass for the band. This sort of reckless/genius behavior is typical for Ben, who has an uncanny penchant for spicy food and a suitcase full of unbelievable road stories. More recently, the band was joined by drummer Daniel Platzman, another Bostonian schoolmate who seems way too nice to be playing rock and roll until you actually see him in action.
Several tours and three self-released EPs later, Imagine Dragons had made a serious name for itself, particularly in the west coast circuit. Although their songs vary from nearly whimsical and light to brooding and powerful, listeners are drawn to the inherent honesty in the music. The only rule of thumb for the band, it seems, is to write from a true place; the result is songs that literally run the spectrum of human emotion. Attend a concert, and it becomes clear that the live performance of deeply personal songs has a real effect on people. And the band itself is not immune, as demonstrated when Dan literally passed out into the drum set during a finale song, sending cymbals and drum stands crashing while the rest of the band played on until the close.
Great songwriting is bound to be noticed eventually. As proof that the harder you work, the luckier you get, one of those people who noticed was Grammy winning producer Alex da Kid (Eminem, Rihanna). Alex and Dan began collaborating on projects, and soon the band had developed a relationship with Alex and his team. The alchemy resulting from Alex’s hip hop sensibilities and Imagine Dragons’ anthemic rock is nothing short of explosive. The byproduct of this creative collision is “Continued Silence,” a six song in-your-face sonic grenade that breaks musical boundaries and yet is strangely relatable by its improbably diverse audience.
Despite it all, on any given day when they aren’t on the road playing shows, you can still find Imagine Dragons huddled away in a rehearsal room somewhere, banging out song after song in search of the next perfect track. Like most things in Vegas, the band is angled at going big or going bust. For the sake of those who love great music, we hope it’s the former.
Bad Liar – Stripped
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And terrors don't prey on innocent victims
Trust me, darlin′, trust me, darlin'
It's been a loveless year
I′m a man of three fears
Integrity, faith and crocodile tears
Trust me, darlin′, trust me, darlin'
Perfect paradise, tearin′ at the seams
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I′m a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you′re free to go...
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?
Oh, I've been askin' for
Oh, I′ve been askin′ for problems, problems, problems
I wage my war, on the world inside
I take my gun to the enemy's side
Oh, I′ve been askin' for
Oh, I′ve been askin' for problems, problems, problems
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Perfect paradise, tearin′ at the seams
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
I′m a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you′re free to go...
I can't be, I can′t be, I can't be what you want me to be
Believe me, this one time
Believe me
I′m a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you′re free to go...
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Please believe me
Please believe me
The lyrics to "Bad Liar" by Imagine Dragons touch on themes of trust issues, flawed communication, and the constant struggle to express the truth in a world that often rewards deception. The singer admits that they have a difficult time conveying what's really going on, that they've been "askin' for problems." They're struggling to express their feelings and be what others want them to be, but they know that they're a "bad liar" and can't keep up the facade indefinitely. It's been a loveless year for them, and they fear being vulnerable - the three fears they mention are integrity, faith, and crocodile tears.
The chorus makes heavy usage of repetition, with the singer admitting that they are a "bad liar, bad liar," and that "now you know, now you know." They're urging their partner to trust them, but they also know that they can't keep up the act forever. At its core, this is a song about the need for honesty in relationships, and the struggle to be vulnerable with others. The singer knows that they've made mistakes, that their communication style is flawed, and that they need to do better - but they're still struggling to break through their fears and be honest with those around them.
* "Bad Liar" was released as a single by Imagine Dragons on November 6, 2018. It was later included on their fourth album, "Origins," which was released on November 9, 2018.
* The song was written by Imagine Dragons' lead singer Dan Reynolds, along with producers Jorgen Odegard and Mattman & Robin.
* The chorus of "Bad Liar" interpolates the melody and rhythm of the song "Boadicea" by Irish musician Enya.
* In the music video for "Bad Liar," Dan Reynolds is depicted playing chess with himself, while a woman plays a game of chess in a separate room. The two eventually come together and switch places, suggesting that they are meant to be together.
* "Bad Liar" was a commercial success, peaking at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached the top 20 in several other countries, including Australia, Canada, and France.
* The song has been described as a departure from some of Imagine Dragons' earlier work, with more intricate production and a subdued, introspective tone.
* Despite being a single, "Bad Liar" was never performed live by Imagine Dragons on their corresponding tour.
* The stripped version of "Bad Liar" removes the electronic beats and synthesizers of the original track, instead focusing on acoustic guitar and piano.
* In an interview with Rolling Stone, Dan Reynolds revealed that "Bad Liar" was originally inspired by his experiences with his own mental health struggles.
* The stripped version of "Bad Liar" was used in the trailer for the 2019 film "After," based on the young adult romance novel of the same name by Anna Todd.
Chords:
E - 022100
B - x24442
C#m - x46654
A - x02220
F#m - 244222
G#m - 466444
D - xx0232.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, hush, my dear, it′s been a difficult year
It's been a tough year, so please be quiet and let me rest
And terrors don't prey on innocent victims
Bad things happen to everyone, not just innocent people
Trust me, darlin′, trust me, darlin'
I want you to trust me, my dear
It's been a loveless year
This year has been devoid of love for me
I′m a man of three fears
I'm scared of three things: integrity, faith, and fake tears
Integrity, faith and crocodile tears
I value honesty, trust, and emotion that's not genuine
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Please look at me and tell me what you perceive
Perfect paradise, tearin′ at the seams
My ideal life is falling apart
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
I want to leave this situation, I don't want to pretend
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
I want to remove this stress and make you believe in me again
But I′m a bad liar, bad liar
I'm not good at pretending, I'm a terrible liar
Now you know, now you know
I've revealed this truth to you
I'm a bad liar, bad liar
I can't hide things, I'm not skilled in lying
Now you know, you′re free to go...
Now that you know the truth, you can leave me
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
Are all my aspirations for nothing?
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?
Is true happiness found in material objects?
Oh, I've been askin' for
I've been requesting it
Oh, I′ve been askin′ for problems, problems, problems
I've been inviting problems into my life
I wage my war, on the world inside
I'm fighting a battle within myself
I take my gun to the enemy's side
I'm fighting against myself
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Please look at me and tell me what you perceive
Perfect paradise, tearin′ at the seams
My ideal life is falling apart
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
I want to leave this situation, I don't want to pretend
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
I want to remove this stress and make you believe in me again
But I'm a bad liar, bad liar
I'm not good at pretending, I'm a terrible liar
Now you know, now you know
I've revealed this truth to you
I′m a bad liar, bad liar
I can't hide things, I'm not skilled in lying
Now you know, you′re free to go...
Now that you know the truth, you can leave me
I can't be, I can′t be, I can't be what you want me to be
I can't fulfill your expectations of me
Believe me, this one time
Believe me just this once
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Vocalizations
Please believe me
Please trust me
Writer(s): Jorgen Michael Odegard, Wayne Sermon, Benjamin Mckee, Daniel Reynolds, Daniel Platzman, Aja R. Volkman
Contributed by Isabelle J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@saurabhkannaujia1031
Oh, hush, my dear, it's been a difficult year
And terrors don’t prey on innocent victims
Trust me, darlin', trust me darlin'
It’s been a loveless year
I'm a man of three fears
Integrity, faith and crocodile tears
Trust me, darlin', trust me, darlin'
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams
I wish I could escape, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you’re free to go
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?
Oh, I’ve been askin' for
Oh, I’ve been askin' for problems, problems, problems
I wage my war, on the world inside
I take my gun to the enemy's side
Oh, I've been askin’ for (trust me, darlin')
Oh, I've been askin' for (trust me, darlin') problems, problems, problems
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams
I wish I could escape, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you're free to go
I can't breathe, I can't be
I can't be what you want me to be
Believe me, this one time
Believe me
I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, now you know
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar
Now you know, you're free to go
Oh
Please believe me
Please believe me
@shia8242
I was gonna go to sleep but man, priorities. This band's amazing.
@x1ao.395
Yeah!! THEIR THE BEST!!!
@shia8242
@@x1ao.395 IKR?!! Music industry's good as long as it's in ID's hands.
@Albestion
Yeah
@nucleus5044
This one actually helps me sleep.
@victorhugokiffermattos9678
My fronte man up up
@donttouchmyfries4055
His voice is so uplifting and inspiring. I didn’t think this was possible but I love Imagine Dragons even more now!!
@thestoryteller4319
Please don't say God as an expression
@johnnyguzman2519
saike freedom of speech...everyone has the right to say anything 1st amendment
@KakashiHatake-cp4bh
me..too