Radioactive
The Pentatonix Lyrics

Mm-mm-mm-mm Mm-mm-mm-mm Mm-mm-ah-mm Mm-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
The introduction to the song of non-lyrical sounds

I'm waking up to ash and dust
The singer is waking up to a world destroyed and covered by ash and dust

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
The singer is working hard and wiping sweat off their forehead, feeling old and rusty

I'm breathing in, the chemicals
The artist is inhaling toxic chemicals while living in a post-apocalyptic world

I'm breaking in and shaping up
The artist is working hard to break out of their routine and become better

Then checking out on the prison bus
The singer is trying to break free and leave behind the oppressive world they live in

This is it, the apocalypse, whoa
The singer recognizes that they are living in the end of the world and are trying to escape it

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
The artist can feel that something new and exciting is happening and they are waking up to it

(Enough) to make my systems blow
The excitement and the rush of adrenaline is overwhelming the artist

Welcome to the new age, to the new age
The artist is introducing the listener to a new and exciting era

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
The singer is comparing the excitement and the rush they feel to being radioactive

La-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, whoa La-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, whoa
Interlude with non-lyrical sounds to enhance the feeling of excitement and rush

It's a revolution, I suppose
The singer recognizes that the world is changing, and they view it as a revolution

We're painted red to fit right in
The singer suggests that in order to fit in, people have to adapt to the new world that is being born

Whoa
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm

I'm breaking in (breaking in), shaping up (shaping up)
The artist is emphasizing that they are working hard to become better and break free from the old world

Then checking out on the prison bus
Repeating the line to emphasize the desire to leave behind the oppressive world

This is it (this is it, oh), the apocalypse, whoa
Repeating the line again to emphasize the end of the world and the desire to escape it

All systems go, sun hasn't died
The singer is saying that even though the world has ended, they are still alive and ready to start something new

Deep in my bones, straight from inside
The excitement and the drive to start something new is coming from deep within the artist

I'm waking up
Repeating the line again to emphasize the excitement and the new beginning

Welcome to the new age, to the new age (all systems go)
Repeating the initial line with additional emphasis, suggesting that this new era is really starting now

Welcome to the new age (sun hasn't died)
Repeating the line again to emphasize the idea that even though the world has ended, there is still hope and something new is starting

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Repeating the chorus once more to emphasize the excitement and the sense of being alive and ready for something new

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Repeating the chorus twice to end the song with a sense of excitement and new beginning