Imagine Dragons: Polaroid Meaning

Polaroid Lyrics

I'm a reckless mistake
I'm a cold night's intake
I'm a one night too long
I'm a come on too strong
All my life, I've been living in the fast lane
Can't slow down, I'm a rolling freight train
One more time, gotta start all over
Can't slow...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   ANTHONATOR35

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   Apr 21st 2015 !⃝

   First, hello! I wrote the "#1" meaning for "Hear Me", so here we go!
   
   So, Polaroid I believe is a very mysterious song. Dan talks about how "Love is a Polaroid", and a Polaroid is basically material that is very reflectant to the sun. What I believe the verses are speaking about are him speaking to a loved one, speaking about about Dan's childhood again. The lyrics point "I'm a reckless mistake" meaning he could have been a kid that wanted to have fun, but wasn't careful, E.X. breaking a window playing baseball. "I'm a first class let down, I'm a 'Shut up, sit down'" means that Dan could be speaking about his parents. Its possible Dan was a "Shut up, sit down!" Kid, whose parents wanted him to be quiet, be polite, and do what they think is best. Like a kid forced to play Piano rather than getting to go outside and play with kids. The chorus "All my life, I've been living in the fast lane, Can't slow down I'm a rolling freight train" could mean Dan could mean was living life too fast, "growing up too fast", so to speak. (Keep in mind, that the lyrics of the song seem to bring up many points in Dan's life, in case you got confused, this isn't a 'straight line' song.) And that Dan could have been having a problem with his loved ones, being a "rolling train" usually means similar to Miley Cyrus's song "Wrecking Ball", where they came in and to others "ruined everything." And that Dan felt like he just ruined his relationships with others. "Oooh, how did it come to this?" Could mean Dan went to rock bottom once, asking how it got so bad. "I’m gonna get ready,
   For the rain to pour heavy,
   Let it fall, fall,
   Let it fall upon my head!" Means that Dan is ready for the backlash of others, and he is prepared for the worst of reactions what he has done, and just wants it to be over with already. "Better in picture, never can fill the void." I believe Dan (or whoever you think Dan Reynolds is singing about) is referring now to the Polaroid CAMERA. Like when someone you love passes away, and your memories are "better in picture", but the picture can never fill the void left by them not being there with you. All in all, Polaroid seems to be Dan breaking down many wrongs in his life, rather than single problems like in "Every Night" and "I Bet my Life". Each problem is shuffled together, and he changes subject between verses, and goes in between the chorus, and repeating problems from old verses. Very beautiful song, and very cleverly crafted. Thank you for reading all this! If you wish to contact me about your views of this, reach me at anthony_stapf@yahoo.com Thanks Again!

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jun 27th 2016 !⃝

   I feel that he is in love with a girl who is rather far from him and the only way of seeing her is in a poloroid picture of her. he messed up with this very girl by coming on way too strong because of his fast paced life and all the stress he has in it. This has created a void in his heart for love that he just cannot fill.
3. anonymous

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   Jul 15th 2023 !⃝

   This is the story of my sons life. While he is a good looking young man, he has unusual learning disabilities and no matter how hard he tries he is always misunderstood and wrong. School was all “shut up, sit down”. He craves close relationships with his peers but can’t maintain one. Much of his time is spent reading or streaming about other people’s lives (Polaroid). It is so frustrating and sad.
4. anonymous

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   Mar 13th 2020 !⃝

   personally i love all imagine dragons songs and station. i think that they should come out with a song about mmm....so you know how you fall and cant get up so you ask a friend but they just walk away so you have to get up on your own and its like super hard to get up but you keep getting stronger.
5. Cole_Neuss

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   Apr 29th 2017 !⃝

   I think ANTHONATOR35 is right. And if so, then this song sings about my life );

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. anonymous

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   Sep 12th 2016 !⃝

   Banana Boats sail sideways in the winding wind of the Southern Hemisphere. Both Monkey's rise to the top, one must come back down, but the birds are laying to waste everything that the elephants made. Many people think that people are people, but in fact, the truth of the matter is that people are People who think people are just people. We are all people, therefore, we need to want what we have more than the other guy.
   Oh, the song is something about his childhood. How he was a wreck.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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