The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss
Song: Mr. Brightside
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Band
It’s amazing that despite living in the age of technology, things can take a wee bit of time to get across the big pond. Though born in Sin City, Las Vegas, The Killers were bred in the UK when they teamed up with the independent London-based label Lizard King. Chief songwriter Brandon Flowers (vocalist/keyboardist), David Keuning (guitarist), Mark Stomer (bassist), and Ronnie Vannucci (drummer) were just your average-Joes. But when they came together in 2000, they caught the attention of the other side of the world.
The Music
The Killers’ debut album, Hot Fuss, was released in June of 2004. As is becoming a trend, the album provides only a hint of a theme—relationships, infidelity, jealousy, and murder—but the rest is a pot-luck. While the album is free of profanity, it does deal with dark topics. “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine,” is about a guy who kills his girlfriend and tries to justify it. Bear in mind the very name of the band doesn’t imply flowers and candy. “Andy” is written from the worldview of stalker. Most of the songs contain sexual references, “Midnight Show” especially. “All These Things I’ve Done” shows a glimpse of spirituality and search for meaning, but doesn’t get very far.
The Song
Not only is “Mr. Brightside” the first song written by Flowers and Keuning, it’s also the springboard for the saga of love, betrayal, and death that was mentioned previously.
First the realization of betrayal—“Coming out of my cage/ And I’ve been doing just fine… It started out with a kiss/ How did it end up like this?” As the truth dawns on him, he “falls asleep” or zones out and lets his imagination take over. He envisions his girlfriend with another man and describes it all in play by play. The more he thinks about it, the more worked up he gets. “And my stomach is sick/ And it’s all in my head…And I just can’t look, it’s killing me/ And taking control.” The song ends with “Destiny is calling me/ Open up my eager eyes/ ‘Cuz I'm Mr. Brightside…” The last lines don’t make a lot of sense until they’re put in context by “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” in which he kills her.
Proverbs 27:4 says that “anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” It is one of the most powerful emotions we deal with. If it’s not controlled, it can be dangerous not only to ourselves, but to those around us.
Interestingly, it’s not very often that we talk about God’s jealousy. But God is described and even describes himself as a jealous God. “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). This can be confusing and some people might ask, “Why would God be jealous of me? Does He want to be human or something?” But God isn’t jealous of us, He is jealous for us.
Imagine that you just bought a car. You worked extra hours bagging groceries and saved up all your money for this car. It’s not the most beautiful car; in fact you bought it at a junk yard. But from the moment you saw it you absolutely had to have it. And now that it’s yours, you make sure it has everything it needs to run well. Now let’s say this car has a mind of its own. It decides that it likes your neighbor better than you and moves next door without so much as a good-bye. It gets worse—your neighbor is only eight years old. He can’t even tie his shoes much less drive, so your car sits in his driveway just waiting for him to turn sixteen. Understandably, you’d be pretty hurt. Why would your car want to hang out with a snotty nose kid who doesn’t know anything about cars? Why does the car like him better than you who has given it everything?
God is jealous for your love and affection. He created every inch of you just the way He wants you. And even more, He died for you before you were even born. He is the God of the universe and is rightfully jealous for the number one spot in your heart. Putting anyone or anything else there is called idolatry. The Bible warns us, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?” (James 4:4-5) Keeping God in first place is hard work, but it’s worth it because it means we have the kind of relationship God created us to have with him.
So What Do You Think?
1. What other groups would you compare The Killers to?
2. Do you think their British tendency is a result of time spent in the
UK or their own style (supposedly they wrote most of the songs before
heading to London)?
3. When’s the last time you were jealous of someone or thing? How
did you handle it?
4. God has the right to be jealous because He’s God. But is it
ever okay for us to be jealous?
5. In 2 Corinthians 11:2 Paul talks about a godly jealousy, but in 1
Corinthians 3:3 we’re told to get rid of any jealousy in our hearts.
What is the difference between these two types of jealousy?