The Imagine Dragons song “Whatever It Takes” is about the determination to overcome obstacles and achieve success, driven by a love for the struggle and the thrill of self-empowerment.
The lyrics explore themes of perseverance, personal struggle, and ambition, with the chorus expressing a willingness to do anything necessary, including breaking personal limitations, to reach a goal.
Overcoming challenges:
The song centers on the willingness to push past limits and face adversity head-on, described as a love for the “adrenaline in my veins” and the feeling of “break[ing] the chains” of fear or limitation.
Personal struggle and ambition:
The lyrics touch on personal insecurities, such as a fear of being “typical” and feeling “miserable” or “invisible”. The song is about the drive to rise above these feelings to achieve something greater.
Self-empowerment:
It’s a song about finding the inner strength to succeed, even when facing internal and external struggles. The repeated phrase “I do whatever it takes” signifies a conscious choice to endure hardship for the sake of achieving a goal.
Resilience and perseverance:
The lyrics emphasize resilience by detailing a process of being “break[en] down and build[ing] up” in order to keep moving forward and never giving up on one’s dreams.
“Whatever It Takes” is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. The song was released on May 9, 2017, as a promotional single through Kidinakorner and Interscope. It later became the third single from the band’s third studio album, Evolve, on October 6, 2017. It was also the official theme song for WWE’s PPV event Battleground, in addition to its inclusion in the video game Madden NFL 18. The song was sent to US contemporary hit radio on February 13, 2018.