"Cutthroat" is a song by American band

Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons are an American pop rock band formed in 2008, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band currently consists of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, and bassist Ben McKee. They first gained exposure with the release of ...

. The song was released through Michelle Imagine Dragons, Imagine Dragons, and Kidinakorner on March 12, 2021, as one of the double lead singles from their fifth studio album ''

Mercury – Act 1 ''Mercury – Act 1'' is the first half of the fifth studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, released on September 3, 2021, by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records in the United States. Imagine Dragons recorded the album in 2018 af ...

'' alongside its A-side " Follow You". It was written by band members

Dan Reynolds Daniel Coulter Reynolds (born July 14, 1987) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist and a founding member of the pop rock band Imagine Dragons, which formed in 2008. He is a recipient of the Songwriters Hall o ...

Wayne Sermon Daniel Wayne Sermon (born June 15, 1984) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead guitarist for the pop rock band Imagine Dragons. Early life Sermon was born on June 15, 1984, in American Fork, Utah, to parents ...

Ben McKee Benjamin Arthur McKee (born April 7, 1985) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is the bassist for the pop rock band Imagine Dragons. Early life McKee was raised in Forestville, California, and graduated from El Molino ...

, and

Daniel Platzman Daniel James Platzman (born September 28, 1986) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and composer. He is best known as the former drummer for the pop rock band Imagine Dragons. Early life Platzman was born on September 28, 1986 ...

and produced by

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (, ; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is a co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popularize hip hop by produci ...

Background and release

In early March 2021, the band started teasing towards the release by posting various teasers before announcing the songs on March 8. "Follow You" and "Cutthroat" mark the first solo releases from Imagine Dragons since their 2018 album, ''

Origins Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...

''.

Composition and lyrics

"Cutthroat" is a song about self-pity and frontman

' examining his own life. He describes the song's lyrics as "finding that I am beyond blessed and trying to rid myself of self-doubt and loathing." He also labeled it as the opposite, both sonically and thematically, of the song's A-side, " Follow You". The song also references Reynolds' Mormon ancestry, with the lyrics "since I was young my ancestry was marching martyrdom across the Radadadadumbla plains of Utah", and

Gethsemane Gethsemane ( ) is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, where, according to the four Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus Christ underwent the Agony in the Garden and was arrested before his crucifixion. The garden is ...

, Jesus' last prayer site before being arrested and crucified.

Music video

The music video stars

Olivia Munn Lisa Olivia Munn (born July 3, 1980) is an American actress. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming network G4, and on the series '' ...

and Adrian Martinez. In the video, Munn's character applies for a driving test at the DMV, spending much time waiting. She eventually starts her test with Martinez's character as her instructor. Because she fails the test, she drives out of the practice lot and into the desert where Martinez is kicked out of the car. She returns to the DMV to receive her license, it reading "Only one of us will make it out alive", the lyric in the chorus of the song. The music video was shot in Las Vegas and was directed by Matt Eastin.

Track listings and formats

* 7" vinyl/CD single/digital downloadPhysical releases for "Follow You/Cutthroat": * * # "Follow You"2:55 # "Cutthroat"2:49

Personnel

Credits adapted from

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...

. *

– vocals, songwriting *

– songwriting, piano, & synthesizer *

– songwriting & drums *

– songwriting & bass guitar *

Cory Henry Cory Alexander Henry (born February 27, 1987) is an American jazz organist, pianist, gospel musician, and producer. A former member of Snarky Puppy, Henry launched his solo artist career in 2018 with ''Art of Love'', his first independent re ...

- organs

Charts

Certifications

References

{{authority control 2021 singles 2021 songs Imagine Dragons songs Interscope Records singles Kidinakorner singles Songs written by Ben McKee Songs written by Daniel Platzman Songs written by Dan Reynolds (musician) Songs written by Wayne Sermon