Bones

Album: Mercury – Act 2 (2022)
Charted: 51 47
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Feeling like a boulder hurtling
    Seeing all the vultures circling
    Burning in the flames I'm working in
    Turning in a bed that's darkening


    Raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, frontman Dan Reynolds later described himself as a "non-Mormon" with spiritual rather than religious beliefs. The tragic loss to cancer in 2019 of his sister-in-law, Alisha Durtschi Reynolds, left him pondering mortality.

    "'Bones' is a reflection of my constant obsession with the finality and fragility of life," Reynolds said of the song. "I'm always in search of some evidence that will convince me that there is more to come – that life is truly eternal in some sense. Having yet to find that, I try to at least dream of what conquering death would feel like in a song."
  • Imagine Dragons released the mid-tempo rock-heavy track on March 11, 2022 as the first single from their sixth studio album, Mercury – Act 2.
  • Imagine Dragons wrote "Bones" with the song's producers, Mattman & Robin. The Swedish songwriting/production duo also helmed "Enemy," "My Life," and "Lonely" on their 2021 album Mercury – Act 1.
  • The Mercury – Act 1 track "Wrecked" also deals with mortality. Written by Reynolds shortly after the death of Alisha Durtschi Reynolds, it finds him hoping he and his beloved sister-in-law will be reunited in the afterlife.

Comments: 1

  • Bumblb from South DakotaI luv this song; but you need to get a wider variety of songs.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?