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.
Dancing In The Dark
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You could get us in some trouble
Talking that way and
Monday you got me that's a fact
You could get me in some trouble
Talking that way and
I don't need nobody
I'll be dancing in the dark
If you ever want to join me, baby
I'll be dancing in the dark
Dancing in the
Join me
Dancing in the
Join me baby
Dancing in the
Join me baby
Most days I'm keeping to myself
Living in my little bubble
Throwing my weight and moving my body through the sea
You could come join me
Moving like the weekend
I don't need nobody
If you ever want to join me, baby
I'll be dancing in the dark
If you ever want to join me, baby
I'll be dancing in the dark
Dancing in the
Join me
Dancing in the
Join me baby
Dancing in the
Join me baby
Dancing in the
Join me baby
If you ever want to join me, baby
I'll be dancing in the dark
Dancing in the
Join me baby
If you ever want to join me baby
I'll be dancing in the dark
(Baby) Dancing in the (baby)
In "Radioactive in the Dark," Imagine Dragons and Fall Out Boy are asking their lover to join them in their escapism from reality. The song conveys a sense of danger and excitement as the chorus urges the listener to join in the thrill of the moment. The opening lines suggest that the situation is also risky, as the singer warns his lover not to use his name recklessly. He acknowledges that talking about him in a particular way could cause trouble, but the excitement is too potent to resist. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song- reckless and carefree.
The chorus is an invitation to dance with the singer. He is welcoming his lover to join him in the dance, and he doesn't need anyone but his companion. The chorus is repetitive and has a hypnotic quality, adding to the idea of escapism. The singer is living in his little bubble, and he is inviting his lover in. He is also urging his lover to move with him, mimicking the weekend's free and unrestrained lifestyle.
Overall, the song describes the thrill and the danger of escaping from reality, and the singer is inviting his lover to join him in this experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't throw my name 'round here like that
Please don't mention my name in that way, it could implicate and get us into trouble.
You could get us in some trouble
Your actions or words have the potential to cause us problems and consequences.
Talking that way and
If you continue to speak in that manner, it may lead to negative outcomes.
Monday you got me that's a fact
You have my attention and I am willing to listen to you.
I don't need nobody
I am content and happy with being alone, and do not require anyone else's company.
If you ever want to join me, baby
If you are ever interested in being with me, I am open to it.
I'll be dancing in the dark
I will be enjoying myself, expressing my freedom and living my best life.
Dancing in the
As I dance in
Join me
You are welcome to come and be with me.
Join me baby
You, specifically, are welcome to come and be with me.
Most days I'm keeping to myself
Typically, I prefer to be alone and not interact with others.
Living in my little bubble
I am content and happy with being in my own world, separate from others.
Throwing my weight and moving my body through the sea
I am exerting myself and persevering through any obstacles or challenges.
You could come join me
It is possible for you to come and be with me, if you so choose.
Moving like the weekend
I am enjoying myself and feeling free, like I do on weekends.
(Baby) Dancing in the (baby)
Enjoying myself fully and expressing my freedom, to the point where it is almost like being born again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander Junior Grant, Benjamin Arthur McKee, Daniel Coulter Reynolds, Daniel James Platzman, Daniel Wayne Sermon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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