How The Killers made Mr Brightside, one of the most enduring rock songs of all time
I know this song has been discussed on here before but I don't remember as detailed a story on its origin.
It's a long read but I think it's worth it. No mention of UM from what I can see.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
Yup, stick to on topic stuff like sweet caroline and Journey singing about "born and raised in south detroit.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
South Detroit? More like Windsor, eh?
October 4th, 2023 at 8:36 AM ^
I always thought South Detroit was Toledo.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
I don't know whether it addresses the football/sports/energizing part or not, but "Destiny is calling me" seems pretty appropriate for this football team for the past couple of years.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:22 PM ^
except the destiny in this song is getting cucked . . .
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:10 PM ^
Seems like you're very invested in this fictional relationship
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:07 PM ^
There's no such thing as family friendly anymore.
Imagine their surprise when I explained what "skeet, skeet, skeet", "magic stick", and "bend over to the front and touch ya toes", meant to an elementary school PTA meeting.
All songs that were played by a DJ at a school dance. They wanted to hire the same guy for a different event because he did such a great job.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
Brian was absolutely right if you had to explain those lyrics at a PTA meeting. People in charge of things are just in charge of them. For no reason.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^
I was watching my niece’s dance recital in Brighton some years ago, and the kindergarten boys dance squad came out and did a routine for Soulja Boy. I lold and explained to my brother and dad what the song was about. They flat out didn’t believe me. Hey, I tried…
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
I agree. Not because I object to the lyrics, I just think the song blows.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
To borrow from the parlance of our times, I find the tradition to be very cringe.
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
Personally, I think it's a dumb song but the kids like it and it's cool to hear 110,000 people sing pretty much anything so....
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
Lyrical content is the dumbest reason to clutch your pearls; like Sweet Caroline or Don't Stop Believing or Seven Nation Army or Zombie Nation or Jump Around are relevant to sports?
"I'll serve your ass like John McEnroe
If your girl steps up, I'm smackin' the ho"
^ a lyrical selection from "Jump Around"
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:23 PM ^
those songs are also not about getting cucked
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:57 PM ^
You're a dork.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:32 PM ^
Curious as to how many hoes have been smacked at Wisconsin since the inception of this tradition. An FOIA may be in order. Lol.. imagine them playing this verse and everyone singing along... "I'll serve your ass like John McEnroe" then cut the music like M does for an a Cappella by the students of "if your girl steps up I'm smackin the hoe"... that'd be awesome
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
I would much prefer ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Well, the whole stadium sings it except for you and it's still better than sweet caroline. And I am an old geezer. And it's a lot better than that Journey song that talks about Windsor ontario.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
Traditions aren’t made based on your opinion.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
Wanting something to do with football/sports is how we got "In the Big House" by Pop Evil! Is that realllllly what you want to hear???
October 3rd, 2023 at 4:08 PM ^
Better than a fucking Perry Como song
October 3rd, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
100% agree. Michigan has real traditions. To me, this is more similar to Wisconsin's 'tradition" of Jump Around than to any of Michigan's real, longstanding traditions.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
Oh no!
Anyway...
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
But no song played In The Big House has anything to do with sports except for one a few years back.
They should play Money by Pink Floyd. They say the word football.
October 3rd, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
I mean, yeah, fuck fun for students. Make sure the crotchety alums don’t get the vapors from a song that includes a lyric about someone taking off a dress. Blaming this take on your age is an insult to old people— some of them still enjoy this new fangled “rock n roll” stuff.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:39 AM ^
Can someone explain to me how this became a thing? Because its only become a thing in the last few years and honestly kind of feels like we ripped off "Jump" from Wisconsin.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
It's right there in the sub-heading: "‘And I just can’t look, it’s killing me,’ is the bellowed refrain that closes everything from weddings to student nights."
This isn't something that is just done for football. It has become part of cultural mainstream, like Neil Diamond, "Piano Man", or any of those other songs that everyone knows and gets played when there are large groups of people.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
I was at the game when it started. The stadium played Mr. Brightside over the speakers at some break in play and the students started singing along. Play resumed right about when the chorus started and the students just kept singing, with some of the rest of the stadium joining in.
In the next game, they played Mr. Brightside again, but this time cut off the music right before the chorus even when play wasn't about to resume, and the students again just kept singing.
It was a totally organic moment that the university embraced. As soon as people stop singing along, it'll die.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:07 AM ^
I just can't look, it's killing me is Ryan Day's halftime interview at the Michigan game.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:35 AM ^
He's tougher than that...
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
As soon as people stop singing along, it'll die.
When that happens, we get to turn to this:
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
That’s a great story.
I also had read it was first played in 2016 when the song was already popular on campus. Supposedly, the story said, kids liked it because everyone can relate to being cheated on.
The music of the song also has a great emotional build to it.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:24 PM ^
because this song is really depressing and sad, and we were really bad at football when this thing started. makes no sense to keep playing it in a year we aren't talking about whether this is the worst Michigan football team ever.
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:00 PM ^
Well you are certainly not a Mr Brightside today now are ya?
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
I don't like it. I would like them to play another song instead.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
Might I suggest the entrance music for The Midnight Express, one of the greatest tag teams ever!!
October 3rd, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
How about
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:48 AM ^
it was pretty cool under the lights, when rain was coming down in buckets (not cool that we were getting beat by a sub-par 'lil bro team) and the entire stadium was singing it....
it was also my youngest's first game in the Bighouse, very memorable for him.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
As an A&R person at the time, I was thinking to myself when I heard it, okay, Kings Of Leon, The Strokes, The White Stripes have all paved the road for this band to drive their Mack truck down it, because as much I love those other bands, they just didn’t have a song like this.
I don't know, man. I'd say the Strokes and the White Stripes each have about five or ten songs way better than anything the Killers ever came up with. But I'm not a music industry professional so perhaps there's something I'm missing with that.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
I was so so on them too .... until my gf dragged me to a live Killers show in Detroit. Absolutely floored me how powerful and explosive they were and the audience was almost raptured on pretty much every song.
IMO, if you can't get a kick out of how much the students enjoy it, stay home and watch on TV.
October 3rd, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
Oh, I am totally cool with Mr. Brightside at the stadium. I just found that quote surprising.
I haven’t seen the Killers live but if they came to Richmond I would definitely buy a ticket.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
To me, Mr. Brightside originated somewhat organically/ironically when there wasn’t a whole lot of “Brightside” to the football program. It had its moment but I think the moment has passed.
I am a little sick of efforts being made to make the Michigan Stadium experience something else or more like everything else. It has never been like anything else and that was always the point.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
The darkest days certainly seem to be behind the program; however, there is something about that song which provides an opportunity to reflect on the "bright" in the program today - and, having endured and survived that unfortunate period which preceded where things are today.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
Have The Killers ever been invited to Michigan Stadium? It would be so boss if they trotted them out to midfield between the third and fourth quarters of the Michigan-Ohio State game (with a curtain call, of course, after we're done curb-stomping the Bucks again.)
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
I was hoping they might come out for the UNLV game this year given their Las Vegas roots
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
I am of the STRONG opinion that we need more acapella in the stadium. So many commercial breaks. So much idiotic music being pumped in. The student section should serenade us with quarterly songs of heartbreak. To Mr. Brightside I would add Is She Really Going Out with Him?, Jesse's Girl, and My Best Friend's Girl.
MGoBlog leadership should make this a priority!
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
So much idiotic music being pumped in.
agreed...but we already have greatest house band in the world, and it's right there.