5 Deep Cuts from The Killers That You Should Be Listening To

Since forming in the early ’00s in Las Vegas, the Killers have scored a number of stratospheric hits. Few songs seem comparable to the likes of “Mr. Brightside.” It’s a great societal connector. When you put that one on at a party, it becomes impossible not to join in with the crowd singing Jealousy, turning saints into the sea / Swimming through sick lullabies / Choking on your alibis / But it’s just the price I pay.

Over the years though, the band has strayed far and wide from the alt-rock hits they made their name on. They’ve done the ballads. They’ve done arena rock. They even forayed into folk. Despite not always living up to the fame of some of their earlier works, Brandon Flowers and Co.’s prowess has remained intact.

We’ve compiled five of their lesser-known songs that are a testament to that fact, below. Read on to discover new songs to add to your Killers playlist.

1. “The Getting By II”

The Killers’ Pressure Machine is a concept record about frontman Flowers’ childhood in Nephi, Utah. In this particular song from the deluxe version, “The Getting By II,” Flowers reckons with his faith. Being a member of the Mormon Church, Flowers has spoken publicly about struggling to balance the lifestyle when he first journeyed into rock music. In this song, he seems to make a reference to that struggle, singing, They’ve got the treasure laying way up high / There just might be a million mansions / But when I look up / all I see is sky.

2. “The Way It Was”

Taken from their 2012 album Battle Born, “The Way It Was” is a charming look back at the good ol’ days. Like most of this record, this song features an exploding chorus that befits their arena rock identity. Flowers begs the question, Can it be the way it was when we met / Did you forget all about those golden nights?

3. “Andy, You’re A Star”

“Andy, You’re A Star” appears alongside quintessential Killers songs like, “Somebody Told Me” and “Mr. Brightside” on the band’s 2004 debut album Hot Fuss. While those two latter colossal hits are deeply evocative of the group’s early days, “Andy, You’re A Star” was a taste of the direction the group would eventually go in as their career progressed.

4. “For Reasons Unknown”

Though the lyrics to “For Reasons Unknown” seem to point toward romantic love, Flowers is actually telling the story of his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The song comes from her point of view with Flowers singing But my heart, it don’t beat, it don’t beat the way it used to / And my eyes, they don’t see you no more / And my lips, they don’t kiss, they don’t kiss the way they used to / And my eyes don’t recognize you no more.

5. “Some Kind of Love”

Flowers’ wife, Tana, revealed in 2013 that she suffered from depression and anxiety. As a result, Flowers canceled the last leg of his 2015 solo tour due to her expressing suicidal thoughts. “Some Kind of Love” came out of that period of Flowers’ life. To make it that much more personal, their children sing the song’s closing verses can’t do this alone, we need you at home.

Photo by Richard Kepler / Courtesy of The Oriel Co.