Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Whoa

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

I'm breaking in, shaping up
Then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive

I raise my flags, dye my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa (whoa)

I'm breaking in, shaping up
Then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive

All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive


Lyrics submitted by morfinx, edited by MollyTheCursed, paperbakwriter09, katievanish, shadela16, k0nane, deathboundwinds, WesleyD3, Skeether, katneidig, skyfire84, bones911, lyricfixer, MiniUSB, kk1010, lockbird, bradch, phabicht, LyricalMongral, Coolio831, tuesday22, Jmann3000, REALREDHEAD, ji hun1069, codehead, ryan110145, Kozai, NeiNei, ccarl44, Smoa123, dysthanasia, 04/27/07

Radioactive Lyrics as written by Alexander Junior Grant Joshua Francis Mosser

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp.

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Radioactive song meanings
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  • +43
    My Interpretation

    I strongly believe this song "Radioactive" is about the singer's realization of the power within himself. "I'm waking up through ash and dust." to me says that he is shaking off all the preconceived notions that all the people in his life had for him. "Breathing in the chemicals" to me signifies the getting charged over the positivity of all that life has to offer. When he mentions the apocalypse, I feel he means that today he must make a decision to either change and succeed or do nothing and become like everyone else. "I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones, (enough) to make my systems go, welcome to the new age..." Yes he actually says "enough" but nonetheless I feel that he accepts he will change for the better and rejoices in that decision.

    "I'm radioactive!" shows nothing will stop him from succeeding, nothing will get in his way and he will succeed.

    The song's video with the little bear victoriously fighting off the monster further illustrates this point.

    Furthermore, Imagine Dragons song "It's time" also talks about moving forward and bettering yourself.

    JimWalshJon January 16, 2013   Link
  • +18
    Song Meaning

    Reynolds explained the song's meaning to MTV News: "'Radioactive,' to me, it's very masculine, powerful-sounding song, and the lyrics behind it, there's a lot of personal story behind it, but generally speaking, it's a song about having an awakening; kind of waking up one day and deciding to do something new, and see life in a fresh way," he said. "A lot of people hear it in a dark way, but, I think, without saying the word too many times, it's empowering, and so we wanted to display that in a way that the listener wouldn't see normally."

    I think this may have originally come from a feeling of over coming a heavy past. I don't think his point was to be political, or even talk about drugs. I can definitely see depression. But a lot of this sounds like coming out of an obviously poisonous situation and getting up and finally seeing and feeling the need for change.

    hedstrongon March 18, 2013   Link
  • +13
    General Comment

    It's not about an apocalypse, it's about spiritual awakening. The spiritual awakening process sparks the activation of awareness and once someone have completed their spiritual awakening and they go and look back on their life before the awakening began they may see how much they were just existing in robot mode, a spiritual awakening brings them out of this robot mode and in to awareness mode which wakes them up and they start to exist with a new and positive lease of life. December 21, 2012 marks Earth’s entrance into a new stage in the evolution of human consciousness. There is a mass of "awakenings" occurring seen in highly sensitive creative individuals. They can be very outspoken and tend to go against the grain of main society and have always felt like outcasts. They are unwilling to conform to societies standards if it isn’t congruent with the way they believe things should be done. While they may attempt to go with the flow, they cannot suppress how against the “system” they really are, and simply cannot and will not accept things that do not make sense to them.

    Break down:

    I'm waking up to ash and dust, I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust, I'm breathing in, the chemicals. (This is in regards to the fluoride, Monsanto, GMO's etc. in our bodies. Fluoride for example calcifies the pineal gland in our brain "our third eye", blocking our path to higher consciousness)

    I'm breaking in, shaping up, checking out on the prison bus. This is it, the apocalypse, whoa. (Not apocalypse end of world, but end of old world consciousness//beliefs. Starting to "wake up" entering a stage of higher consciousness, the "New Age")

    I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones. Enough to make my systems blow. (Symptoms of "awakening")

    Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. (New Age: A movement drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, consciousness research and quantum physics)

    Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive. Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive. (Radioactivity has everything to do with energy.According to quantum physics, we are part of a vast, invisible field of energy, which contains all possible realities and responds to our thoughts and our feelings. Related to The Law of Attraction, The Law of Vibration, each frequency of vibration has a certain radiation )

    I raise my flags, don my clothes, It's a revolution I suppose. We'll paint it red, to fit right in, whoa. (Realizing all the awakenings lately, in songs, media, movies, joining the new age revolution) I'm breaking in, shaping up, checking out on the prison bus. This is it, the apocalypse, whoa.

    I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones. Enough to make my systems blow. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive. Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive.

    All systems go, sun hasn't died. Deep in my bones, straight from inside.

    I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones. Enough to make my systems blow. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive. Whoa, whoa, radioactive, radioactive.

    kathudsonon June 09, 2013   Link
  • +12
    Lyric Correction

    I believe that its "enough to make my system blow" not "love to make my system go"

    cmarlin09on September 06, 2012   Link
  • +12
    My Interpretation

    it's a dark bittersweet yet hopeful song. it's how someone feels when they are coming out of depression & things are brighter. you are hopeful & you know that since you went through what you went through, you are different & there is something different about you. a new strength that you didn't have before. the "new age" is the age after your dark time/hole of depression. it is bright & a new chapter in your life. you have broken free & hope to not get there again & even then, you have survived so you know you are strong & you fought this fight & came out a veteran even of you have a codition where it can come back sometimes. thats just how i see it. a hopeful song

    leavesintheriveron September 13, 2013   Link
  • +11
    Song Meaning

    The lead singer said, in an interview, that it was about when you come out of depression and you have to start over completely. You have to try not to slip back into depression, and you basically feel stronger but even more broken at the same time.

    justme1999on May 21, 2013   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    It's definitely "enough to make my system blow" not "love to make my systems go." Currently addicted to this song, btw.

    conanaonon January 03, 2013   Link
  • +7
    My Interpretation

    "I'm waking up to ash and dust, I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust, I'm breathing in, the chemicals. "

    The singer is recognizing a toxic atmospher. He's not implying negativity on his part, so much as negativity in his surroundings

    "I'm breaking in, shaping up, checking out on the prison bus."

    This is him preparing to break free from that aforementioned atmospher. Prison implying that something is controling him against his will.

    "This is it, the apocalypse, whoa."

    The apocalypse, the end of the era, or the end of the situation.

    "I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones. Enough to make my systems blow." (It's actually glow, not blow, meaning he's gaining strength)

    He is awakened to the negative surrounding/situation, and he feels enough strength to break free.

    "Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Welcome to the new age, to the new age."

    This is intresting, the new age is a 20th century spritual movement. (a positive spiritual movement, implying he's creating or aiding in the movement for change and positivity)

    Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive. Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive.

    Radiation is toxic to humans but this is not literal. Being radioactive means that an energy is emitted, releasing a stream of particals from an instable atom. being Radioactive means he's being liberated from something instable (Negative connotation implied) Very creative way of saying that =D

    I raise my flags, don my clothes, It's a revolution I suppose. We're painted red, to fit right in, whoa.

    Raising flags and doning clothes is a sign of independence from the negative influence Revolution- literal, it's a war for independence. painted red, to fit right in, is saying how they are being labled for not conforming.

    All systems go, sun hasn't died. Deep in my bones, straight from inside.

    All systems go- He's ready for whatever comes his way Sun hasnt died--theres hope for the cause Deep in my bones, straight from inside- he's got the strength.

    **Think about the world we live in, think about our controling and corrupted government, think about what the future holds without a change. Think this song is a coincidence? I dont, and I absolutly LOVE the message it's sending.

    DFoxon September 02, 2013   Link
  • +6
    Song Meaning

    I would like to disagree with the majority of you, in a respectful way.

    To me this song is more futuristic. Much closer than many might thing. This is evident in the repeat of "welcome to the new age"

    In this new age, war is evident. Waking up to ash and dust is an alluding to war stricken times, and what I believe to be (call me crazy) but perhaps some sort of socialist/communistic agenda. "we'll paint it red, to fit right in", red has been synonymous to order and power, similar to the USSR and Nazi party.

    Essentially the song elaborates a prophecy of the dawning of war, control of the masses, loss of freedom, and corruption of the higher ups. It's a beautiful song, incredibly well written, catchy, and deep.

    One Love

    kirbyquebon April 09, 2013   Link
  • +5
    My Interpretation

    I think its a bout someone realizing the modern age we live in and how messed up it can be and how worse it could get. Here's my breakdown

    "I'm waking up to ash and dust" A reference to all the pollution and stuff in the air

    " I wipe my brow and sweat my rust" Working for the machine

    "I'm breathing in, the chemicals" Yet another reference to the pollution and crap in the air we breath

    "I'm breathing, shaping up, checking out on the prison bus" Getting on the bus to go to work where you slave at a job for less then what it's worth

    "This is it, the apocalypse" Everyone thinks the world is going to end any day now now day

    "I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones, enough to make my system blow" The awareness hits him and thus he wakes up from the fantasy that many people live in. But the awareness is more then just being aware it's a deep realization of whats really going on.

    "Welcome to the new age" We live in a new age like no other one that has come before it.

    "I raise my flags, don my clothes, it's a revolution I suppose" These lines could be reference to the change in the way man lives and how it's revolution against nature it's self or they're about the corrupt governments that say they will change the world and how their going to fix all their problems

    "We'll paint it red, to fit right in" A reference to how everyone acts the same and strives to fit in or how all the changes and revolutions world leaders try to start usually end up in blood shed and death like every other one before them.

    Then his talk about being radioactive I think is a kind of a testament to what mankind has and can be which is very destructive and harmful to everything around it. Plus with all the lights we glow.

    But then I think who ever realizes all this finds some hope and looks to fix and help the world thus the "All systems go, the sun hasn't died" and then the going back into the waking up and what not.

    That's what I think the song is about.

    jimbob8899on March 31, 2013   Link

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