A Perfect Song Episode 1 - The Killers

[@Podus81]

One of my favorites.

[@fhkimura]

Hey Jon, nice video. It's nice that you feel the emotion from the music even without knowing the background history from the real life characters. I think that this is the magic of Brandon/Killers lyrics. Here is some information from real life and the relations to the lyrics, I hope you enjoy it. I saved this text from a fans website long time ago: In less than four minutes of lyrics, Brandon Flowers tells the story of his parents from the time they met in a trailer park in 1961 up to when the song was written in 2008. I think that is amazing. “A dustland fairytale beginning just another white trash county kiss .” - He describes the background of his parents in ten words. Most writers would need half a page. “. . .in ’61, long brown hair and foolish eyes.” - His mom was a good Mormon girl. “Some kind of slick chrome American prince .” - His dad was a wild Catholic boy. “Saw Cinderella in a party dress but she was looking for a nightgown” - The song jumps up to 2008, but does not explain why. “Change came in disguise of revelation, set his soul on fire.” - After years of marriage, his father suddenly quit drinking and smoking and joined the Mormon church. “She says she always knew he’d come around.” - She knew he would change. “The mind is poison Castles in the sky sit stranded, vandalized, A drawbridge is closin’” - Jumping back to the earlier 2008 reference, his mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. “Saw Cinderella in a party dress But she was looking for a nightgown I saw the devil wrapping up his hands He’s getting ready for the showdown” - The chorus makes sense, now. His mother is wearing out and getting ready to die. “Now Cinderella, don’t you go to sleep It’s such a bitter form of refuge” - But he cannot accept that, yet. “Oh, don’t you know, the kingdom’s under siege, And everybody needs you” - She was the glue who held the family together, and they still need her. “Is there still magic in the midnight sun Or did you leave it back in ’61? In the cadence of a young man’s eyes I wouldn’t dream so high” - The desperation of the situation comes through in they lyrics and in his voice. - His mother responded to her treatments. She lived another two years, passing away in 2010. - That year, The Killers took a break. Brandon Flowers decided to record a solo album. One of the bonus tracks is the story of his father - The Clock Was a Tickin’ That's it. A masterpiece. A poem.

[@EdgetoneStudios]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing all that. I must agree, that even without this background info, I could imagine a full story of these characters' lives and how it felt/seemed. Such is the magic of early The Killers lyrics. I'm glad I didn't know these details before becoming intimate with the song. Day & Age is probably my favourite The Killers album, but I love songs right through their catalogue. Do you agree that The Killers lyrics became a lot more basic and less poetic, starting around Battle Born? My daughter and I referred to it as the "soccer mom" album, as we felt that's who would relate to songs like "Here with me".

[@AndersWoodland]

This was AWESOMEEEE. I forget how great this song is. I think when it came out, I didn't connect to it as much because I was a teenager and it seems to incorporate themes of ageing, etc, that I couldn't quite get? It's wild though because Brandon Flowers is only 10 years older than me which means he was about 25 when he wrote this!!! And now that I'm almost 10 years older than THAT, the lyrics feel way more poignant. AHHHHH. It's so good. Love that you made this, Dad! Who knew that when I made you that burned Killers mix back when I was a teenager to try to convince you to like my then-favourite band, it would lead to a video like this? Haha!

[@EdgetoneStudios]

Yup, who knew. I had no clue when first listening to that mix CD that The Killers would become one of my favourite bands.

[@Podus81]

The live version on Letterman is amazing

[@EdgetoneStudios]

@@Podus81 I'll see if I can find it.

[@Podus81]

​@@EdgetoneStudios Youll find it easily, and you may cry. Lol