What does Mr Brightside mean?

The Killers: Mr Brightside Meaning

Album cover for Mr Brightside album cover

Song Released: 2003


Mr Brightside Lyrics

I'm coming out of my cage
And I’ve been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now I’m falling asleep
And she’s calling a...

  1. anonymous
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    Sep 18th 2009 !⃝

    Coming out of my cage,
    And I'm doing just fine,

    --Being released from a mental institution, as his illness is under control, aided by medication that stops him from getting high's, which causes infatuation. He suffers from a form of bipolar disease. He has more than one side...One of the sides he labels Mr. Brightside.

    Gotta gotta gotta be down,
    Because I want it all,

    --He has to keep taking his medication that keeps him from getting on a high, as this is when he infatuations for things kick in and control his life. The medication keeps him on a low. He wants all that his freind has:The girl of his dreams and a family with her.

    It started out with a kiss,
    How did it end up like this,
    It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss.

    --On his release from hospital, he has met his best friend that kissed the girl of his dreams at a nightclub. They are happy together and they are now living as a couple and have children. How could a simple kiss have lead to all this, afterall it was only a kiss

    Now I'm falling asleep,
    And she's calling a cab,

    --He has spent some time with the two of them and doesn't want to go home, but the girl thinks 3's a crowd and wants to get rid of him, so she calls him a cab.

    While he's having a smoke,
    And she's taking a drag,

    --They are waiting for the taxi to arrive and the couple are acting like a proper couple, sharing things...the cigarette.

    Now the're going to bed,
    and my stomach is sick,
    and its all in my head,

    --He is in the cab on the way home, and imagining what the couple are getting up to. These thoughts are making him feel sick

    But she's touching his chest,
    now he takes off her dress,
    now let me go,

    --He has visions of them making love, and wants to be released from these thoughts and visions

    And I just can't look its killing me,
    And taking control

    --Thinking about them is controling his every thought and move, and he imagines them making love with each waking thought, and he can't cope.

    Jealousy, turning saints into the sea,
    Swimming through sick lullabies,
    Choking on your alibis,

    --He is jealous of all that his friend has, and decides to commit suicide by drowning himself. He thinks of himself as a better person than his friend, almost saintly, perfect, Mr. Brightside. His friend must have done bad things in the past yet he has it all, the girl, the family. Jealousy is also a mortal sin. While drowning in the water himself he hears the lullabies that they sing to their kids, and he hears the excuses that his friend gives him about his familly coming first. Hearing the lullabies reminds him of the times his friend & the girl made love to produce these children, and these thoughts make him sick.

    But its just the price I pay,
    Destiny is calling me,
    Open up my eager eyes,
    Cause I'm Mr. Brightside

    --Death is the price he pays for being jealous of his friend, and death/hell is his destiny. Being guilty of the mortal sin jealousy means he is going to/through hell.
    He is dead now and his eager eyes are closed. But his alter ego questions how they can be closed, as he is Mr. Brightside.

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 10th 2009 !⃝

    I Never...
    I Never!
    I Never
    I Never!!!

    The guy had a hard lesson to learn, it seems he will never get the one he wanted or loved. But it's only a song, thankfully

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 9th 2009 !⃝

    I think its about eggs that are waiting to be hatched. when he says Mr. Brightside he is obviously talking about the yellow part of the yolk which is brighter than the rest and wanting to get out. "coming out of my cage" and "gotta gotta get out" is referencing the yolk needing to get out of the shell. when he says "I just cant look its killing me" and "jealousy" its about the egg yolk seeing the other eggs hatching and envying them. no one else has thought of this meaning but to me it was obvious.

  4. anonymous
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    Aug 25th 2009 !⃝

    It's about that pit of jealousy in your stomach, plain and simple. When you know someone you love is with somebody else, and the intense pain and jealousy that it causes.

  5. anonymous
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    Aug 21st 2009 !⃝

    My interpretation is that this guy is either a cuckold or she is a Hotwife.

    There is a rollercoaster of emotions that goes along with either of these types of play, including jealousy. I believe he knows his woman is out and is accepting it, but there still is a whole lot of thoughts,i.e. "he's taking off her dress now", "She's touching his chest now." and emotions.

    I'm speaking from experience!

  6. anonymous
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    Aug 20th 2009 !⃝

    Contrary to what the top interpretation says, Mr. Brightside is really an old Englishman who was in love with a prostitute. She promised him she would give up her prostitution to be with him, but then he catches her with another man. That's what the song is about.

  7. adampayne
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    Aug 10th 2009 !⃝

    I feel the meaning of this song is given away in the title to a certain extent. The term ‘Mr. Brightside’ is describing a male character who tries to find the positive side of every difficult situation, he aims to seek the benefits of emotionally-damaging events and use them to help him move forward in life. This song describes this mentality and how it is applied to his love life. Firstly, “coming out of my cage” could describe how this man has escaped from the emotional chains of a failed past relationship- his isolation and loneliness caused by this bad experience has been washed away and he is ready to move on and escape the ‘cage’. “I’ve been doing just fine, gotta gotta be down, I want it all” tells us he is eager, confident and ready to find new love. “I want it all” states he wants a girl and a long-lasting, successful relationship, and that he feels confident enough to find this. However, the song then opens up a new chapter of this mans love life. “It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?” could be describing how a small kiss that this man interpreted as being meaningless and insignificant has come back to haunt him, and has transformed into yet another romantic travesty, a failed relationship. “And their going to bed, and my stomach is sick, and its all in my head but she’s touching his chest now, he takes off her chest now, let me go”, is describing how this man’s partner is cheating on him behind his back. “My stomach is sick” tells us how distraught and sickened this man is by the thought of his partner being involved with another man. “Let me go” is a lyric of great importance, it sums up how this man is trapped by the love and promise that his partner promises, but is begging to be let go from the heartbreak and disappointment that she is caused. “And I just can’t look, its killing me, and taking control” continues to suggest how this situation is controlling this mans life and making it a living hell. “Jealousy, turning saints into the sea” describes this mans jealousy towards the situation, he is jealous that his partner has been took away from him and he powerless to what she decides to do behind his back. “Swimming through sick lullabies, and choking on your alibis”, describes how his partner has tried to rescue their relationship by telling lies and producing untrue stories to excuse her untrustworthy behaviour, however “choking” tells us they are not working, she is digging herself into a deeper hole. “But it’s just the price I pay, destiny is calling me” highlights the vicious circle this man is trapped in. His eagerness and willingness to be open-minded and continue looking for love has once again backfired and proven to do nothing but break his heart and disappoint him. “Open up my eager eyes, because I’m Mr. Brightside” concludes the song by repeating the meaning of the beginning of the song. This man shall put the events of the past behind him, and continue to live on and find new love.

  8. xXxTracexXx
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    Jul 25th 2009 !⃝

    Brandon Flowers wrote it about a girl who cheated on him, he was heartbroken and though she was the one untill he got married to his wife
    I personaly love this song and it helped my best friend get through a cheating boyfriend
    "I never" repeated over and over i think means he would never cheat on her
    Jelousy, turning saints into the sea) means that the could break "comandmeants" Because of Jelousy
    swimming through sick lulabys
    chokeing on your alabis) Her lying to hi,
    but it's just the price i pay) for trusting her
    destany is calling me) for him to get together with someone eles
    Open up my eager eyes
    cause i'm mr. brightside) sarcasum saying that he's looking on the up side when he's heart broken

  9. anonymous
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    Jul 20th 2009 !⃝

    People - the song isn't about love of a person...think like a rocker just starting out and wanting it all. The song is about destiny. The girl is fame, fortune and everything else that comes with it and its flirting with people lesser talents than the narrator.

    But he remains optimistic that he will get it all and hit it big time.

  10. anonymous
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    Jul 20th 2009 !⃝

    he's being sarcastic!!! hes not optimistic at all. "cus im mr brightside" is actually sarcastic, implying that he is sad and in despair. and, its all in his head, he's imagining what the girl and her lover are doing. he thinks she loves someone else, but he is in true love with her. i know, because the same thing happened to me, and i got obsessed with this song.

  11. anonymous
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    Jul 14th 2009 !⃝

    Its not part of the murder trilogy, it's about a guy who has a girlfriend, and he was jealousy because one night he found her cheating on him.
    And she's calling a cab
    While he's having a smoke<< The lover >>
    And she's taking a drag<< Probably from her lover's cigarette.>
    Now they're going to bed<< She climbs into the bed with her lover>>
    And my stomach is sick
    And it's all in my head
    But she's touching his-chest
    Now, he takes off her dress
    The "cage" is not physical jail. Its a relationship that he had with that girl and he wants to break free from this relationship because he doesn't want to be cheated on. So he breaks up with her.

  12. anonymous
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    Jul 13th 2009 !⃝

    Mr. Brightside - If you see the music video the song seems like it is about the singer who is in love with a prostitute. He is constantly imagining her with another man and it makes his stomach sick.

    The in depth analysis I will offer is that the song is about jealousy and perseverance. The singer is always willing to put his heart on the line because he is always searching for love.

    His quest for "it all" is causing grief but it is his destiny. The line about a kiss resonates a painful bell of truth that is perfect for nostalgic reminiscent of past loves. The intensity of love and the rage of jealousy can all start with a simple little kiss. Who has not felt that?

    Despite the pain of unrequited love and jealousy, we must offer our hearts to the woes for hope of love. Is it not our greatest gift? At least, Mr. Brightside would continue.

  13. abba
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    Jul 2nd 2009 !⃝

    To me the song means a guy really falls for a girl and want's a real relationship with her but they are not committed to each other and just dating or friends. So, she is obviously going out and having fun without him. He is not able to handle this very well and his mind runs wild on him and tortures him ("and it's all in my head... but she's touching his chest now... he takes off her clothes now" etc.) He imagines the worst in his situation.

    I think "cause I'm Mr Brightside" and the song's title of Mr Brightside is said is sarcasm. You know... imagine a friend you have is always imagining the worst scenario and doing that to them self. What would you do?? Call them Mr Brightside! :)

  14. anonymous
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    Jun 24th 2009 !⃝

    I think this song is about a guy who has an amazing girlfriend, but hes a jerk to her. So, she ends up messing with his friend as he falls asleep, trying so hard to belive its a dream. All along and while realizing this, he starts to see its not a dream, that its really happening. That he... that he really has been the worst and he wants to change.

    Cause

    "I never..."

    probably stands for, "I never saw it until now how bad I was."

  15. RedXDeath
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    May 23rd 2009 !⃝

    My interpretation is that a man loves a women very much, and wants to be with her and believes that she feels the same about him. Later on, though, he catches them (possibly watching through a window or whatever) and has to watch his girlfriend or wife or fience having an affair with another man, and even though it breaks his heart, he always looks at the bright side of it.

    I'm probably wrong, but this is what I think.




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