giants by imagine dragons

Another deeply moving song by Imagine Dragons from the album Mercury Act 1. This one is about Dan Reynolds’ struggles with addiction: Giants.

There’s a rawness to the song and the lyrics are beautifully poetic. There’s the gentle, loving care of a father in there that you here in his voice in the verses ”If I could leave one thing for you It’s exactly what not to do I’m so proud of you”, but also the overwhelming, almost monstrous energy of the desperate craving, the pain of knowing that you’re giving in, where it almost tears you apart when Dan shouts ”Take a look what I’ve become”.

This is another song that began at my guitarists house. He sent me a simple structure that felt like the perfect sonic soundscape to express my feelings of addiction and sobriety.

It’s been a constant cycle that has followed me for years. It’s directed towards my children and my hope for them to see it for what it is. Ugly. I’ve lost quite a few friends to addiction throughout the years and have no desire to glorify it. But I also don’t believe that anyone should be shamed either. I can only hope in acknowledging this through the song someone else will feel less alone and empowered.

Certainly it isn’t something I would’ve felt comfortable acknowledging earlier on in my career but Rick really pushed me to confront these sorts of things.
Dan Reynolds, Clash magazine

You take a hit of anything
To escape it all or suffocating
The sharpen blade of reality
Sometimes it wanna hurt me
I know it’s hard to hear but I’m
Waitin’ for the new year
Don’t wanna waste my life chasin’ white
Try to swim towards the light

Comin’ up for air in the deepest of the deep ends
I thought I learned it all, but boom, the plot thickens
Sleepin’ with giants, I’m tip-toein’ quietly
Feelin’ it all, it’s sobriety
(La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la) got so tired of feelin’ numb
(La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la) but take a look what I’ve become
Sleepin’ with giants, I’m tip-toein’ quietly
Feelin’ it all, it’s sobriety

Wanna make you proud of me
But slowly I’m killing me
Playing with chemistry
Floating to the ceiling
Always rock ‘n’ roll ’til you die, you know, you been flyin’
Now I’m shaking your knife, sweating the sheets out
Grinding my teeth out but still the world will glamorize it all

If I could leave one thing for you
It’s exactly what not to do
I’m so proud of you

Take a look what I’ve become
Oh, take a look what I’ve

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Andrew Tolman / Benjamin Arthur McKee / Daniel Coulter Reynolds / Daniel James Platzman / Daniel Wayne Sermon

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