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.
Monsters
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything inside of me
Just wanted to fit in (oh, oh, oh, oh)
I was never one for pretenders
Everything I tried to be
Just wouldn't settle in (oh, oh, oh, oh)
If I told you what I was
And if I seem dangerous
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
If this problem lies in me
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
A monster, a monster
I've turned into a monster
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger
Can I clear my conscience
If I'm different from the rest
Do I have to run and hide? (Oh, oh, oh, oh)
I never said that I want this
This burden came to me
And it's made it's home inside (oh, oh, oh, oh)
If I told you what I was
Would you turn your back on me?
And if I seem dangerous
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
If this problem lies in me
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
A monster, a monster
I've turned into a monster
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
A monster, a monster
I've turned into a monster
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger
"Monsters" by Imagine Dragons is a song that speaks to the fear of being rejected or ostracized for being different. The song starts with the singer admitting that he has always felt like an outsider and has struggled to fit in with the rest of society. He feels like a pretender, and nothing he tries ever seems to work.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, as it speaks to the fear the singer has of being judged for his differences. He wonders whether telling people the truth about who he is will result in them turning their backs on him, and whether his differences will make him seem dangerous in the eyes of others.
However, the song also speaks to the singer's willingness to stand up for himself and fight against the darkness within him. He recognizes that he has turned into a monster, but he's not willing to let that define him. He's taking a stand to escape what's inside him and hopes to clear his conscience and find acceptance for who he truly is.
Overall, "Monsters" is a beautifully written song about the fear of being rejected for being different, but also the courage it takes to stand up for oneself and fight against the darkness within.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since I could remember
Since as far back as I can remember
Everything inside of me
All the feelings I have inside
Just wanted to fit in (oh oh oh oh)
All I wanted was to be accepted by others
I was never one for pretenders
I never pretended to be someone I'm not
Everything I tried to be
No matter what I did or tried to do
Just wouldn't settle in (oh oh oh oh)
I never felt a sense of belonging
If I told you what I was
If I shared my true self with you
Would you turn your back on me?
Would you reject or abandon me?
And if I seem dangerous
And if I appear to be a threat
Would you be scared?
Would you be afraid of me?
I get the feeling just because
I have a hunch that
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
Nothing I do seems to be bad or evil enough
If this problem lies in me
If the issue is with me personally
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I am just a person with a small light to help me find my way
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
I am trying to fight against the negative parts of myself
A monster, a monster
I have become a frightening and harmful creature
I've turned into a monster
I have transformed into something unpleasant
And it keeps getting stronger
And this change is growing more intense
Can I clear my conscience,
Is it possible for me to feel free of guilt
If I'm different from the rest
Even though I do not fit in with others
Do I have to run and hide? (oh oh oh oh)
Must I flee or conceal myself?
I never said that I want this
I did not choose to have these negative traits
This burden came to me
This problem was brought upon me
And it's made it's home inside (oh oh oh oh)
And it has taken up residence within me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander Junior Grant, Daniel Coulter Reynolds, Daniel Wayne Sermon, Joshua Francis Mosser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juancamacho5746
Ever since I could remember
Everything inside of me
Just wanted to fit in (oh, oh, oh, oh)
I was never one for pretenders
Everything I tried to be
Just wouldn't settle in (oh, oh, oh, oh)
If I told you what I was
Would you turn your back on me?
And if I seem dangerous
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
If this problem lies in me
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
A monster, a monster
I've turned into a monster
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger
Can I clear my conscience
If I'm different from the rest
Do I have to run and hide? (Oh, oh, oh, oh)
I never said that I want this
This burden came to me
And it's made it's home inside (oh, oh, oh, oh)
If I told you what I was
Would you turn your back on me?
And if I seem dangerous
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
If this problem lies in me
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me
A monster, a monster
I've turned into a monster
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger
@kod35za
Does anyone else feel great nostalgia listening to old Imagine Dragons' songs?
@jhurtado516
This song is not old
@shumad431
Classic Tune me \(•▪•)/
@benneely5512
This song dose
@koata8287
Me.
@sirdovahkiin7548
The name is perfect for this person
@thegamingkiller6985
You know, sometimes I feel this way. Imagine Dragons your music helped me express my emotions and got me through some dark times. Thanks Imagine Dragons. Thank you for your music.
@saadfreakinadhia6239
Great to see a fellow fan who’s been inspired by these guys. They’ve touched my heart too and have helped me on countless occasions.
@thegamingkiller6985
@Saad Freakin’ Adhia That's very nice!
@hudakahn6252
same guys