I Bet My Life
2014 single by Imagine Dragons
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"I Bet My Life" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. The track, written by band members Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon, was released as the lead single from their second studio album Smoke + Mirrors (2015) on October 27, 2014. The band's network debut performing the track occurred at the American Music Awards (2014), where they received the award for Favorite Alternative Artist.[3][4]
| "I Bet My Life" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by Imagine Dragons | ||||
| from the album Smoke + Mirrors | ||||
| Released | October 27, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | 2014 | |||
| Studio | Imagine Dragons Studio (Las Vegas, Nevada) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Imagine Dragons | |||
| Imagine Dragons singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I Bet My Life" on YouTube | ||||
Composition
Themes
Lead singer Dan Reynolds has stated that the song is about his relationship with his parents and explained that while "at times it's been strained and difficult... in the end, 'I Bet My Life' celebrates the bond that we still hold on to."[5]
Music video
On December 12, 2014, Imagine Dragons released the official music video for "I Bet My Life". The video was directed by Jodeb and features actors Dane DeHaan[6] and Alex Neustaedter.[7] Footage from the video featured in advertising by American automobile manufacturer Jeep at the American Music Awards, prior to the release of the video.[8]
Synopsis
The beginning and end of the video take place at the Salt River in Arizona. A car is shown driving to the river. The cast are the members of Imagine Dragons, and their relatives and friends. Somewhere else at the river, a boy in a shirt (DeHaan) and a boy in overalls (Neustaedter) are seen fighting at the waterbed. While walking away, Neustaedter eventually pushes DeHaan into the river and it is implied that DeHaan swims away, while the former stares in shock. DeHaan is pulled towards a dam, in which he is sucked in. He lands in a house, looks out the window, and sees that everything is underwater. He finds a bed and goes to sleep. The next morning, DeHaan wakes up in a sailboat and takes control of it. He tries unsuccessfully to avoid a waterfall, but ends up flying over the land in the boat after he goes over the waterfall. While looking over the boat, he decides to flip it over. He falls into a city, where a crowd is shown carrying him. They toss and turn him, until he realizes it was a vision and he was knocked unconscious in the dam. He is pulled back up to the surface by Neustaedter, and survives. The last shot of the video zooms out from the point where DeHaan is picked up, and the video ends.
Reception
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Bet My Life" | Imagine Dragons | 3:12 |
Remixes
Bastille, Alex Adair, Lost Kings, Imagine Dragons, and Riot Games have all released remixes.
Personnel
|
Imagine Dragons
|
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[48] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[49] | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[50] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[51] | Gold | 7,500* |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[52] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Spain (Promusicae)[53] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Sweden (GLF)[54] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[55] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[56] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Accolades
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Rock Song[57] | Nominated |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | October 27, 2014 | Digital download | [58] | |
| Canada | [59] | |||
| United States | [60] | |||
| Italy | Contemporary hit radio | Interscope Records | [61] | |
| United States | November 3, 2014 | Adult album alternative radio | [62] | |
| November 4, 2014 | Modern rock radio | [63] | ||
| January 27, 2015 | Contemporary hit radio | [64] | ||
| United Kingdom | February 8, 2015 | Digital download |
|
[65] |
