Whatever It Takes – English Lyrics

• By: Imagine Dragons

Lyrics & Translation

Learn English with Imagine Dragons' 'Whatever It Takes,' a song brimming with powerful expressions of determination and ambition. The fast-paced, rhythmic lyrics offer a great opportunity to practice pronunciation and pick up vocabulary related to overcoming challenges. This song is special because it provides a raw, honest look at the drive for success and the struggles that come with it.

[English]

♪ ♪

♪ FALLING TOO FAST TO PREPARE FOR THIS ♪

♪ TRIPPING IN THE WORLD COULD BE DANGEROUS ♪

♪ EVERYBODY CIRCLING IT'S 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 ♪

♪ WHIP, WHIP ♪

♪ RUN ME LIKE A RACE HORSE ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ YOU 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ WHIP, WHIP ♪

♪ RUN ME LIKE A RACE HORSE ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ YOU 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 ♪

♪ HYPOCRITICAL, EGOTISTICAL ♪

♪ DON'T WANNA BE THE PARENTHETICAL, HYPOTHETICAL ♪

♪ WORKING ONTO 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 GO DOWN TO THE GRAVE AND DIE HAPPILY ♪

♪ LEAVE THE BODY OF MY SOUL TO BE A PART OF ME ♪

♪ I DO WHAT IT TAKES ♪

(UNDER WATER NOISES)

♪ 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 ♪

♪ YOU 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 ♪

(FIRE CRACKLING)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dangerous /ˈdæŋdʒərəs/ B2	adjective - able or likely to cause harm or injury
circling /ˈsɜːrk(ə)lɪŋ/ B2	verb (present participle) - moving in a circle around something or someone
vulturous /ˈvʌltʃərəs/ C2	adjective - having a strong desire to eat or possess; greedy or predatory
nepotic /nɪˈpoʊtɪst/ C2	adjective - showing favoritism to relatives or friends in a way considered unfair
pray /preɪ/ A2	verb - to speak to a deity or spiritual being as a form of worship or supplication
hopping /ˈhɒpɪŋ/ B1	verb (present participle) - jumping quickly or intermittently
praying /ˈpreɪɪŋ/ A2	verb (present participle) - the act of speaking to a deity or spiritual being as an expression of worship or supplication
hoping /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/ A2	verb (present participle) - desiring or wishing for something to happen
born /bɔːrn/ A1	verb (past participle) - to have come into life or existence
build /bɪld/ A2	verb - to construct or develop something
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces or cause to stop functioning
chain /tʃeɪn/ B2	noun - a series of connected links or things
top /tɒp/ or /tɑːp/ A2	noun - highest point or part of something
love /lʌv/ A1	noun/verb - a strong feeling of affection or deep attachment
together /təˈɡɛðər/ A2	adverb - with or in proximity or union

Key Grammar Structures

• I WAS BORN TO RUN, I WAS BORN FOR THIS

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ The phrase "I WAS BORN" indicates a completed action in the past.

• I WANNA BE THE SLIP, SLIP

  ➔ Informal Contraction

  ➔ The word "WANNA" is an informal contraction of "WANT TO".

• 'CAUSE I LOVE THE ADRENALINE IN MY VEINS

  ➔ Informal Contraction

  ➔ 'CAUSE is an informal contraction of "BECAUSE".

• I DO WHATEVER IT TAKES

  ➔ Present Simple Tense

  ➔ The phrase "I DO" indicates a habitual action in the present.

• I'M READY FOR WHATEVER IT TAKES

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'M READY" indicates a current state of being.

• I DO WHAT IT TAKES

  ➔ Present Simple Tense

  ➔ The phrase "I DO" indicates a habitual action in the present.

• I'M JUST A SYMBOL TO REMIND YOU

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'M JUST" indicates a current state of being.

• AND YET A MASTERPIECE, AND YET I'M HALF-DISEASED

  ➔ Contrastive Conjunction

  ➔ The phrase "AND YET" introduces a contrast between two ideas.