magic soakin' my spine?

c'mon, that's acid he's talking about!

magic soakin' my spine?

c'mon, that's acid he's talking about!

"A subtle kiss that no one sees"

Brandon gives Ronnie a "subtle kiss that no one sees" in the music video for this when they are riding those bikes.

I've seen that video a million times and I never noticed it before. haha!

My favorite killers song!

I dont know, to me he's battling addiction, vegas life, and a girl who he's loves. But can't be happy with, or one of those realationships you cant fix no matter how hard you try.... But he's trying...

"I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine"

....those are some of the best lyrics i have ever heard. Hands down.

the best lyrics! i can't get enough of it...."The stars are blazing like rebel diamonds cut out of the sun." i love it!!

Amazing lyrics.
It's basically just a bunch of memories. A bunch of Brandon's memories. Like other people have said. It's just one of those 'I Remember...' songs for everyone, basically.
The song has an overall brilliant feel as well.

This song can be somewhat about being insecure in your relationship with someone.

"Slipping in my faith until I fall, you never returned that call" could mean that your relationship is gradually deteriorating because your faith iin your partner is slipping.

"Woman open the door, don't let it sting, I wanna breathe that fire again" could be telling your partner to give you another chance.

i just love this song. every beat and words of this song conveys meaning for the girl im trying to get back.. i hope i'll get her back.. i hope..

I dont know exactly what this song means. It shows that eagerness to get out of where you are, but to me it kinda seems like a narative of the social structure around his self. Even kinda being stuck in that same go around.

What sticks out to me is Read my mind and Shining. i skimmed through the comments and i didnt see anyone who picked up on that. It's like Stephen Kings the Shining. Where Shining is something some people have in themselves that allow them to communicate telepathically. Also, magic soaking his spine, the me has Acid written all over it. Not sure if he is or was a big acid guy, but it surly can make you think you know everything.

The killers are great

I dont know exactly what this song means. It shows that eagerness to get out of where you are, but to me it kinda seems like a narative of the social structure around his self. Even kinda being stuck in that same go around.

What sticks out to me is Read my mind and Shining. i skimmed through the comments and i didnt see anyone who picked up on that. It's like Stephen Kings the Shining. Where Shining is something some people have in themselves that allow them to communicate telepathically. Also, magic soaking his spine, the me has Acid written all over it. Not sure if he is or was a big acid guy, but it surly can make you think you know everything.

The killers are great

andreaflowers wins

i love this song off the new album and they dont soud any different when they preforme it live in concert.
i do think its about all the stuff in brandons head that he remenbers from the past etc.i think the love story in it isnt signifigant to brandon as he has a long time girlfriend tht he then got maried to so i don think a hard relationship would be the frist thing he would write about .i think the song is to be focused on the random things it mentiones.

I agree with others that have said this song is about getting out of a relationship with someone. It seems like he is really struggling with what to feel about the breakup, and whether or not he really wanted to end it...and is asking "before you go, can you read my mind?," or tell him what he really wants -"tell me what you find,
when you read my mind." He wants to know if he really should move on. I really like the line "its funny how you just break down, waiting on some sign"...he wants her to give him something that makes what she wants clear. I think all the random references are kinda showing the both sides of it in his head, moving on with his life ("a world unseen, a city wall, and a trampoline") vs. going back to "the good old days" with her ("the teenage queen," "the chosen one.") I think really he wants to get back together with her ("woman, open the door, don't let it sting, I wanna breathe that fire again"), but he knows its time to move on with life.

I also really like "Slippin in my faith until I fall, He never returned that call." Someone said "He" didn't make sense...but to me this really seems like a religious reference. I think he is saying he tried turning to his faith to help him through it, but found nothing there.

Could just be my personal experiences talking...but thats what i get from it. Defintely my favorite song from the new album.

I love what AndreaFlowers is saying, and I completely agree. Well, in the general sense. I didn't think of it quite specifically, more in the sense of two girls, instead of Utah and Las Vegas xDD
But, yeah, that's the general idea to me.
And I love the "The good ol' days/the honest man/the restless heart/the promised land" and the "the teenage queen/the loaded gun/the drop-dead dream/the chosen one".
I think that's kind of a transitioning of how America used to be "the good ol' days..." and now "the teenage queen..." and how different everything is.
Love this song.

Thank you for all those detailed interpretations!
Even though I really love this song (it always brings me in a good mood! ;)) I never had an idea what it was about. At least not until now. :)

a city wall and a trampoline...
i love that line, man.

I think jessden did a good job breaking it down, but I don't think its quite that positive. Think Mr. Brightside... seems positive, until you realize the lyrics are pretty negative. Killers do the same thing here. This guy is DESPARATE! He wants to feel that fire again. She doesn't. He's trying anything. The end is almost rambling... but if you read it, and realize you don't know who is saying what, its kinda negative...and very desparate.... He's not supporting her, as much as he's begging her to stay...or have him go with her... anything...

Slippin in my faith
until I fall
You never returned that call
woman, open the door
don't let it sting
I wanna breathe that fire again
(this part is total desparation...he wants to feel that spark, that interest again. Open the door... He believes in this (faith) even if it wrecks him (fall).

She said
I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine
put your back on me
put your back on me
put your back on me

But this gets pretty sad if you read it.,.... She doesn't really mind (meaning doesn't care.) what is in his head... cuz she isn't going to shine if he doesn't shine... (which he hasn't done...going back to the beginning about him SAYING he is going to leave, but never does). Basically, she's kind of giving up on him....cuz he's not all he said he would be. And she doesn't want to go into his mind or all that any more.
Basically her answer is, I don't care what you think or say anymore, cuz I'll never shine if you stay a dreamer in a small town. So no.

Then someone says.."Put your back on me" over and over... and I'm thinking its him. She's just broken it off, and he's not the one, so he is just pleading, give me a chance...put your back on me, and I'll take YOU places.... Very emotional... Very desparate..(and its how he sings the song as well).

Last line is kinda like Mr. Brighside, where you have basically just given in, and things move on... Stars are blazing like rebel diamonds etc... The guy is a dreamer and he's gone back to dreaming...or being very depressed....

I really think this song is pretty dark. Maybe not, but Killers like their songs with multiple meanings, (pop sound, but then edgy even morose undertone). Read my mind falls into that perfectly...

i'm suprised, not to many people have commented this song.. but I'll say, this is far the most best song i have ever listened in my life, no question..cuz whenever listen to it, it really gives me that feeling..feeling of hope just to get her back. =|

anywys, these are the lines that sums up my feeling for her..


Slippin in my faith
until I fall
He never returned that call

i'm suprised, not to many people have commented this song.. but I'll say, this is far the most best song i have ever listened in my life, no question..cuz whenever listen to it, it really gives me that feeling..feeling of hope just to get her back. =|

anywys, these are the lines that sums up my feeling for her..


Slippin in my faith
until I fall
He never returned that call. ( i dont know about this line but i think instead of placing the "He" it shoud've been "She" it would've been better cuz the nxt line says "Woman" make sense?
woman, open the door
don't let it sting
I wanna breathe that fire again ( i think this line means that he wants her love back, kinda cheesy but damn thats how i feel ryt now for her)

She said
I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine
put your back on me
put your back on me
put your back on me (i think in my opinion this line means, he wants her back)


damn i just totaly love this song! it's hardcore baby!! =)

I can see my high school and college lit teachers weeping with joy that I would voluntarily analyzing a song :)

Starting from the top:

on the corner of main street
just tryin' to keep it in line
you say you wanna move on and
you say I'm falling behind

can you read my mind?
can you read my mind?

Like most others, I believe the guy is acknowledging that his girl wants to move. The move could involve location, job or spiritual, but those details are immaterial – the fact is she wants to change, and apparently believes that he’s not up to the task. When he asks “can you read my mind” in this first case, I think he means it as a challenge, as if to say “how can you be so sure that I can’t / won’t keep up?”.

I never really gave up on
breakin' out of this two-star town
I got the green light
I got a little fight
I'm gonna turn this thing around

can you read my mind?
can you read my mind?

Here, I think he’s saying that even though he may have given the impression of half-heartedness, he never really gave up on pursuing her and her move. Now when he asks if she can read his mind, he’s challenging her to see the sincerity of his words.

The good old days
the honest man
the restless heart
the promised land

To me, this hearkens back to the myths of the American west circa 1800, although anyone hearing the song could identify with it, since there were so many migrations and expansions throughout the history of the world. I think the idea is that, just as in the mythical “good old days”, anyone who possesses self-honesty and the yearning for adventure can indeed make it to “the promised land”, which may be as much a state of mind as a physical location. I think he sees both his girlfriend and himself as possessing those qualities.
a subtle kiss
that no one sees

When people are truly in love, the smallest, briefest kiss, to the shoulder, the hand, or even the finger, unseen by anyone else, can convey more love and meaning than a half-hour of hearty snogging. He sees the two of them as having such a profound love.

a broken wrist
and a big trapeze

He’s willing to take any risk to stay with her.

Oh well I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine
before you go

can you read my mind?

As long as she’s willing to bear the risks and uncertainty, so is he. He can’t be at his best (shine) if she’s not at her best. Now when he asks if she can read his mind, asking her to realize his sincerity.

it's funny how you just break down
waitin' on some sign
I pull up to the front of your driveway
with magic soakin' my spine

can you read my mind?
can you read my mind?

Waiting takes its toll, and a lack of patience or self-control can lead to precipitous action. He can’t wait any longer for her to come out and tell him what she thinks, so he drives over to her home, amped on excitement and adrenaline.

If she could read his mind now, she would see the intensity of his yearning for her, and his bone-deep sincerity. Maybe that would convince her to keep him.

The teenage queen
the loaded gun
the drop dead dream
the chosen one

He thinks that she sees herself as “the teenage queen” and “the chosen one”. The teenage queen is an object of shallow desire – pretty, sexy, young and lacking wisdom. The chosen one – a person for whom Destiny has a plan.

She also plans an irrevocable act – “the loaded gun”, and thinks that she has it all figured out – “the drop dead dream”

a southern drawl
a world unseen

She desires romance and novelty

a city wall
and a trampoline

A way to escape their current place / situation

Oh well I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine

Same as before

before you jump
tell me what you find
when you read my mind

Now he beseeches her to read his mind before she leaves without him. His only chance is for her to read his mind, as his words are inadequate.

Slippin in my faith
until I fall
He never returned that call

I’ve seen a lot of discussion about this, and here’s my take: “he” makes sense if we’re talking about God. “Slipping in my faith…he never returned that call” – I’ve lost my faith, because God ignored my prayers.

woman, open the door
don't let it sting
I wanna breathe that fire again

Since God can’t, or won’t, help him, only she can keep them together.


She said
I don't mind
if you don't mind
coz I don't shine
if you don't shine

She gives him a reprieve, and tells him that she will share the risks with him, as she can’t be at her best if he’s not at his best.

put your back on me
put your back on me
put your back on me

She’ll carry him, if need be.

The stars are blazing
like rebel diamonds
cut out of the sun
when you read my mind. *NOTE – “when”, not “can”.

Speaking only for myself, I have to imagine that nothing could be more amazing than seeing stars that blaze like rebel diamonds cut directly from the sun. Yep, that would be one fine sight. But this will only be possible WHEN she reads his mind.

"with magic soakin' my spine"
this song is about doing acid

beautiful, easily my favourite killers song

i loooove this song so much!