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.
The Unknown
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mama blessed me with magnet eyes for purple
Oh so let me show you something good
Pastor, preacher, I want to say I'm sorry
Nice to meet you, I think my eyes are starry
Pledge allegiance to my only
Hopefully then I will see
After the people and places are gone
You will come back, you will come back to me
To me, to me
You will come back to me
To me, to me
Auntie Mara, I think you know my reasons
I was a product of everything in season
Oh so heavy, set me free again
Oh my papa, if all the world could know you
You could stop a thousand wars across the globe
Oh I miss you, show them something good
Sooner or later it all comes around
Hopefully then I will see
After the people and places are gone
You will come back, you will come back to me
To me, to me
You will come back to me
To me, to me
To me
To me
The lyrics of Imagine Dragons’s song The Unknown are about the desire to make connections with people who are important in our lives. The song is structured around a series of conversations that the singer has with different people, including a woman, a pastor, and an aunt. Through these conversations, the singer expresses a yearning to be understood and to connect with others on a deeper level.
In the first verse, the singer addresses a woman who has turned his head in circles, suggesting a feeling of confusion or disorientation. He acknowledges that he is blessed with “magnet eyes for purple,” which could symbolize a sense of creativity or imagination. The singer then offers to show the woman “something good,” which could be interpreted as an attempt to impress her or to demonstrate his worth.
In the second verse, the singer speaks to a pastor or preacher, apologizing for something that is not specified. He describes his eyes as “starry,” which could signify a hopefulness or a sense of wonder. The singer then pledges allegiance to his “only,” which could refer to a higher power or to someone else who is important to him. The song then transitions into a chorus in which the singer expresses a belief that eventually, everything will come full circle and that the people and places that are important to him will return to him.
Overall, The Unknown is a complex and thought-provoking song that offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the human mind and the desire for connection and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman help me, you turn my head in circles
The singer is asking for the aid of a woman who has the power to confuse and bewilder him.
Mama blessed me with magnet eyes for purple
The singer's mother gave him the ability to see and admire the beauty of the color purple.
Oh so let me show you something good
The singer is eager to display something positive and worthwhile to the person he is addressing.
Pastor, preacher, I want to say I'm sorry
The artist expresses remorse and seeks forgiveness from religious leaders.
Nice to meet you, I think my eyes are starry
The artist is in awe of the person he is addressing, and his eyes reflect this admiration.
Pledge allegiance to my only
The singer is devoted solely to one thing or person and swears to remain loyal.
Sooner or later it all comes around
The singer believes that events and actions will eventually have consequences.
Hopefully then I will see
The artist anticipates gaining insight or understanding in the future.
After the people and places are gone
The artist suggests that after everything and everyone has disappeared or changed, something will remain constant or return.
You will come back, you will come back to me
The artist believes that someone or something will return to him after being absent.
Auntie Mara, I think you know my reasons
The singer suggests that his Aunt Mara understands why he does things a certain way or has particular opinions.
I was a product of everything in season
The artist believes that his experiences and environment have shaped him into who he is presently.
Oh so heavy, set me free again
The singer expresses the burden he feels and desires to be liberated from it.
Oh my papa, if all the world could know you
The singer believes that if everyone knew his father, they would understand his greatness or importance.
You could stop a thousand wars across the globe
The singer suggests that his father has the capability to bring about peace and end conflicts worldwide.
Oh I miss you, show them something good
The artist expresses his longing for his father and hopes that he can display something positive to others in his father's absence.
To me, to me
The artist emphasizes that the person or thing he desires will return to him specifically.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENJAMIN ARTHUR MCKEE, DANIEL JAMES PLATZMAN, DANIEL COULTER REYNOLDS, DANIEL WAYNE SERMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikan1998ful
"The Unknown"
Woman, help me
You turn my head in circles
Mama, blessed me
With magnet eyes for purple
Oh, so let me show you something good
Pastor, preacher
I want to say I'm sorry
Nice to meet ya
I think my eyes are starry
Pledge allegiance to my only
Sooner or later it all comes around
Hopefully then I will see
After the people and places are gone
You will come back,
You will come back to me, to me, to me
You will come back to me, to me, to me
Auntie Mara,
I think you know my reasons
I was a product
Of everything in season
Oh, so heavy. Set me free again
Oh, my papa,
If all the world could know you,
You could stop a thousand wars across the globe
Oh, I miss ya
Show them something good
Sooner or later it all comes around
Hopefully then I will see
After the people and places are gone
You will come back,
You will come back to me, to me, to me
You will come back to me, to me, to me
To me
To me
@jmarkiewicz
This song is about death. And it relates to the Unknown because no one trurly knows what happens after Death. Listen to the lyrics, sink into them. This song is meaningful and is beautiful. All you need is the ears for them.
Heres the lyrics:
woman help me
you turn my head in circles
mama blessed me
with magnet eyes for purple
oh so let me show you something good
Pastor, Preacher
I want to say I'm sorry
nice to meet ya
I think my eyes are starry
pledge allegiance to my only
sooner or later it all comes around
hopefully then I will see
after the people and places are gone
you will come back, you will come back to me, to me, to me
you will come back to me, to me, to me
auntie Mara I think you know my reasons
I was a product of everything in season
oh so heavy
set me free again
oh my papa
if all the world could know you
you could stop a thousand wars across the globe
oh I miss ya
show them something good
sooner or later it all comes around
hopefully then I will see
after the people and places are gone
you will come back, you will come back to me,
to me, to me
you will come back to me, to me, to me
to me, to me
@catherineward9996
To all the people complaining on all of imagine dragons' new music:
If you want to listen to the same thing over and over again that's okay, but you should know (if you are a fan and you listened to imagine dragons first three EPs) that imagine dragons are a band that are constantly evolving and in my opinion, musically becoming more amazing with each new record.
For example, i thought "Gold" was a beautiful song, and the video was perfect! It was nice but not overdone. The lights were very pretty and worked well with the song.
Just because a band releases a hit single, does not mean they are tied to that record forever.
@flammablemayaynaise9502
beginning:
Me: parrots are invading O.O
Middle:
Me: Ok, we are fine. :)
End:
Me: Parrot come back i love you D: restarts song
10 hrs later:
Me: i know all the lyrics.... i still cant do tha parrot thing tho.... but il get there one day....
10 yrs later:
Me: YES! i got the parrot thing down! :D wait.... wats the lyrics?
An endless cycle....
@jasminefullofroses8648
The truth to Imagine Dragons:
1. Listen to the song for the first time. "Hm, ok not bad."
2. Song buzzes in your head, slowly compelling you to listen to it again. Listens again as it sounds even better.
3. Finally, after the beat will not get out of your head, you accept the fact that you freaking love this song.
Truth. Happens to me all the time.
@muhdnoraslam9578
This is true beyond belief
@samurottman6832
Dude that happens to me too :D
@FDR.1
Damn I thought it was just me
@feez3387
Im glad im normal
@jasminefullofroses8648
Extreme Food TV You're a fish with legs and a blur Cat brother, there's nothing normal there.
@Ian24089
One of the better songs on the album. Very underrated.
@LLHLMHfilms
Ian Walton it's because it's so unknown.
@asimplefarmer6747
I see what you did there
@electroid4
Agreed