People love Mr Brightside

monquixote

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

The tempo of Mr Brightside and When We Were Young is give or take the same.

Use somebody is 137 so slower but not a plodder.

darthed1981

stickyfiddle said:

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

I suspect When You Were Young also really loses something if your frontman/woman is not absolutely spectacular. Half of the Killers' best stuff only works so well because Flowers is so damn good.

That's a really good point.  A huge number of popular songs that would get a great reaction if you nail them need a damn good singer to do them right - most covers bands have a decent singer, but not in Flowers league.

Guitarists do have a horrible habit of thinking the kind of songs guitarists like are suitable for a general audience as well, no average punter gives a hairy fuck how many amps one got through to nail that "80s Clapton via Bonamassa via Meyer" tone - they all went to the bar when they realised the singer wasn't coming back in after eight bars and the guitarist was going to keep wanking on stage.

ICBM

Probably my least favourite Killers song, although Glamorous Indie Rock'n'Roll runs it a close second...

A long time ago when the Killers had only just become successful and I had only ever heard Mr. Brightside on the radio, a friend offered me a spare ticket to their gig at a fairly small venue on their first UK tour. I turned it down because I didn't think I liked them, and certainly not enough to spend that much. Shortly afterwards I heard the whole of the first album and realised what a mistake that was... of course the next time they toured it was stadiums and three times the price .

I still dislike that song though, I've always thought the only reason it's popular with drunken punters is the implied innuendo in the line "she's touching his... chest" after "my stomach is sick". Little things please addled minds.

darthed1981

ICBM said:

I still dislike that song though, I've always thought the only reason it's popular with drunken punters is the implied innuendo in the line "she's touching his... chest" after "my stomach is sick". Little things please addled minds.

You reckon?  I've always thought it was just the tune, it's just a good pop song isn't it?

Though I'd also say that what the song is about (the girl you're crazy about going home and shagging another bloke) is a pretty universal experience for most blokes.

thecolourbox

monquixote said:

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

The tempo of Mr Brightside and When We Were Young is give or take the same.

Use somebody is 137 so slower but not a plodder.

I'd consider Use Somebody to be half that bpm, because there's no way I'd want to be keeping a 137 beat going in my head. Then, at just less than 70bpm, it does indeed come under the guise of "plodder"

darthed1981 said:

ICBM said:

I still dislike that song though, I've always thought the only reason it's popular with drunken punters is the implied innuendo in the line "she's touching his... chest" after "my stomach is sick". Little things please addled minds.

You reckon?  I've always thought it was just the tune, it's just a good pop song isn't it?

Though I'd also say that what the song is about (the girl you're crazy about going home and shagging another bloke) is a pretty universal experience for most blokes.

I'd never in a million years have guessed that's what the song was about from listening to it, having just read the lyrics I can kind of see it may have been influenced by that but I still would not have come up with that meaning if I'd just read them by myself

monquixote

thecolourbox said:

monquixote said:

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

The tempo of Mr Brightside and When We Were Young is give or take the same.

Use somebody is 137 so slower but not a plodder.

I'd consider Use Somebody to be half that bpm, because there's no way I'd want to be keeping a 137 beat going in my head. Then, at just less than 70bpm, it does indeed come under the guise of "plodder"

Yeah I can see that, the verses especially have a half time feel.

Lebarque

Mr Brightside v Sex on fire. What gets the best reaction? 

FWIW 'Smile like you mean it' is my favourite Killers song. Great keyboards.

bbill335

stickyfiddle said:

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

I suspect When You Were Young also really loses something if your frontman/woman is not absolutely spectacular. Half of the Killers' best stuff only works so well because Flowers is so damn good.

are you joking me? that shouty mormon white boy? that's the high water mark for frontpersons these days?

stickyfiddle

bbill335 said:

stickyfiddle said:

ChrisCox1994 said:

people love somebody told me, its a bit synthy, but in a decent 2 guitar band it can be done well.

Problem with When we were young and Use Somebody is theyre a bit down tempo compared to the bigger hits IMO people respond to tempo and a strong 4/4 beat no matter what

I suspect When You Were Young also really loses something if your frontman/woman is not absolutely spectacular. Half of the Killers' best stuff only works so well because Flowers is so damn good.

are you joking me? that shouty mormon white boy? that's the high water mark for frontpersons these days?

Thus spake the man who's never seen a Killers gig... I'm not just talking about singing

bbill335

saw them play on tv a few times back when they were inescapable, never liked the songs enough to go to a gig. i have, however, witnessed the power of a sloppy pubrock brightside firsthand, birthed from my own fingers. it is a mystery to me as well.

it's not too tough to play - i remember employing a capo, maybe we transposed it? - which is perhaps the reason these 21st century bland radio rock anthems penetrate so deeply the collective consciousness of people who were really too old to be the target demo upon release.

darthed1981

thecolourbox said:

darthed1981 said:

ICBM said:

I still dislike that song though, I've always thought the only reason it's popular with drunken punters is the implied innuendo in the line "she's touching his... chest" after "my stomach is sick". Little things please addled minds.

You reckon?  I've always thought it was just the tune, it's just a good pop song isn't it?

Though I'd also say that what the song is about (the girl you're crazy about going home and shagging another bloke) is a pretty universal experience for most blokes.

I'd never in a million years have guessed that's what the song was about from listening to it, having just read the lyrics I can kind of see it may have been influenced by that but I still would not have come up with that meaning if I'd just read them by myself

It's what the song was written about by the band, but of course it can mean whatever one wants to whoever is listening to it.  It is art, although just a pop song

EricTheWeary

MrsTheWeary asked what songs would she know by The Killers and I said Mr Brightside, but she didn't know that. I recognised most of the set which surprised me. 
Trying to watch live music with MrsTheWeary has become a bit tortuous, I need an alternate gig buddy. Or go by myself with a big camera so I look like I'm doing something meaningful (whilst crying on the inside). 

EricTheWeary

And on a contrary note this afternoon I've realised that covering I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness is probably a bad idea unless you want to hilight your singer's limitations. 

thecolourbox

EricTheWeary said:

MrsTheWeary asked what songs would she know by The Killers and I said Mr Brightside, but she didn't know that. I recognised most of the set which surprised me. 
Trying to watch live music with MrsTheWeary has become a bit tortuous, I need an alternate gig buddy. Or go by myself with a big camera so I look like I'm doing something meaningful (whilst crying on the inside). 

I gave that as an example once to my mom and she said....ohhh yeah I know that one, Mr brightside please tell us why we had to hide away for soooo long soooooo long.

I think I just said, yeah that's the one

Stratavarious

Hahhh... Mr B was our encore number at a festival gig this afternoon.  

Unashamed tune whores.

Musicwolf

Stratavarious said:

Unashamed tune whores.

Before anyone else gets in, I'm claiming that as the name for my next band

Danny1969

The drums in Use Somebody are pretty spectacular but I've never seen a drummer in a pub band play the right pattern in the chorus. He plays some great off beat hits and accents but most cover band drummers just play it straight. Really annoying and totally ruins the song for me. 

I like Flowers vocal and presence but he is a bit monotone and range lacking, hence the Eb tuning. He can certainly hold a crowd though.  

Blueingreen

Sometimes a song just transcends its context. I’ve no interest in The Killers, just not my thing, but I do think that song is terrific.

hollywoodrox

I couldn’t even tell you how it goes , well under my radar 

darthed1981

hollywoodrox said:

I couldn’t even tell you how it goes , well under my radar 

Like this...

https://open.spotify.com/track/003vvx7Niy0yvhvHt4a68B?si=03c76815581242cb