Imagine Dragons: Radioactive Meaning
Song Released: 2012
Radioactive Lyrics
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough...
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Age of Aquarius, anyone? Welcome to the New Age.
"Waking up" is a theme throughout the song as it is mentioned many times. An "awakening" is taking place in the singer and also those he is encountering this "revolution" with - a spiritual awakening perhaps.
The real world manifestations he encounters is war and destruction, changes in social structures, technological advances, "radioactive" may refer to nuclear weaponry as many have pointed out, the "apocalypse" of one world view to give rise to another. Welcome to the New Age. -
I think this is about what would happen if the U.S. got involved in nuclear war or any sorta war for that matter. Thus the use of terms like "apocalypse", "revolution", "radioactive", and the like.
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Like any good song/story its meaning is whatever you want to take from it.
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Woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah
Woah
I'm waking up to ash and dust
-Waking up to war, pollution, general destruction of the planet
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
-Radiation has a scent of metal. Also, he sweating his rust. His machine like body due to repetitive, mundane work. Similar to how a robot continoulsy works. The sweating of a body that's been transformed by technology. due to possible ingested and inhaled pollutants and chemicals.
I'm breathing in the chemicals
- The general pollution and chemicals released in the air by the industrialized way of life. The machines, cars, factories, etc.
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
-Possible workday. The feeling of being in prison on a crowded bus everyday, forced to go to work to live. To survive.
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
-Humanity is on a collision course with unpreventable near apocalypse
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
-He feels the downward spiral of earth and humanity; it's overwhelming
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
-The human body absorbs radiation and the body itself becomes radioactive. The more nuclear power plants and radiation released into the air, the more the body absorbs. The sun also emits radiation; however, I think he is referring to man made radiation.
I raise my flags, dye my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We're painted red to fit right in
Whoa
-He gives up, there's no need to fight the system, it will always win. Hes painted red to fit in. The world and humanity are slowly bleeding as one, and now, so is he, also red. -
The lyrics are I raise my flags, dye my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We're painted red to fit right in whoa not "don" or "we'll" lol -
It's about North Korea, and other countries engaging in Nuclear war with America.
I mean come on, I'm waking up to ash and dust, And then the part where he says All systems go. Then there's just the whole chorus. -
Reynolds explained the song's meaning to MTV News: "'Radioactive,' to me, it's very masculine, powerful-sounding song, and the lyrics behind it, there's a lot of personal story behind it, but generally speaking, it's a song about having an awakening; kind of waking up one day and deciding to do something new, and see life in a fresh way," he said. "A lot of people hear it in a dark way, but, I think, without saying the word too many times, it's empowering, and so we wanted to display that in a way that the listener wouldn't see normally."
that's what the actual author said -
I think this song is personal and about him fighting depression and it can talk about other people that are fighting hard thiings in their life like addection, depression, insecurity... And specially the people that fight themselves. If u saw the video, it also have a powreful meaning: u see that big mean teddy bear? I believe that it is the beggist rivel, or bully u have, and this bully isnt just human it might be other thing that took over ur life. Like i said before an addiction, depression....... And those little weak bears that the monster bear kills are all presends u as u thought u might lose this war but then that pink bear that take over the monster, is u after u believed in ur self and got stronger.
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I personally believe this is an anti NWO song.
I'm waking up to ash and dust,
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
He's realizing that the old world as he knew it is no more and he has just been slaving away
I'm breathing in, the chemicals.
He's taking in the chemicals and poisons put in the air and food.
I'm breaking in, shaping up, checking out on the prison bus.
He realizes he is part of the prison planet.
This is it, the apocalypse
NWO take over
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones.
Enough to make my systems blow.
He's seeing the truth and has the internal instinct to tell him that something isn't right, and it makes his emotions explode.
Welcome to the new age, to the new age.
The age of the NWO
Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive
Smalls doses of radiation won't harm you while large amounts can kill the larger body. Same with people. One person can't do much to a larger organization but a group of people can.
I raise my flags, don my clothes
He has picked his side to fight on.
Its a revolution I suppose.
He is beginning the fight against tyranny with the other "awake" people
We'll paint it red, to fit right in, whoa
They will fight fire with fire. The NWO sheds blood and so will they.
All systems go, sun hasn't died.
Deep in my bones, straight from inside.
The revolution is on, hope hasn't died. He feels from inside that there is still hope.
Any opinions? -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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A new age, era is beginning, consisting on nuclear, 'hinting radioactive', type weapons, bringing forth a apocolypse type senario. "sweat my rust" i still cant decide if its trying to say we have become a type of machine, or is it refering to being chained up or handcuffed. ?i would pick the 2nd choice tho, considering the next line says breaking out of the prison bus, i thought it was pretty intense they actually say that it in the song, for my fear of fema camps has been a ongoing subject. on going to the middle of the song, raise our flags don our clothes its a revolution i suppose were painted red to fit right in, i agree with a above comment on this one, politics have something to do with it, everyones going to be painted red metaphorically, rasing our flags of america, symbolising we want freedom. the new revolution(war)is beginning. towards the end "all systems go, the sun hasnt died" i think this is us fighting back, the sun is not dead and neither our we, yet. we need to fight back.
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I think this song is about the apocalypse and it is like them against the world... or whats left of it anyways because you know APOCALYPSE. Anyways does anyone else think it should be on The Walking Dead???
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I love the political undertones of this song. Just think about the symbolism to current events in the following music video.
"Waking Up" to the actions, and defeating a certain person in a position of power... "Painted RED, to fit right in..." (Communist).
It's a song about David vs. Goliath, the People vs. Tyrannical Government. It's a song about the INDIVIDUAL acting against "the system" to restore FREEDOM to those people in captivity of an ever-expanding government (the average American). The band is beating the drum of resistance...
Goliath (Gov) crushes all opposition until a unique individual utilizes the full power of the Individual's hand to defeat the multiple levels of defense. This could be interpreted as voting, or more forceful measures if constitutional Rights are being violated.
If you haven't been paying attention the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Amendments of the Constitution are under blatant attack from certain politicians right now...
I don't think that there is any coincidence that this band, and this song specifically is gaining popularity right now... This song is a lot deeper than the catchy beat. -
Its about a nuclear war. Thats why they say its a new age, also all systems go could refer to a missle laun hing, and radioactive from the. fallout caused by the war
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I think it is about being avoided or being an outcast... But judging by the music video I think the artist wrote it for fun :)
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