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.
Boots
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold
When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There's nowhere we can hide
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
At the curtain's call
It's the last of all
When the lights fade out
All the sinners crawl
So they dug your grave
And the masquerade
Will come calling out
At the mess you made
Don't wanna let you down
But I am hell bound
Though this is all for you
Don't wanna hide the truth
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
They say it's what you make
I say it's up to fate
It's woven in my soul
I need to let you go
Your eyes, they shine so bright
I wanna save that light
I can't escape this now
Unless you show me how
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
The song 'Boots' by Imagine Dragons portrays the idea of internal conflict and the different ways we deal with it. The first verse describes a world where nothing is going right, where dreams are failing and what we once thought was good becomes the worst. The chorus, "no matter what we breed, we still are made of greed, this is my kingdom come," is a reflection on human nature and the innate selfishness we all possess. The line "When your dreams all fail and the ones we hail are the worst of all" seems to suggest that those who we thought were our heroes or inspirations can sometimes let us down and cause our downfall.
The second verse shifts the focus to hiding the truth, but realizing that it's impossible because of the "beast inside" that cannot be contained. The bridge, "They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate, it's woven in my soul, I need to let you go," speaks to the idea that we create our own reality, but sometimes we need help or guidance from others to get there. In the end, the singer realizes that they cannot escape their demons alone and need the light and guidance of someone else to help them through it.
Overall, 'Boots' is a powerful ballad about the personal struggles we all face and the need for support and guidance in order to overcome them. It acknowledges the darkness within ourselves, but also the hope and light that can be found in others.
Line by Line Meaning
When the days are cold
During times of difficulty and hardship
And the cards all fold
When everything seems to be falling apart
And the saints we see
The people we look up to
Are all made of gold
Are not as perfect as they appear
When your dreams all fail
When our deepest desires and aspirations do not come to fruition
And the ones we hail
The ones we admire and praise
Are the worst of all
Are often the most flawed
And the blood's run stale
When the passion and energy has drained out of a situation
I wanna hide the truth
I want to keep the reality of a difficult situation hidden
I wanna shelter you
I want to protect those close to me from hardship
But with the beast inside
However, the dark parts of myself
There's nowhere we can hide
Cannot be hidden from others
No matter what we breed
Regardless of our potential
We still are made of greed
Our innate desire for more and better
This is my kingdom come
This is what I have control over
When you feel my heat
When you experience my intensity
Look into my eyes
See my true self
It's where my demons hide
Where my darkest thoughts and feelings reside
Don't get too close
Be wary of approaching me too closely
It's dark inside
My inner self can be frightening and intense
At the curtain's call
When it all comes to an end
It's the last of all
The end of everything
When the lights fade out
When everything fades away
All the sinners crawl
Everyone is reduced to their lowest point
So they dug your grave
You will face the consequences for your actions
And the masquerade
The facade that was put on to hide the truth
Will come calling out
Will be exposed for what it really is
At the mess you made
The consequences of your actions
Don't wanna let you down
I don't want to disappoint you
But I am hell bound
I am going down a negative path
Though this is all for you
I am doing this for your sake
Don't wanna hide the truth
I do not want to keep the reality of the situation hidden
They say it's what you make
It is often believed that we have control over our circumstances
I say it's up to fate
However, I believe that much of life is predetermined
It's woven in my soul
My beliefs and personality are deeply ingrained and unchangeable
I need to let you go
I need to release my hold on you
Your eyes, they shine so bright
I see so much potential and positivity in you
I wanna save that light
I want to protect and preserve your positivity
I can't escape this now
However, I feel trapped in my current situation
Unless you show me how
I need guidance and support to move forward
Contributed by Blake L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pera_king3720
Lyrics in portuguese
Letra em português
Imagine Dragons - Boots
[Verso 1]
Sempre tenha cuidado, nunca se sinta bem
Como é o J-U-G-A-M-E-N-T-O?
Beijo, luzes, fazer notícia
Seus lugares abertos, rosa das perguntas
Pare de tentar, seu vagabundo
O que você vê é o que você ganha
Pare de tentar ser outra pessoa
[Refrão]
Então venha botas, oh, me leve pra casa
Onde papai trabalha e mamãe costura
Só quero viver minha vida, não quero ouvir nada
Oh, eu conecto meus ouvidos e vivo o sonho (yeah)
[Verso 2]
Espere, explique, você está zipando (wtf)
Não deixe isso tão fácil
O que você quis dizer?
Sempre tenha cuidado, nunca se sinta bem
Como é o J-U-G-A-M-E-N-T-O?
Beijo, luzes, fazer notícia
Seus lugares abertos, rosa das perguntas
Pare de tentar, seu vagabundo
O que você vê é o que você ganha
Pare de tentar ser outra pessoa
[Refrão]
Então venha botas, oh, me leve pra casa
Onde papai trabalha e mamãe costura
Só quero viver minha vida, não quero ouvir nada (Ya-hoo)
Oh, eu conecto meus ouvidos e vivo o sonho
[Ponte]
Ah Eu não quero ver seu rosto nesta cidade quebrada
(Eu não quero ver seu rosto nessa cidade quebrada)
Eu estou correndo para o Sul para enterrar minha cabeça no chão
(Correndo para o Sul para enterrar minha cabeça no chão)
Ah, Eu não preciso de dinheiro e não preciso de você
Mas se você se aproximar eu tenho que pensar em você casa
[Final]
Botas, oh me leve pra casa
Onde papai trabalha e mamãe costura
Só quero viver minha vida (quero viver minha vida)
Não quero ouvir nada
Ah, eu conecto meus ouvidos e vivo o sonho
@GabrielAlves-ju7xc
Botas
Sempre tenha cuidado
Nunca se sinta bem
Como é o julgamento
Beijo, luzes, grande notícia
É lugares abertos
Pergunta aumentou
Pare de tentar
Você está aí, vamos lá
O que você vê é o que você recebe
Pare de tentar ser outra pessoa
Então venha botas
Oh ande comigo para casa
Onde papai trabalha
E mamãe costura
Só quero viver a minha vida
Não quero ouvir uma coisa
Oh eu ligo meus ouvidos
E vivo o sonho (yeah)
Espere, explicar que você está
Não deixe que ele fora tão fácil
O que quis dizer?
Sempre tenha cuidado
Nunca se sinta bem
Como é o julgamento?
Beijo, luzes, grande notícia
É lugares abertos
Pergunta aumentou
Pare de tentar
Você está aí, vamos lá
O que você vê é o que você recebe
Pare de tentar ser outra pessoa
Então venha botas
Oh ande comigo para casa
Onde papai trabalha
E mamãe costura
Só quero viver a minha vida
Não quero ouvir uma coisa
Oh eu ligo meus ouvidos
E vivo o sonho (yeah)
Oh, eu não quero ver
Seu rosto nesta cidade quebrada
(Oh, eu não quero ver a sua cara nesta cidade quebrada)
Eu estou correndo para baixo do Sul
Para enterrar minha cabeça no chão
(Correndo para baixo do Sul, enterrar a cabeça no chão)
Ah, eu não preciso de dinheiro
E eu não preciso de você
Mas se você vem, eu tenho que pensar em você para casa
Botas
Oh ande comigo para casa
Onde papai trabalha
E mamãe costura
Só quero viver a minha vida (Só quero viver a minha vida!)
Não quero ouvir uma coisa
Oh eu ligo meus ouvidos
E vivo o sonho (yeah)
@sunivapaudel3797
I'm going back to my Boots!!
@SW1TCHBLXDE
LMAO
@shayliandrievsky3475
XD
@carletonclements4931
Good one.
@GabrielAlves-ju7xc
LMAO
@GabrielAlves-ju7xc
LMAO
@theogillan5510
When you are trying to type an essay and then this song comes on so you just laugh at your desk for the next few mins
@explainus3207
so quirky
@kenna4238
that literally just happened tho
@asgerradmerjensen9190
Explainus 😳😳