Imagine Dragons: I Bet My Life Meaning
Song Released: 2014
I Bet My Life Lyrics
I knew I took the path
That you would never want for me
I know I let you down, didn't I?
So many sleepless nights
Where you were waiting up on me
Well I'm just a slave unto the night
[Pre-Chorus:]
Now remember when I told...
-
1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:I think he wrote this song to his mother.
"I know I took the path that you would never want for me I know I let you down, didn't I? So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me Well I'm just a slave unto the night
Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me Remember when I broke you down to tears I know I took the path that you would never want for me
I gave you hell through all the years"
Her love bought him home.
"I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams
Would I come running home to you"
He bet his life on her. On her love that never gave up on him.
"I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth
There's you in everything I do"
IMHO -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:At first, I thought the song was written about his mother.
But, like Hozier's use of the pronoun "she" in "Take Me To Church", he could be talking about god. He could have taken a path in life that (in his mind) god wouldn't want for him.
He could have easily said to God, "that's the last you'll see of me", referring to the church's disapproval of his sexuality - so he walked away.
What if "home" was his faith. As a gay man growing up in the church was difficult. So it would be surprising to himself that he had a longing to be back home - a place where he could be himself and practice his faith.
I don't believe that any one particular interpretation is more correct than another. This is just another way to look at it. Songwriters often paint themselves into a corner with pronouns. If we as the listener stop being so literal, we may get more out of lyrics than we expect. We tend to want everything spelled out for us. "What does this song mean?" as if the songwriters meaning when he wrote it must be literal and specific. Art doesn't work that way. -
He feels like he has let whoever down and he's really sorry and he promises to be better.
-
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
-
its his faith in God. The path was away from God and God cried. He eventually saw the world and came back realizing he needed to put his faith back in God.
-
I thought it was about two brothers and one of the brothers had done bad things in the past but is trying to apologize for his mistakes to his other brother. They had their ups and downs but now they should stick together,
-
Me personally, I've been to hell and back from two terrible RTCs to a beautiful place that I don't even call an RTC because it changed me for the better, and that place was in rural redneck Virginia, only about 3 hours from my beautiful home in rural redneck Pennsylvania(redneck is a compliment) I think this song, based on my entire own experience I just explained, is about changing yourself for the better because to change the world you must change yourself first
-
I always thought it was to an older brother who had been supportive, but it's a really brotherly thing to act like they hate each other and yet still be super close when they are older.
-
As far as I understand, this song is referring to the Christian story of the prodigal son.
The prodigal son was the son of a man who was very troublesome. He asked for his inheritance early and eventually ended up spending all of his money on worldly desires such as food, wine, etc. (Hence the lyrics about 'taking the path that you would never want for me.') However, at the end of the story, he returns to his father as a poor man and asks for forgiveness. (Hence the chorus.) The father gladly takes his son in again and, well, happily ever after.
I'm pretty sure the references are clear from here on out, so I won't type anymore. -
I think it is about his loved one and he did so many things that are wrong and the loved worried about him and he been treating her so wrong then he realized he was wrong the whole time.
-
They have been through so much together and now he is sure that they can trust each other, so he gives her his life. Not necessarily engagement, but their relationship is closer anyway.
More Imagine Dragons songs »
Latest Articles
-
A new era for Millennial favorite, Linkin Park -
Anime to watch for the soundtracks… and other reasons you’re undateable -
.jpg)
Dolly, we need you -
The Stranger Things Effect: How new media is drawing Gen Z and Alpha's attention to aging media -
The most underrated soundtrack of the early 2000s -
Buy the Soundtrack, Skip the Movie: Brainscan (1994)
Trending:
Just Posted
| Live Forever | anonymous |
| Space Oddity | anonymous |
| Remind You | anonymous |
| You've Got A Friend | anonymous |
| Austin | anonymous |
| Bel Air | anonymous |
| Firefly | anonymous |
| My Medicine | anonymous |
| Orphans | anonymous |
| Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) | anonymous |
| A Whole New World (End Title) | anonymous |
| Eyes Closed | anonymous |
| The Phrase That Pays | anonymous |
| Montreal | anonymous |
| Moonlight | anonymous |
