Dustland fairytale beginning
Just another white trash
County kiss
Sixty one
Long brown hair and foolish eyes
He looks just like you want him to
Some kind of slick chrome American prince
A blue jean serenade
And Moon River what'd you do to me
And I don't believe you

Saw Cinderella in a party dress but
She was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil warping up his hands
He's getting ready for the show down
I saw the minute that I turn away
I got my money on a pond tonight

Change came in disguised of revelation
Set his soul on fire
She said she'd always knew he'd come around
And the decades disappear like sinking
Ships we persevere god gives us hope
But we still fear
We don't know
The mind is poison castle in the sky
Sit stranded vandalized
The draw bridge is closing

Saw Cinderella in a party dress but
She was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil warping up his hands
He's getting ready for the show down
I saw the ending were they turned the page
I threw my money and I ran away
Strait to the Vally of the great divide

And were the dreams roll high
And were the wind don't blow
Out here the good girls die
And the sky won't snow
Out here the bird don't sing
Out here the field don't grow
Out here the bell don't ring
Out here the bell don't ring
Out here the good girls die

Now Cinderella don't you go to sleep
Its such a bitter form of refuge
Ah don't you know the kingdoms under siege
And everybody needs you
Is there still magic in the midnight sun
Or did you leave it back in sixty-one
In the of the cadence in the young mans eyes
And were the dreams roll high



Lyrics submitted by jeremygrim, edited by RLP

Track duration: 03:45

"A Dustland Fairytale" as written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Brent Keuning, Mark August Stoermer, Ronnie Jr. Vannucci

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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A Dustland Fairytale song meanings
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86 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:To others, this song my be about Flowers' family experiences, but to me. it runs far deeper then that. It dates back all the way to the 1960's, where racism ran deep in the veins of American society. A black man, and a white woman have fallen in love, and that is frowned upon by everyone else. I think this song is about how they have overcome this, and found their own "Fairy-tale" place, where they escape from it all. This boy has never met a woman so amazing and beautiful, and so his "soul is set on fire". They are both dying for change in the world, but can do nothing but wait. They dream of running away together, where they can be free of the segregation, and the shame. Later on in the song, "out here the good girls die", I think means that in this fairy-tale place, she doesn't have to worry about it anymore, and she can be free to follow her heart and be as bad as she wants to be. I think "In the cadence of a young mans eyes, out where the dreams roll high", means that he has been changed by this woman, and the fairy-tale place is truly located in his eyes.
    Flag PooPancakeon March 02, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:Such a great song. Really love it.
    Flag Freiherron September 18, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:its got my money on a PAWN tonight not pond? wtf? haha that makes no sense.
    Flag rokouttilur80on January 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Best song on day and age! Brandon's hot man! I've a man crush!
    Flag killersmad1200on November 05, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I watched the live dvd at live at albert royal hall. while singing this, sound like he almost lost it, i think he was in tears (or sweat). he even wipe his eyes. clearly, it is about his parents. But brandon is such an artist that his song will mean differently on different people.
    Flag Jhyrzwhynon June 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song is about love and loss of innocence. "The devil's wrapping up his hands" its as if there's a war over this young girl's purity.. even her soul to a deeper degree.

    "Castles in the sky sit stranded, vandalized
    With drawbridges closing" to me is such an amazing line about the ideas we build up in our heads about where we one day wish to be, but our everyday choices slowly make those destinations impossible.

    Lastly, I think the whole Las Vegas and surrounding desert areas are a magical place. A powerful place as well. The good girls die, as the overwhelming corruptness of Sin City takes them over. The sky won't snow and so on, still there a vast beauty in it. There must be, because he ran away to there... .right?
    Flag TyrLegendon April 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:'Out here, the bell don't ring'

    i think this refers to a church bell ringing after a death or for a funeral
    Flag maddy5541on January 13, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think its about making bad choices and being afraid of the future
    Flag rokouttilur80on January 09, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Song's def about Flowers' mother in some aspects....but it's MORE THAN THAT! It's about love! Love in Las Vegas! The shallow women out there! Heartache/break! Come on people!!! Can't you feel it!!!

    He's talking about Vegas when he says the wind don't blow, the sky won't snow, the bird don't sing, the good girls die....it all ties in with the desert/the cold-hearted ways of a busy, party town!

    "Cinderella don't you go to sleep, it's such a bitter form of refuge. Don't you know the kingdom's under siege, and everybody needs you" I believe this is talking about his mother dying, but ALSO about any girl who may have broken his heart/fallen out of love with him. AGAIN, as I've said many times before....Brandon Flowers' lyrical genius allows him to focus multi-dimensionally with the same lyrics....meaning that he can take several emotions and portray them in through the same lyrical content.
    Flag analytical1canthelpiton December 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Change came in disguise of revelation, set his soul on fire

    Best lyrics in the song.
    Flag oxsweettalkxoon November 30, 2010   Link

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