anonymous October 19th, 2007 02:18PM  
>> Coming out of my cage / And I've been doing just fine
>> Gotta gotta be down / Because I want it all

He is just starting to get over the situation, but still hurts, and he is about to tell the story...

>> It started out with a kiss / How did it end up like this?
>> It was only a kiss / It was only a kiss

This is how his girlfriend's affair started...and he wonders how it happened.

>> Now I'm falling asleep / And she's calling a cab
>> While he's having a smoke / And she's taking a drag
>> 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

he's up at night, having trouble sleeping, still thinking about the affair and painfully imagining what was going on, and it makes him sick because he can't stop thinking about it.

>> Let me go

this is him symbolically wishing these thoughts to go away, so he can move on

>> I just can't look / It's killing me / And taking control

he can't get the thoughts out of his mind

>> Jealousy / Turning saints into the sea
>> Swimming through sick lullabies / Choking on your alibis

He's jealous, and he is remembering all the excuses and alibis he was given during the affair

>> But it's just the price I pay / Destiny is calling me
>> Open up my eager eyes / Cause I'm Mr. Brightside

tho he's going through the pain and anguish, it was inevitable, she was not the one. He realizes this, and sees the opportunity. He is looking on the bright side.

anonymous October 19th, 2007 09:45PM  
I'm coming out of my cage
And I?ve been doing just fine(coming out of depression and he's doing "just fine")
Gotta gotta gotta be down (he's sad)
Because I want it all (he wants her as more than a friend)
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss(he has kissed her,wants more)
Now I?m falling asleep
And she?s calling a cab
While he?s having a smoke (the other guy)
And she?s taking a drag
Now they?re going to bed
And my stomach is sick (he can't take someone else taking her)
And it?s all in my head(he's imagining them together)
But she?s touching his?chest
Now, he takes off her dress (he's hating what he's imagining)
Now, let me go (stop making me think about her, let me forget her and let her be happy)

I just can?t look its killing me(stop making me think about her, let me forget her and let her be happy)
And taking control
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea (he wants the best for her, but he wants her as well)
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it?s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me(they must split paths, go their own ways)
Open up my eager eyes (help him look forward to the future and other possibilities)
?Cause I?m Mr Brightside(he's her friend who wants the best for her, and can't be her lover, she wants other men)

I never...
I never...
I never...

sophie123 October 23rd, 2007 05:36PM  
There's an English story about someone called Tim Brightside, Mr. Tim Brightside was an Englishman who came to America and fell in love with a prostitute. The prostitute promised to quit her job for Tim. Tragically, one night she meets with a client in a carriage, and she cheats on Brightside for her job. Mr. Brightside finds out, climbs to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, and commits suicide.

I think it's based on this.

anonymous October 29th, 2007 10:16PM  
This song is about a man who really loves or has feelings for a girl he knows but can't tell her. He imagines her with another man/boyfriend and it rips him apart because he wishes it was him she was with. no mater what he does he can't get the thought of her out of his head. jealousy is at the heart of this song. Its not a song to be taken literally, nor is it about murder. It's about a man's secret love for a girl.

anonymous November 18th, 2007 01:37AM  
Is there anyone else out there that thought it was
"jealousy turning sex into deceit" ? or am I the only one?

arrgh.

but anyway


I LOVE THE KILLERS [xox]

anonymous November 23rd, 2007 08:40AM  
Perhaps I am a little perverted but this is the story of your everyday cuckold.
He is trapped in his cage - mentally because he fancied seeing his girlfriend with another man, she finally did it and he got to watch. All the emotions he sings about are standard cuckold ones. He now regrets it because she obviously enjoyed it, but that is the life of the cuck - jealous but turned on by his unfaithful spouse.

xjennie91x December 9th, 2007 05:47PM  
First of all this song is great,

My interpretation of this song is that it's about a woman who is meant to entertain men but ends up falling for this 1 particular man (brandon). She's then stook in the middle and watching her with another man just kills him inside

anonymous February 10th, 2008 07:03PM  
If you really listen to the lyrics, he could be jealous of the girl, not the guy.

"I'm coming out of my cage..."
he's gay.

anonymous February 10th, 2008 09:15PM  
Okay to end this crap about who wrote this song take a glance at the cd. On the inside you can find who wrote what song. Flowers and Keuning wrote this according to that, not the cure.

anonymous February 13th, 2008 08:33PM  
I think that this song is about jealousy in a relationship, whether or not the singer has any reason to be jealous-"it's all in my head". The cure did not write this song. Dave Keuning, the lead guitarist for the killers, started to write it, and Brandon Flowers finished it. Also, if you take a look at the other video of this, you would know that it was a tribute to Moulin Rouge, Brandon's favorite movie. The song has nothing to do with prostitutes, only distrust in a relationship, causing the relationship to fail. It also shows how other people's opinions can effect a relationship-"they're taking control." and please stop bringing up Andy, Jenny and Natalie, okay?

anonymous February 26th, 2008 06:32PM  
This song is much deeper than you would think. By lyrics alone, it appears to be about some guy in love with a girl who is in love with someone else. BUT, the second music video (of three) plays this song out in a Moulin Rouge setting. This video makes everything clear.

The setting for this video is in what otherwise could be known as a "whore-house" (my apologies for any offenses and lack of political correctness). The infamous "girl" is one of these--we'll call them 'girls'--who work here. The main singer is the guy who supposedly isn't having any luck with this girl. When in all actuality they both are in love with each other. The other guy sang about in the song is actually the many men she is paid to "please". The master of this business catches the girl and lead singer of The Killers kissing and this accounts for the lyrics: "it was only a kiss...it was only a kiss". It ends up with The Lead Singer giving up on her and walking away; leaving her with her mess of a life.

anonymous February 28th, 2008 01:36PM  
I think it's about someone who is naive in a relationship and is just 'coming out of his cage', it is up to the girl he loves to teach him about jealousy as he has a fanatical dreamy view of love-hence 'mr brightside', it is up to the girl to 'open up his eager eyes' while his 'stomach is sick' from thinking about her infidelity after they have broken up-i.e 'he takes off her dress now'

anonymous February 29th, 2008 01:36PM  
Okay. It's about a guy who is il love with a girl and he kisses her and it all goes down the drain.

He tells her that he loves her, telling her his secret. (Coming out of my cage)He is coming out of his cage by being out in the open with his love, and if feels good. (And I've been doing just fine). "Gotta gotta be down Becaues I want it all" Means that he loves her and wants her but she doesn't love him so he feels sad. He kissed her but she didn't return the feelings (It was only a kiss, how did it end up like this) and ends up leaving because he offended her. He decides to go to bed.(Now I'm falling asleep) And she is leaving him (And she's calling a cab). The cab driver shares his cigarett with the girl and they hook up (while he's having a smoke, and she's taking a drag, now they're going to bed) He feels sick at the thought but its only his imagination and he knows it (And my stocmach is sick And it's all in my head). But even though he knows its just his imagination he can't stop dwelling on the thought. (But She's touching his chest Now, he takes off her dress). He just wants to forget about it (Now, let me go). But he can't forget and continues to dwell on it and he is quite distressed (I just can't look its killing me and taking controll)He feels jealous of anybody who might be with her and he feels as if he has lost some of his innocence and is going into the unknown (Jealousy, turning saints into the sea)

"Swimming through sick lullabies choking on your alibis" refers to how cheating is sick and lies don't come out well. He is paying the price for taking a risk and telling her that he loves her (But it's just the price I pay), but he has to move on (Destiny is calling me). And he opens his eys to return to the real world and get away from his imagination (Open up my eager eyes). The "Mr. Brightside" I think could be two things. It could be sarcastic, because he is obviously thinking of the worst case scenario, or it could be that he is leaving that behind and looking toward the future and things probably aren't as bad as he thinks. The "I never" part could be that he didn't think he did anything wrong, or that he never got anywhere. So, essentially, its a song about a guy who professes love to a girl who did not love him back. He kisses her and she gets offended and leaves in a cab. The boy imagines her hooking up with the cab driver, and later decides that he needs to move on.

anonymous March 22nd, 2008 06:45PM  
I can't actually believe that a lot of you can't see/work out that the title "mr brightside" is ironic. The song is about a PESSIMISTIC guy that imagines his girlfriend cheating on him. Its a declaration of his own paranoia, and the hate that he will never be "mr brightside"; he will always see the bad, or think the worst. He will never be happy as he destroys his relationships by presuming that everyone is cheating on him.

I can't work out if the "kiss" at the beginning is him having kissed a girl and then the paranoia kicks in, or him having seen his girlfriend kiss someone else, and he is desperately trying to convince himself it was "only a kiss". These sound like HER words to him, trying to reassure him that it didn't mean anything, but he assumes the worst. I like to think the second.

anonymous April 2nd, 2008 11:24PM  
I think he is reflecting on a relationship that he had. Hes coming out of his cage because he wants more. The relationship he is looking back on I think he was with a women and she was cheating on him, and he has a gut feeling it was going on. Then, he catches her, he sees him taking off her clothes, she's touching his chest, watches her call a cab etc. He feels sick and doesn't want to look, ...Its killing me and taking control..." It seems that he is very hurt and jealous and we they talked about it she chokes on her alibis. But that's what you have to pay in a relationship, destiny wants more and he has to move on. I think the part about eager eyes and being Mr. Brightside is sarcasm to help deal with the pain. I feel bad for him.

anonymous April 14th, 2008 09:15AM  
People have taken the song too literally.

There is a strong subliminal psychiatric theme

Refers to the behavioral/emotional disturbances of someone with a paranoid schizophrenic disorder.

"Cage" is metaphorical for the the mental torture/anguish and in "coming out" the protagonist is transiently released from this. During this window period he gains insight into life

elements of self denial of the disease "how did it end up like this" are soon forgotten amidst lustful imagination and a fall back into the life that led to his demise "gotta be down".

The female is a personification of paranoia. It has seduced him slowly , coming to get him by "calling a cab" ; she has changed his personality "turning saints into the sea".

The other male is the protagonist's alter-ego - one that is intrigued and welcoming of the auditory hallucinations and paranoia, not wanting to reject (but rather accepting) this state of abnormality.

The protagonist however is a realist; recognising the disease but uncontrollably accepts it has taken over is life. This is dramatised by the love scene which he observes (his symptoms) despite his disgust.

The voices continue however "swimming through sick lullabies" and the overwhelming rule of his unconscious is "the price I pay".

Mr Brightside is an ironic referral to his depressive personality and what he sees when he commits suicide "destiny is calling me"

anonymous April 25th, 2008 11:41AM  
I really don't think this song is about murder and it is NOT part of the murder trilogy. The trilogy is Jenny was a friend of mine(hot fuss), Midnight show(hot fuss), and Leave the bourbon on the shelf(sawdust). Also, it is NOT written by the cure whatever you say, username! This was the first song that the killers wrote and was made when there were only two people in the band.

anonymous May 25th, 2008 03:39PM  
I think that this song is about a guy (boyfriend or not) sees this girl and a guy kissing. He tries to convince himself that it ended there, but his imagination has him picturing the girl and guy doing other things, thus making him jealous just thinking about the idea. "mr. brightside" is a sarcastic title he gives himself because he is suspects the worst.
~CeCe

anonymous May 27th, 2008 10:25AM  
The main person whoever it may be is in love with a girl who maybe loves him back or maybe doesn't but for some reason she can't be with him and is with another man. In the video we see Brandon and a woman kissing but her also with a man who he gets angry with. It's possible this man and the other have a fight over the girl.

cataractbabe May 28th, 2008 10:22AM  
Well, I like to look at the music video for a reference to analize this song. If you watch, he seems to be looknig at the one girl (pale, white, puffy hair, and shher green dress. obviously the main girl) for most of the shots. and she seems to watch him from the corner of her eye. Every time he seems to look at her she goes and gets a guy to kiss and be lovey with. She seems ot be trying to get his attention or make him angry. but there are also the scenes where it cuts to him(the lead singer) and her alone. They seem to be having a love moment in these scenes.

This is what I make of it all:

i believe that that the girl I described above portrays jealousy. The green and paleness and how she always seems to have to be with one of the other guys. She strives to make the lead singer jealous as it seems.

i see everything as this:

the lead girl (jealousy) and the boy were or are together. He knows what she is doing with other men, but he doesn't say anything. jealousy believes that he doesn't care for her enough, so she is trying to make him jealous by flirting and kissing other men. before, his anger has gotten the boy into trouble, that's how the lyrics start.

I'm coming out of my cage (coming out of his restraint, what is keeping him locked up and angry with her)

And I’ve been doing just fine (hes doing well with everythnig)

Gotta gotta gotta be down

Because I want it all (he wants to be good with everything if he wants her back just for him. becase that is what he wants)

It started out with a kiss

How did it end up like this (it started out with her kissing 1 other guy, and him not saying anythnig. now it has turned into her going after every other man)

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now I’m falling asleep (hes remembering what he saw)

And she’s calling a cab

While he’s having a smoke

And she’s taking a drag

Now they’re going to bed (he was watchin her and this other man do these things, but she didn't know it. I always saw this as him watching them through a window or something)

And my stomach is sick

And it’s all in my head (hes just remembering it, it isn't really happening)

But she’s touching his—chest

Now, he takes off her dress

Now, let me go (he wants to be let free from the memory, the torture of watching her do that)



I just can’t look its killing me

And taking control (its taking over him and its ripping him apoart inside)

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea (hes jealous of the other men who are getting her affection, but he used to be a good man)

Swimming through sick lullabies (remembering everything that happend like a lullaby in his head)

Choking on your alibis (shes messing up all of her alibis for those nights. She is getting her story mixed up)

But it’s just the price I pay

Destiny is calling me (it is what he has to pay if he wants her, he has to go through this to get what he wants)

Open up my eager eyes

‘Cause I’m Mr Brightside (mr. brightside is like his diguise. He really isn't happy, but he shows that he is fine ot hide his emotion.)

I find it very helpfull if you watch his and her facial expressions throughout the video. at times he looks as if he is trying to convince himself that thinga arent so bad. This is just what I have pieced together. I think that there are some things missing and parts that are important to the meaning, but I can't decipher them. good luck for others wishing to though!!