Mr.Brightside

Analysis of "Mr. Brightside"

Although love can be a truly wonderful thing, it can also leave a person feeling sad and lonely. Unreciprocated love can be followed by a period of self-doubt and a loss of hope. Luckily, we can all learn from past mistakes and over time, realize that there is always something out there to look forward to.

After spending a short time in the independent music world, The Killers reached mainstream recognition with the debut of their single, "Mr. Brightside". This narrative piece begins as a story of unrequited love that leads to a significant time of self-discovery. The lyrics behind this upbeat and electrically charged song reflect on a lost love and sheds light into different interpretations of a past relationship. Ironically, the musical approach to "Mr. Brightside" is in stark contrast to the lyrical content.

The opening lines," I'm coming out of my cage / And I've been doing just fine " set the scene and make it apparent that the song is of a retrospective nature. Before reflecting on this event, he is announcing the arrival of a new perspective and attitude on this situation. Continuing through the verse, the narrator tells his unfortunate story of falling hopelessly in love. This love is of a woman who, to his despair, is looking for nothing more than a one-night-stand. Although the lines," It started out with a kiss. /How did it end up like this" prove his unwillingness to give up on love, soon the narrator turns his self-pity into jealousy. This song reflects the artist's confessed jealousy by using lines such as "Now they're going to bed / And my stomach is sick / And it's all in my head." Now, take note of these last few lines and it will become clear that perhaps the narrator is overreacting or even seeing things that are not happening. Regardless of what is real, everything has made a significant impact on the storyteller's life. After all, love can make the head and heart do crazy things.

Perhaps the most significant portion of "Mr. Brightside" is the artistic chorus. A metaphor found in the chorus deals with the equivalent of being lost at sea. "Jealousy, turning saints into the sea. / Swimming through sick lullabies" are lines that establish the narrator's sense of loneliness and need for closure. He, in fact, sees himself as a decent man, or "saint", who is undeserving of this pain.