Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Radio Remix) by The Killers; Brandon Flowers; Dave Keuning; Mark Stoermer; Ronnie Vannucci (2024)

Coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss
Now I'm falling asleep

And she's calling a cab
While he's having a smoke
And she's taking a drag
Now they're going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head
But she's touching his chest now
He takes off her dress now
Let me go
And I just can't look, it's killing me
And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside

I'm coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
(It was only a kiss), it was only a kiss
Now I'm falling asleep
And she's calling a cab
While he's having a smoke
And she's taking a drag
Now they're going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head
But she's touching his chest now
He takes off her dress now
Let me go
'Cause I just can't look, it's killing me
And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibi
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside

I never
I never

I never
I never

The song Mr. Brightside by the American rock band The Killers starts with the lines "coming out of my cage, and I've been doing just fine" which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer has been in a relationship with a woman who has cheated on him, and he is grappling with feelings of jealousy, betrayal, and heartache. He wants it all, but he can't have it, and he is struggling to come to terms with what has happened. The lines "it started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this, it was only a kiss" convey a sense of nostalgia, regret, and confusion. The singer is trying to understand what went wrong and how things got so out of hand.

The chorus of the song, "jealousy, turning saints into the sea, swimming through sick lullabies, choking on your alibis, but it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me, open up my eager eyes 'cause I'm Mr. Brightside" brings out the underlying theme of the song. The singer is struggling with his jealousy and how it's eating him up inside. He is trying to overcome his jealousy, recognize his preconceptions about love, and move on in his life. The song's colloquial feel, narrative structure, and catchy melody have made it a classic of the indie rock genre.

Coming out of my cage
I am finally breaking free from my restraints and allowing myself to live my life.

And I've been doing just fine
I have been successful in carving out a happy life for myself despite past struggles.

Gotta gotta be down
I must remain humble and grounded in my pursuit of my goals.

Because I want it all
I am motivated by my desire to experience all possible aspects of life and achieve everything I dream of.

It started out with a kiss
My current situation began with a seemingly insignificant moment.

How did it end up like this?
I am confused and unsure about how my situation has spiraled out of control.

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss
The cause of my current pain is simply a fleeting moment, but the consequences are severe.

Now I'm falling asleep
Despite the adrenaline and stress of my situation, I am becoming mentally exhausted.

And she's calling a cab
My love interest is leaving the scene with someone else, probably to start a new romantic encounter.

While he's having a smoke
The person my love interest left with is casually enjoying a cigarette, seemingly unfazed by their actions.

And she's taking a drag
Even though my love interest has left with someone else, I cannot shake the mental image of her smoking a cigarette.

Now they're going to bed
My love interest and the person she left with are most likely sharing a bed, and my mind is tormented by this thought.

And my stomach is sick
My emotions are getting the best of me and causing physical symptoms of nausea and discomfort.

And it's all in my head
None of the scenarios I am imagining are actually happening, and my mental state is the cause of my pain.

But she's touching his chest now
In my mind, my love interest is being intimate with the person she left with, and this thought is unbearable.

He takes off her dress now
The imaginary scenario playing out in my head is becoming more vivid and detailed, making it harder to bear.

Let me go
I am begging my mind to release me from this tormenting mental state.

And I just can't look, it's killing me
The pain and mental anguish I am experiencing are causing me to avert my eyes and avoid the situation altogether.

And taking control
Despite my attempts to regain control of my thoughts, I feel as though this mental state is consuming me and taking over my life.

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
The powerful emotion of jealousy has the ability to change even the most virtuous individuals and make them act on their worst impulses.

Swimming through sick lullabies
Jealousy is a sickening and depressing mental state that forces one to constantly replay their fears and anxieties in their mind.

Choking on your alibis
The person I am jealous of is likely making excuses or coming up with justifications for their actions, making it harder for me to accept the situation.

But it's just the price I pay
The emotional toll and pain I am feeling are just the consequences of my choice to allow myself to love and be vulnerable.

Destiny is calling me
I feel as though my fate or some greater force is trying to send me a message or guide me towards a new path.

Open up my eager eyes
I am hoping to gain a new perspective or understanding of my situation by looking at it more closely and being receptive to new ideas.

'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside
Despite the challenges and pain I am experiencing, I choose to remain positive and hopeful, looking for the bright side in every situation.

I never
The repetition of this word is likely a lyric choice to emphasize a feeling of regret or missed opportunity.


Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brandon Flowers, Dave Brent Keuning, Mark August Stoermer, Ronnie Jr. Vannucci

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Radio Remix) by The Killers; Brandon Flowers; Dave Keuning; Mark Stoermer; Ronnie Vannucci (2024)

FAQs

Why is the song Mr Brightside so popular? ›

' Like nursery rhymes, the song contains a lot of repetition, allowing its lyrics, melody and iconic guitar riff to be memorised without even trying. The verse, pre-chorus and chorus are all repeated twice, so there are no new lyrical elements in the second half of the song.

What movie was Mr Brightside by the killers in? ›

Mr. Brightside appeared on the 2006 movie The Holiday's soundtrack. The song is played by character Amanda Woods, portrayed by Cameron Diaz, on a CD player, while she's yelling the lyrics along, to relieve stress and forget her boyfriend cheated on her. This song was also briefly played in the movie About Time.

What was Mr Brightside written about? ›

Lyrically, "Mr. Brightside" depicts a true story of Flowers' jealousy and paranoia when he walked into a bar in Las Vegas and found his girlfriend cheating on him. "I was asleep and I knew something was wrong," he said. "I have these instincts.

How much royalties did Mr Brightside get? ›

because The Killers' Mr Brightside, has become one of the UK's most popular songs. The 2004 single was streamed 26 million times last year, beating any other song released before 2010, according to music industry body the BPI. That's worth $150,000 (£115,000) in royalties.

Is Mr. Brightside based on a true story? ›

He's Mr. Brightside, after all. The story was based on Brandon's own experience when his first serious experience ended when he was just a 19-year-old lad in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was living with his sister at the time and was trying to avoid seeing his ex with another man.

Is The Killers band emo? ›

Musical style and influences

The Killers have been grouped with various genres, including alternative rock, indie rock, post-punk revival, new wave, heartland rock, pop rock, synth-pop, pop, glam rock, dance-rock, dance-pop, arena rock, and electronic rock.

What celebrity was in Mr. Brightside? ›

The second video also known as the US version was filmed in Los Angeles, California during November 2004. It stars Flowers, Izabella Miko, and Eric Roberts in a love triangle, occurring with...

Why do Mizzou fans sing Mr Brightside? ›

Brightside.” The now 19-year-old song, originally written to illustrate the feelings writer and lyricist Brandon Flowers had after discovering his girlfriend cheating at a bar in his native Las Vegas, has been adopted by students at the University of Missouri as the official song of hating Kansas Athletics (and no, don ...

Why do Michigan fans sing Mr Brightside? ›

“The purpose wasn't necessary to hype them up,” Kurt said about his reasoning behind selecting "Mr. Brightside." “We obviously have moments, specifically on defense, when we want to get them hype and get them loud, but we also want to create moments of fun and unity," he added.

Why do people love Mr Brightside on Reddit? ›

The lyrics are so beautiful and relatable. It almost felt like I could've wrote this exact lyrics. Being heartbroken is one of the worst things a person can experience. But this song shows that you can still become “Mr.

Why do I love Mr Brightside? ›

Despite its straightforward melody, Mr Brightside weaves a narrative through its lyrics, evoking emotions. While singability creates recognition, neuroscientists suggest that music featuring complexity or unpredictability triggers the brain's reward centres. This doesn't just have to be in lyrics.

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