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 10:25 AM ^
I'm still of the opinion that this shouldn't be a tradition sung in the stadium at the games. Not to be that guy, but the lyrics don't have anything to do with football/sports/energizing. And I'd say not family friendly either.
But whatever, maybe I'm just old and I want you to get off my lawn.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:28 AM ^
It's getting annoying that they keep trying to prop it up and force it with light shows etc. Just play the song and let them sing.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
All you old geezers, and I'm no spring chicken myself, need to remind yourselves that the most important people in the stadium for a college football game are the current students. I believed that when I was on campus a million years ago and I believe it now. And the kids seem to have fun singing that song.
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
Incorrect, it's the players.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^
Uh… what?
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
The players are students, and they are in the stadium.
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:52 PM ^
My wife and I are in our mid-late 40s and our kids are teenagers. My wife hates it but both of my boys absolutely love singing along to this song at games. I hated it but now I kinda think it's fun, so I've come around.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:01 PM ^
I want everyone to start singing "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance. As the father of a teenager, I will be very happy to sing that "teenagers scare the living shit outta me".
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:19 PM ^
Agreed. It's a student thing. Part of a shared experience. I'm bordering on ancient and have zero problem with the singing of the song at the games.
Also, I remember singing hymns for the refs at games back in antediluvian times:
"Him, him...fuck him."
October 4th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Another old guy. Unfamiliar with the song until hearing it at a game. Hearing the students continue singing a cappella after the game resumed on TV was awesome .
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:32 AM ^
It doesn't fit, I don't understand it at all.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
It’s like “fetch,” only people are doing a better job making it happen.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
Can you explain to me how it is "not family friendly"?
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
Because rock n roll is the devil
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:51 AM ^
"just the price I pay" we need to teach our children better fiscal responsibility.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:16 PM ^
For my son's 12th birthday I told him what his share of the national debt was.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
Little known fact, but the words are actually, "Coming out of Nic Cage" and any mention of Nic Cage is not safe for the children.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
cigarettes, taking the dress off, it's not a family friendly song at all, it's about watching your girlfriend make out with another guy on their way to having sex. what part of it is family friendly?
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:08 PM ^
They play Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love in elevators now. Not exactly a family song if you listen to the lyrics. But family friendly standards are different than what they used to be.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
cigarettes, taking the dress off, it's not a family friendly song at all, it's about watching your girlfriend make out with another guy on their way to having sex. what part of it is family friendly?
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
Well my pearls are fully clutched.
Maybe we can start a petition to have something by Mercy Me play instead
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:23 PM ^
Or Josh Groban.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:48 PM ^
Read the lyrics
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:49 AM ^
What does thunder struck have to do with football? Or jump around? Or seven nation army? Or enter sandman?
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
"football/sports/energizing"
OP mentioned energizing, so for most people that would include Jump Around.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
Enter Sandman has one of the best night time lullaby's that kids need to hear. It will help them get over their internal fears...
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
Sloopy, Sweet Caroline
October 3rd, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
Sloopy is Ohio State's song.. -1
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Exactly. What does Sweet Caroline have to do with baseball? (Maybe it does, I’m not real familiar with the lyrics.) Commercial breaks are boring. If the fans can latch onto something that alleviates the tedium, more power to them.
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:38 PM ^
Or a fucking Perry Como song.
October 3rd, 2023 at 6:53 PM ^
a Perry Como fucking song
October 4th, 2023 at 10:12 PM ^
Somebody has to say it: Enter Sandman in no way makes me sleepy or ready for beddy. Tf, Metallica?
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:54 AM ^
I don't like how they keep trying to force it with light shows and everything, but I'm all for the university embracing and allowing organically occurring traditions to continue. It started spontaneously, and spontaneous traditions are always fun, even if (and sometimes especially if) they're weirdly incongruent with what's happening on the field.
October 3rd, 2023 at 10:54 AM ^
I generally agree and yet it's a million times better than Sweet Caroline, which is what they played at all the games when I was in school
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
I remember when Sweet Caroline was sung. That was awful - I never understood why the students liked it so much...
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
It's popular because as a group everyone can easily yell SWEET CAROLINE DUN DUN DUN
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:21 PM ^
Ahem. It's "bah, bah, bah."
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Also: "So good! So good! So good!"
October 3rd, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
Many people who didn't have the pleasure of having his Dad play this song at home on vinyl in the '70s don't realize that the whole "So good! So good" verse is not in the actual Neil Diamond song.
October 3rd, 2023 at 5:47 PM ^
"Go Blue!" isn't part of The Victors but we say it at the end of the song anyway.
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
The next person who plays "We are the Champions" at any sporting event, for any reason, should hanged by the neck until dead.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
You don't think JJ isn't opening his Eager Eyes when looking downfield?
October 3rd, 2023 at 2:21 PM ^
based on the song premise that would be after throwing a duck about to be intercepted
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
I think its cool the fans/stadium has that tradition of singing a song every game but I hate that song for the reason you mentioned. The lyrics have nothing to do with the team. Everybody singing "touching his chest" and "takes off her dress" doesnt do it for me no matter how many people are singing along.
To me it will always be a teenie bop song that just sucks a lot of ryan day toughness out of the stadium.
October 3rd, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
There are a lot of other songs about sex where the lyrics as written literally are about something else. Most songs are about sex
With Mr Brightside, the more universal story is about how a new relationship can start out magical until one day something happens that makes it all come crashing down and you have to look at the bright side.
That same exact story is the story of the Michigan Wolverines for the last 20 years up until 2021. That same feeling gets played out every week on Saturday. That is the connection. Plus its a great song with a great build.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:04 AM ^
I guess a song that talks about the initiation of sexual relations is not the epitome of family friendly, but it's not exactly "Killing in the Name of" either. (Though if M played that I would be 100% on board).
October 3rd, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
I heard that song on the radio and couldn’t help myself. I had to sing along. The other drivers must’ve thought I was having convulsions. I don’t care. Their lead singer got more out of an, “Uh!” than anyone else ever has.
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:19 AM ^
Yea I've never heard of the song until they started forcing us to like it
October 3rd, 2023 at 11:20 AM ^
If you are a traditionalist, I suggest all Sousa all the time.