“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons (click here to listen)
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, 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 systems 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, don my clothes
It’s a revolution, I suppose
We’ll paint it red to fit right in
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 systems 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 systems 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
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Daniel Wayne Sermon / Daniel Coulter Reynolds / Benjamin Arthur McKee / Alexander Junior Grant / Kendrick Duckworth / Joshua Francis Mosser
Radioactive lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group
COMMENTS ON PREVIOUS SELECTION – “Stairway to Heaven”
There are a number of unhelpful interpretations of the lyrics to “Stairway to Heaven” that have arisen over the years having to do with such topics as pagan religion or drugs or even Christianity itself.
Let’s avoid entering into this kind of debate and examine the lyrics as Jesus would have used them, which I think would have been similar to the intensions of the songwriters. We have introduced to us in the first line, a woman who is the personification of a greedy, materialistic, arrogant society that believes that everything, including a path to heaven, can be acquired with money alone.
The “West” is, in essence, the place where we can remove ourselves from the materialism of contemporary society and turn our attention to the unknown, to the stranger. Jesus would use the words as I think Robert Plant intended, as a guide to a spiritual journey to help improve ourselves and the people around us. Those who hesitate and are watchful (“Those who stand looking”), could be those who disapprove of this kind of journey because they are imprisoned in societal materialism, unable to look forward. But, just when we least expect it, we will be called to live in peace and harmony, at one with nature and each other (“And it’s whispered that soon, If we all call the tune / Then the piper will lead us to reason”).
Some claim, if listened in to reverse, the song supposedly contains a disturbing invocation of Satan. Let’s leave the rebuttal to Robert Plant himself: “To me it’s very sad, because ‘Stairway to Heaven’ was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that’s not my idea of making music.”
The “bustle in the hedgerow” represents our mind, confused by the possibility of this spiritual path, or perhaps simply unprepared for it. But if it’s true that you can find many ways to change yourself, then it is also true that you always have the opportunity to change your mind and take another path, i.e. repent. There are no destinies that have already been written; we are all free to make our decisions with full autonomy. Jesus always put responsibility for ourselves squarely in our own hands.
Our minds may be confused, but the sweet melody of the piper (the Holy Spirit?) is resounding in our heads, leading us towards spiritual perfection. Jesus wants people to know that the winds are changing, and it’s time that everyone realised that humanity can aspire to something better. At the bottom, the rough stairway to heaven, made of something tangible, is nevertheless floating in the air (“your stairway lies on the whispering wind”). It’s a path, but it’s fragile..
Jesus wants to remind us with this song, no matter how great our faults or our dark sides are, we will always have the chance to listen to and understand both those around us and ourselves. Materialism and individualism will be always present, ready to tempt us, presenting their way as the simplest and easiest one to follow (the ‘broad way’), but the choice relies on us.
According to Led Zeppelin, our calling is to realise the need to live together in harmony with our souls and with nature. (“When all are one and one is all / To be a rock and not to roll”). So Jesus would sing Stairway to Heaven as a message of solidarity and equality: Together, we can really change the world around us, and make God’s Kingdom a tangible reality for the world.