“Whatever It Takes” is a song by the American pop-rock band Imagine Dragons. It came out on May 9, 2017, as a promotional single under Kidinakorner and Interscope.
The song is all about striving to be the best, no matter what challenges come your way. This theme runs through the entire album. Imagine Dragons’ lead singer, Dan Reynolds, is determined to achieve greatness in life, and he’s willing to evolve and overcome any obstacles in his path.
In this article, we’ll delve into the meaning behind the lyrics of this song.
“Whatever It Takes” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
Falling too fast to prepare for this
Tripping in the world could be dangerous
Everybody circling is vulturous
Negative, nepotist
Everybody waiting for the fall of man
Everybody praying for the end of times
Everybody hoping they could be the one
I was born to run, I was born for this
In Verse 1, Dan Reynolds is expressing his strong determination. He mentions that he’s falling into a challenging situation but isn’t afraid.
The world seems risky and full of people who are selfish and negative, waiting for others to fail.
Despite this, he believes he was born to face these challenges head-on and run towards his goals with determination.
[Pre-Chorus]
Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up
In the Pre-Chorus, Dan Reynolds describes wanting to be pushed and tested, like a racehorse or a ripcord being pulled.
He welcomes challenges that break him down because they ultimately build him up stronger.
Dan compares himself to a “slip” or a secret, showing his desire to be something exceptional and on people’s minds.
[Chorus]
Whatever it takes
‘Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
‘Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
Yeah, take me to the top
I’m ready for whatever it takes
‘Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes
In the Chorus, Dan Reynolds expresses his love for the rush of excitement in his veins and his willingness to do anything necessary to achieve his goals.
Breaking free from constraints and reaching the top is what he craves.
[Verse 2]
Always had a fear of being typical
Looking at my body feeling miserable
Always hanging on to the visual
I wanna be invisible
Looking at my years like a martyrdom
Everybody needs to be a part of ’em
Never be enough, I’m the prodigal son
I was born to run, I was born for this
In Verse 2, Dan Reynolds mentions his fear of being ordinary and feeling unhappy with his appearance.
He expresses a desire to be invisible, likely meaning he wants to stand out in a unique way.
He reflects on his years as if they’ve been a test of his endurance, and he believes that everyone wants to be a part of his journey, even though it may never be enough for them.
Despite the challenges, he reaffirms his conviction that he was born to face these obstacles and run towards his goals with determination.
[Bridge]
Hypocritical, egotistical
Don’t wanna be the parenthetical, hypothetical
Working hard on something that I’m proud of, out of the box
An epoxy to the world and the vision we’ve lost
I’m an apostrophe
I’m just a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see
I’m just a product of the system, a catastrophe
And yet a masterpiece, and yet I’m half-diseased
And when I am deceased
At least I’ll go down to the grave and die happily
And leave the body and the soul to be a part of thee
I do what it takes
In the Bridge, Dan Reynolds uses words like “hypocritical” and “egotistical” to describe the world’s expectations and judgments.
He rejects conformity and aims to be different, working hard on something he’s proud of.
He compares himself to an apostrophe, symbolizing his unique presence in the world, and acknowledges that he’s a product of the system, but also a masterpiece.
Even though he acknowledges some imperfections and challenges, he’s willing to face them with determination and leave a meaningful legacy behind when he’s gone.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Whatever It Takes”
“Whatever It Takes” a song that encourages listeners to pursue their ambitions with unwavering determination, regardless of the obstacles that may come their way.
In an interview with ABC Radio, Dan Reynolds commented on the meaning of the song:
“It’s about overcoming my own self-confidence issues that I’ve had since I was young. I think that title probably gives away that song more than any song on Evolve,” he added. “Since I was young… I was taught that you could do whatever you could dream of, you just had to work harder than everybody else and you had to never give up. It’s a cliché. But there’s a reason it’s a cliché.”
In the verses, Dan Reynolds talks about the world’s harsh realities and the negativity that surrounds us. He acknowledges the fear of being ordinary and feeling miserable about oneself, as expressed in the lines “Always feared being too typical, Looking at my body, feeling miserable.”
However, he refuses to conform or be invisible. Instead, he sees himself as someone who was born to face these challenges head-on, demonstrating an unshakable self-belief.
He emphasizes the thrill and adrenaline that comes from striving for one’s dreams and breaking free from limitations, singing, “Whatever it takes, ‘Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins, I’ll do whatever it takes.” It underscores the idea that the pursuit of ambitions is not just a choice but a passionate, relentless commitment.
Ultimately, the title of the song, “Whatever It Takes” signifies the singer’s willingness to go to great lengths and make any necessary sacrifices to achieve one’s goals and dreams.
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