A self-loathing, yet upbeat track, “Shots” sets a morbid, yet unusually cheerful tone for the rest of the album. The track sees light electronics, combined with the band’s trademark soulful sound with rather sad lyrics which talk of the singer’s evaluation of himself as one who is incompatible and destructive.
Shots
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, everything I've done
Am I out of touch?
Am I out of my place?
When I keep saying that I'm looking for an empty space
Oh, I'm wishing you're here
But I'm wishing you're goneI can't have you and I'm only gonna do you wrong
Oh, I'm going to mess this up
Oh, this is just my luck
Over and over and over again
I'm sorry for everything
Oh, everything I've done
From the second that I was born it seems I had a loaded gun
And then I shot, shot, shot a hole through everything I loved
Oh, I shot, shot, shot a hole through every single thing that I loved
Am I out of luck?
Am I waiting to break?
When I keep saying that I'm looking for a way to escape
Oh, I'm wishing I had what I'd taken for granted
I can't help you when I'm only gonna do you wrong
Oh, I'm going to mess this up
Oh, this is just my luck
Over and over and over again
I'm sorry for everything
Oh, everything I've done
From the second that I was born it seems I had a loaded gun
And then I shot, shot, shot a hole through everything I lovedOh, I shot, shot, shot a hole through every single thing that I loved
In the meantime we let it go
At the roadside
We used to know
We can let this drift away
Oh, we let this drift away
At the bay side
You used to show
In the moonlight
We let it go
We can let this drift away
Oh, we let this drift away
And there's always time to change your mind
Oh, there's always time to change your mind
Oh, love, can you hear me?
Oh, let it drift away
I'm sorry for everything
Oh, everything I've done
From the second that I was born it seems I had a loaded gun
And then I shot, shot, shot a hole through everything I loved
Oh, I shot, shot, shot a hole through every single thing that I loved
In the meantime we let it go
At the roadside
We used to know
We can let this drift away
Oh, we let this drift away
At the bay side
You used to show
In the moonlight
We let it go
We can let this drift away
Oh, we let this drift away
And there's always time to change your mind
Oh, there's always time to change your mind
Oh, love, can you hear me?
Oh, let it drift away
The song "Shots" by Imagine Dragons is a mournful reflection upon the singer's past actions and their impact on others. The lyrics are filled with regret and self-blame, and they convey a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. The opening lines, "I'm sorry for everything, Oh everything I've done" immediately set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer wonders if they are "out of touch" and "out of place" for seeking solitude, and admits to wishing someone was with them, even if they know they'll end up hurting them again. The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "I shot a hole through everything I loved", highlighting the singer's sense of guilt and self-destruction.
The second verse continues the theme of self-blame and regret, asking if the singer is "waiting to break", and admitting that they cannot help someone when they know they will hurt them in the end. The bridge shifts the focus to a different perspective, describing a sense of loss and nostalgia for places and people they used to know. The repeated refrain of "we let this drift away" emphasizes the transience of relationships and experiences, the inevitability of change, and the difficulty of letting go. The song ends on a slightly hopeful note, with the message that there is always time to change one's mind and distance oneself from past mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sorry for everything
I deeply regret my actions and words
Oh, everything I've done
Every mistake and failure in my life
Am I out of touch?
Am I disconnected from reality?
Am I out of my place?
Do I not belong here?
When I keep saying that I'm looking for an empty space
I'm seeking a place of solitude and inner peace
Oh, I'm wishing you're here
I long for your companionship
But I'm wishing you're gone
I know I'll only hurt you with my actions
I can't have you and I'm only gonna do you wrong
I know I'm not capable of treating you right
Oh, I'm going to mess this up
I know I'll make mistakes
Oh, this is just my luck
It's typical for things to go wrong in my life
Over and over and over again
History repeats itself
From the second that I was born it seems I had a loaded gun
I've always been prone to making mistakes
And then I shot, shot, shot a hole through everything I loved
I've caused damage to all the important things in my life
Am I out of luck?
Is my future doomed?
Am I waiting to break?
Is my mental and emotional state about to collapse?
When I keep saying that I'm looking for a way to escape
I'm searching for an exit from my problems
Oh, I'm wishing I had what I'd taken for granted
I regret not appreciating what I had
I can't help you when I'm only gonna do you wrong
I'm not a good influence and I'll only cause harm
In the meantime we let it go
For now, we'll allow things to pass
At the roadside we used to know
The place where we had memories together
We can let this drift away
We can allow this to fade away
Oh, we let this drift away
We'll allow this to fall apart
At the bayside you used to show
Where we used to spend time together
In the moonlight we let it go
The moment we chose to let it end
And there's always time to change your mind
You can always have a change of heart
Oh, love, can you hear me?
Oh love, can you understand me?
Oh, let it drift away
Let it go and forget about it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENJAMIN ARTHUR MCKEE, DANIEL COULTER REYNOLDS, DANIEL JAMES PLATZMAN, DANIEL WAYNE SERMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@KishiWulf
A lot of people seem to be reminded of anxiety, or having a bad day. To me this sounds like a destructive person who's fallen in love, but he doesn't want to love her in fear that he will hurt her in the prosses as he's done so in the past with friends, family, and maybe even past lovers. Kind of reminds me of myself actually.
@mraverage5944
KishiWolf your very insightful ( is that the right word)
@spiderbalber1161
This is the exact kind of feeling I feel with this song, a wise comment has been saidddd
@xxtherealindoraptorxx4848
This should be a poster.. so wise
@WynneL
Yeah, even more so, it sounds like someone struggling with the effects of mental illness as the cause of those destructive personality issues (which can be worked on and eventually overcome.) Similar theme to Coward, by Black Light Burns: "I will always hurt everyone I love," and then you realize that the title is him realizing that's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
@asra7538
reminds me of myself too :(
@gracemorrison2167
I can see this song being played in a movie while a few friends drive down the highway really late at night having the best night of their lives
@Selove98
I keep imagining it being in the perks of being a wallflower
@steveesparza8502
I like your last name onyx
@allieharvey3845
+Onyx Esparza YES I LOVE THAT FILM/NOVEL