Nick Chill Tom Sloane English 102 Song Analysis My Interpretation of Mr. Brightside Sexual jealousy is a powerful force.

It can spawn unjustified thoughts that are vivid enough to wreck the strongest relationships. It is a sign of insecurity and distrust and the more attention it receives, the more powerful it becomes. Almost anyone who has experienced a serious relationship can attest to the wickedness of this emotion. Jealousy is easily recognized, but describing it can be very difficult. However, this complex emotion is brilliantly explained by The Killers with their hit song, Mr. Brightside; a song that follows a mans internal struggle to maintain his own sanity while being overcome by sexual jealousy. In the intro of Mr. Brightside, lead vocalist Brandon Flowers sings, Im coming out of my cage/And Ive been doin just fine/ . . . gotta be down/Because I want it all. These opening lines introduce the narrators problem. The cage that Flowers refers to is a metaphor for the jealousy that he is attempting to escape. By stating that hes gotta be down/because [he] want[s] it all, he is accepting responsibility for this emotion because he is being too controlling in his relationship. In the second half of the first stanza, Flowers sings, It started out with a kiss/how did it end up like this? This line depicts the narrators disbelief that emotions could grow this strong from something as innocent as a kiss. The second verse begins with, Now Im falling asleep. This line is significant because it designates the next twelve lines as thoughts that are racing through the

narrators mind. These words are often ignored, causing the listener to misinterpret the coming events as being concrete rather than imaginary. The following twelve lines depict the narrators jealousy induced dream of his girlfriends infidelity. In a brief excerpt of the lyrics, Flowers sings: 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. These lines evoke sympathy from many listeners. The imagery formed is so vivid it is not difficult to feel the emotion of the narrator. Let me go, as sung by Flowers, is an obvious plea to his emotions to subside for the night so he can sleep in peace. The final stanza of the song is Flowers explanation of jealousy. His lyrics read as follows: Jealousy/Turning saints into the sea/Swimming through sick lullabies/Choking on your alibis. This part of the song serves as a metaphor for the power of jealousy and its ability to control its beholder. The narrator refers to himself as a saint trying to swim through these sick lullabies so he can rest. However, he cant because his insecurities are causing him to constantly question the legitimacy of his girlfriends alibis. The song concludes with an optimistic outlook on the situation. Flowers sings, But its just the price I pay/Destiny is calling me/Open up my eager eyes/Cause Im Mr. Brightside. He admits that jealousy is a part of love and he must face it in order to maintain his relationship. Their future is his destiny, and he must open his eyes so he can that

see the entire picture, not just the darkness of a single facet of their love. He finishes by calling himself Mr. Brightside, which is a self-testament to his optimism. As the song fades out, Flowers says, I never four times. These two words are highly debated by fans, but I personally believe he is saying I never thought that love could provoke such strong emotions. This is an incredible song because it so clearly exhibits the power of jealousy. Flowers uses such dark imagery to portray such a complex emotion, yet still manages to conclude optimistically. This song is applicable to an immense variety of listeners who must face their own internal demons. It is hard to dispute that The Killers have done a fantastic job in portraying such a negative aspect of life in such a positive manner.

Citations Lyrics can be found here:

http://artists.letssingit.com/mr-brightside-lyrics-mr-brightside-9w363tr

Video can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDX5Iv1sTQ