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.
I'm So Sorry
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No sign the roaring thunder stopped in cold to read
No time
Get mine and make no excuses waste of precious breath
No time
The sun shines on everyone, everyone love yourself to death
So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go
You'll never be loved till you've made your own
You gotta face up, you gotta get yours
You never know the top till you get too low
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
No lies and no deceiving, that is what he loves
I keep tryin' to conceive that death is from above
No time
I get by and make no excuses waste of precious breath
No time
The sun shines on everyone, everyone love yourself to death
So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go
You'll never be loved till you've made your own
You gotta face up, you gotta get yours
You never know the top till you get too low
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
Life isn't always what you think it'd be
Turn your head for one second and the tables turn
And I know, I know that I did you wrong
But will you trust me when I say that I'll
Make it up to you somehow, somehow
So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go
You'll never be loved till you've made your own
You gotta face up, you gotta get yours
You never know the top till you get too low
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
A son of a stepfather
A son of a
I'm so sorry
I'm so sorry
I'm so sorry
I'm so sorry
A son of
In "I'm So Sorry," Imagine Dragons juxtaposes themes of perseverance and self-love with feelings of regret and apology. The opening lines of the song set a tone of unapologetic self-assessment, as the singer acknowledges that it's "about time for anyone telling you off for all your deeds." There's a sense of acceptance that life isn't always what you want or expect it to be, but that doesn't excuse wasting time or making excuses. The song's chorus reinforces this idea, urging the listener to "fire up" and "get yours," to make a way in the world.
The second half of "I'm So Sorry" brings in feelings of regret and apology. The lyric "Life isn't always what you think it'd be, turn your head for one second and the tables turn" suggests a loss of control, a sense that things can happen unexpectedly. The singer is acknowledging that he's done wrong and trying to earn forgiveness, saying "But will you trust me when I say that I'll make it up to you somehow, somehow." Through it all, the message of self-love and self-reliance remains, with lines like "everyone love yourself to death."
Overall, "I'm So Sorry" is a song of contrasts, with themes of strength and weakness, acceptance and apology, and self-love and self-doubt. It emphasizes the importance of taking control of your life and not letting setbacks define you.
Line by Line Meaning
About time for anyone telling you off for all your deeds
It's about time someone called you out on all the things you've done wrong
No sign the roaring thunder stopped in cold to read
There are no indications that the loud noise and anger have calmed down and become understandable
No time
There is no time to waste
Get mine and make no excuses waste of precious breath
Get what's yours and don't bother making excuses that take up valuable time
The sun shines on everyone, everyone love yourself to death
Everyone deserves kindness and love, but don't forget to also take care of yourself
So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go
You need to ignite a spark within yourself and let go of anything holding you back
You'll never be loved till you've made your own
You can't expect others to love you until you first love and respect yourself
You gotta face up, you gotta get yours
You need to confront your problems and take what you deserve
You never know the top till you get too low
You won't understand true success until you've hit rock bottom
A son of a stepfather
Someone who is the son of a man who is not their biological father
I'm so sorry
Apologizing for past mistakes or wrongs done
No lies and no deceiving, that is what he loves
This person values honesty and truthfulness
I keep tryin' to conceive that death is from above
The singer is struggling to accept the idea of death coming from a higher power
Life isn't always what you think it'd be
Real life doesn't always match our expectations
Turn your head for one second and the tables turn
Things can change quickly and unexpectedly
And I know, I know that I did you wrong
The artist is aware of their past mistakes and regrets them
But will you trust me when I say that I'll
Make it up to you somehow, somehow
The artist is asking for forgiveness and promising to make amends
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benjamin Arthur Mckee, Daniel Coulter Reynolds, Daniel James Platzman, Daniel Wayne Sermon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lazy
on Believer
same
hi
on Natural
hi
Ariel Pimentel
on Radioactive
breezy music