Imagine Dragons: Bleeding Out Meaning

Song Released: 2012

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Bleeding Out Lyrics

I'm bleeding out
So if the last thing that I do
Is bring you down
I'll bleed out for you
So I bare my skin
And I count my sins
And I close my eyes and I take it in
I'm bleeding out
I'm bleeding out for you
For you

When the...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Feb 10th 2019 report

   My interpretation is gonna be a little different from others. I assume that the night visions songs are not about curtained situations but rather feelings or thoughts. I guess that this is like a dream or wish (comparable to suicide thoughts) that exists somewhere in a deeply depressed and desperate person (probably Dan). When everything is too much and you just want it to stop then there are these thoughts that you just want to bleed out. You still blaming yourself (count your sins), but somewhere hope that people will care (if... bring you down, I'll bleed out for you)
   These thoughts might actually be comforting and imagining this gives you a feeling of relief and peace which fits the still kind of peaceful but still depressed mood and the line "and I take it in"
   (The "and what was right is wrong" probably signalises doubts, and anyway there's much more to interpret which I won't do since I just wanted to give this perspective on the topic of the song in general)

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 12th 2015 report

   Perhaps I am the only one, but i believe it is about a man who would do absolutely anything for the people he cares about, to the point where he would bleed out for them, or die in any other way, just to keep them safe

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Mar 31st 2017 report

   when you self harm you feel like the part of you that self harms is you, but a part separated from your body. so i think it is about the fight of recovery the part "so if its the last thing that i do is bring you down" if its the last thing that you will do is bring down the part of you that self harms. hopelessness is sinking in hopelessness that you cant recover and you tell me to hold on is the hopeful part of you saying don't kill yourself or self harm. that is my interpretation everyone has different interpretations depending on the situation they are in.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 12th report

   I think this song is definitely for everyone he cares about saying would die for them and (family members, lover, and friends I'm guessing) and he's also saying like I maybe have done some bad things in my life and maybe you don't like me for that but no matter what I will be here for you and also in one line in the song when he says "And I count my sins, and I close my eyes, and I take it all in" he's saying like how he has done sins and he is understanding that he has to live knowing maybe he hurt people he loves and cares about but again he will always care about them and that's why after he says that line he says "Im bleeding out, Im bleeding out for you"
5. anonymous

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   Nov 23rd report

   This one is tough. On one hand, it does mostly feel like he really cares about someone and would do anything for them, even die.
   On the other hand, how does "if the last thing that I do is bring you down" come to the picture, then? One of the comments here feels kind of on point, saying that this is about some kind of a fight - the chorus at least, because the verses don't fit into the picture again (you tell me to hold on?).
6. anonymous

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   Sep 17th 2020 report

   I Think is Like the same as “Officer Down”. It’s Like the Singer is a police officer that Got shot and is now bleeding Out. Listen to the song officer Down it’s good.

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

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   Nov 3rd 2019 report

   I think it means that he will go help and all the way for someone even if they don't love him back. But, he's hurt and he knows he hurt the person. Also I think he misses the person and tried to 'save them'
   
   Absolutely a beautiful, amazing song and lyrics
8. anonymous

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   Aug 16th 2019 report

   so i just pictured the lyrics,
   just imagine a virgin girl opening up to someone she is in love with, they bleed the first time right, thats the last thing they can do, they bleed out for him
   tgey bare their skins, count their sins, and they take it in...
   just picture it

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

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   Jul 10th 2019 report

   Personally, I feel like it's about someone who's on the verge of losing their faith in God.
10. anonymous

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    Apr 27th 2019 report

    Someone is sorry for harming someone else so they become depressed an try and commit suicide but the person they harmed tell them to hold on so they keep fighting.
11. anonymous

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    Sep 20th 2018 report

    Well I feel it's like about the end of the world cuz
    "When the sky turns gray..and everything thing is screaming"
    Like isn't that the end of the world?
    Just my side of view
12. anonymous

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    Apr 27th 2018 report

    I personally think this is about Jesus Christ dying for our sins so we wouldn't be banished to eternal damnation. You may think otherwise. It never clearly states what it is exactly about, which is what I love about Imagine dragons. We have the freedom to make our own interpretations. Whether it's about Suicide, Self harm, Jesus Christ, Depression, Love, or whatever, it never exactly states what it's about, so have your freedom of opinion my friend.
13. anonymous

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    Jan 28th 2018 report

    Everyone thinks this is about Jesus and I’m hearing thinking it’s just about the first time having sex.

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

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    Jan 7th 2018 report

    I guess it's what you make of it that gives the song it's meaning. To me personally, this song does reflect a message of depression. However, I feel there is also an underlying message of self-sacrifice. The phrase "I'll bleed out for you" gives me the image of someone who has given up everything for someone. They love this person, though this person may not love them back. Regardless, the person who is singing is saying "though you don't love me the way I love you, though you think of me as only a burden (if the last thing that I do is bring you down, I'll bleed out for you) I would die for you, wether you appreciate it or not. That's how much I love you."
15. anonymous

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    Nov 23rd 2017 report

    I interpret this song to be completely and fully about Jesus Christ atoning for the sins of the world. In the Bible it states that he sweat great drops of blood because if anyone knew the science behind how he suffered by his body being crushed by the burden and weight of his pain to the point of death but not ever dying until on the cross where he would willingly choose to die. His veins and arteries literally burst to the point where he literally bled out from every pore. It also states about him closing his eyes and taking in the pain regarding the 3 times he requested the pain of his suffering to be removed but knowing that it was not His Fathers will he said Thy will be done as he refers by saying in the song and you tell me to hold on. and one other big reference is that I will be your scarecrow. How is that not Christ on the Cross saying to the World that he will willingly die for us so that we will not all go to hell. He also states in the song about his hour being nigh
16. anonymous

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    Nov 21st 2017 report

    I think this song is about being sorry for hurting someone so bad. Either that or he’s bleeding out for sdepression like he gave up from trying to escape and just gives up. There is also a reference to self harm. ‘So I bare my skin and I count my sins and I close my eyes and I take it in.’
17. anonymous

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    Oct 12th 2017 report

    This song is about refusing to remain silent, despite the cost. From a victim's perspective, being willing to speak out against the one who wronged you, even knowing that it will drag out everything done to you and that you've done. It is a song of justice, or perhaps revenge, at all costs. If it had been sung by a woman, it would be seen more clearly. Victims of assault are often treated very poorly, so they don't say anything.
    Alternately, from another perspective "I'm not innocent, but I'm willing to be dragged down as well to bring your greater crime to light"
18. anonymous

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    Sep 4th 2017 report

    I view this song much different than others. I view this song as a man struggling against an enemy. He is bleeding out from the wounds he gained in a fight against him, but he is determined to bring him down, if its the last thing he does. This can, of course, be symbolic to an enemy or rival in some other way than a physical fight. But I just think it makes much more sense that this person is willing to do whatever it takes, even bleeding out and dying (when it says he counts his sins and takes it in) to bring the enemy down. Just my thoughts.