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.
Leave Me
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got nothing to hide, oh, no
I'll beat around the bush
I've got nothing but time, oh, no, oh, no
You've got me holding on to nothing
But nothing is all I've got
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
I give up, I give up!
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
So this is what it feels like
I'll give you the last word
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
And this is the town, this is the place
If you are the one to give disgrace a name
So be it
You've got me holding on to nothing
But nothing is all I've got
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
You've got a tendency to bring a man down
I give up, I give up!
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
You've got a tendency to bring a man down
I give up, I give up!
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
I'll take my car, I'll take my house
I never liked that beated motor mouth
And it only looks so worn out then
Just like a stranger in the candlelight
Take, take, take, take, take it all
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
You've got a tendency to bring a man down
I give up, I give up!
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
You've got a tendency to bring a man down
I give up, I give up!
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
Leave me now
Leave me now
"Leave Me" is a song by Imagine Dragons that talks about a person who wants to be left alone because they don't have anything to show or offer. The song has a slower and more melancholic tone that captures the feeling of being trapped and hopeless. Lead singer Dan Reynolds sings about how the other person always brings them down and ultimately the frustration reaches the point where the singer is willing to let go of everything and be left alone. The second verse talks about the singer leaving behind their possessions and their past as they look for a new beginning. The song's title is a clear indication that the person wants to be left alone.
The lyrics in "Leave Me" are open to interpretation, but some speculate that it's about Dan Reynolds' personal struggles with depression and anxiety. The song describes the feeling of wanting to isolate oneself because they feel like a burden to others. It also talks about the frustration of never being enough and dealing with rejection.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look inside
I have no secrets, you can see who I truly am
I've got nothing to hide, oh, no
I'm an open book, nothing is hidden from you
I'll beat around the bush
I won't be direct, I'll be evasive
I've got nothing but time, oh, no, oh, no
I have plenty of time and nothing else
You've got me holding on to nothing
You are the reason I'm still trying, despite having nothing left
But nothing is all I've got
I have nothing to give, not even to myself
Leave me, leave me, I'm shut it all down
I want to be left alone, I'm shutting everything out
You've got a tendency to bring a man down
You bring me down with your words and actions
I give up, I give up!
I surrender, I can't keep going
You've got to get a gun to make a woman run
You need to use force to scare me away
So this is what it feels like
This situation is new and unexpected
I'll give you the last word
You can have the final say
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Everything's okay, even if it doesn't feel like it
And this is the town, this is the place
This is where I'm stuck, and I can't escape
If you are the one to give disgrace a name
You are the one who causes shame and humiliation
So be it
I accept the situation for what it is
I'll take my car, I'll take my house
I'll leave everything behind and start anew
I never liked that beated motor mouth
I never liked being stuck in one place, unable to move
And it only looks so worn out then
Things can appear old and used, but still have value
Just like a stranger in the candlelight
Things can look different in a dim light, even unfamiliar
Take, take, take, take, take it all
You can have everything, I have nothing left to give
Leave me now
Go away and don't come back
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENJAMIN ARTHUR MCKEE, DANIEL COULTER REYNOLDS, DANIEL WAYNE SERMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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