Imagine Dragons: Bullet In A Gun Meaning

Song Released: 2018

Bullet In A Gun Lyrics

The Roman king, the Romulus
The precipice, born to change
The final days, the last appraise
Augustus, Nero, taking names

I'm high, then I'm low, low
Stop, then I go, go
Bipolar, oh, oh
Yes, then I'm no, no
My time will come, I promise...

1. anonymous

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   Jan 22nd report

   To me, the song "Bullet in a Gun" by Imagine Dragons seems to be about lead singer Dan Reynolds' journey to be successful and the challenges he faced and the sacrifices he made on the road to fame.
   
   "The Roman king, the Romulus, the precipice born to change
   The final days, the last appraise Augustus, Nero taking names"
   
   This seems to be setting up the song, defining Dan and Imagine Dragons as the "kings" of a genre. Interestingly, he also compares himself to both Augustus and Nero, which suggests that Dan believes that he has gone through character degeneration to be as successful as he is.
   
   "I'm high then I'm low, low stop then
   I go, go bipolar
   Oh, oh yes then I'm no, no"
   
   Here the band is dealing with the ups and downs of fame, success, and failure.
   
   "My time will come
   I promise that
   Pull the trigger back, back
   Bullet in a gun
   But in the end my time will come
   Like a bullet in a gun
   Blood, sweat and tears to be the one"
   
   This part of the songs seems to be addressed to people who doubt the band or wish it wouldn't succeed. The analogy of a "bullet in the gun" seems to imply that Dan's ready to prove them wrong, and when he does it will be sudden and silence them forever.
   
   "To make a name you pay the price
   You give your life no other way
   The Devil's deal, it comes around
   To wear the crown
   Rise up from the ground"
   
   Dan seems to be directing this section towards people who are unwilling to do the work to be successful, instead looking towards shortcuts. He is stating that being successful is not easy and that anyone who is not entirely invested in what they do will not make it far. The use of the phrase "the Devil's deal" also seems to imply that Dan has made destructive sacrifices to get where he is today.
   
   "How many voices go unheard?
   How many lessons never learned?
   How many artists fear the light, fear the pain, go insane, lose your mind, lose yourself
   (You only care about fame and wealth)
   Sellout, sellout, sellout!"
   
   This section is the most passionate of the song, and I believe that it is Dan struggling with the destructive power of fame and success. It begins with speculating how many artists are unable to be successful when they deserve to be or have something important to say, and then transitions into how many people were poisoned by fame and lost the message that they came to say.
   
   I believe that there are many different interpretations of "Bullet in a Gun", and that is why this song and Imagine Dragons are truly great. This was just how the song struck me, and if anyone else has any other interpretations or something to add please feel free to join the discussion. (:
   
   
   
   
2. anonymous

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   Jan 13th report

   I think it is talking about how all three had been once low then rose threw a "gun shot" or threw assassination, killing, fighting, ect.
3. anonymous

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   Jun 19th 2019 report

   It’s talking about how the roman Kong’s did great for our world I think I’m not to sure though
4. anonymous

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   Nov 29th 2018 report

   Fighting