The Meaning Behind “Human” by The Killers and the Bizarre, Dubious Question It Poses

The Killers debuted in 2004 with a flawless album called Hot Fuss. It sounded like a group of kids who’d discovered their older siblings’ post-punk record collection. Like New Order’s “Blue Monday,” it didn’t matter what the songs were about because everything felt so good, the perfect album to crank up as you headed out to the clubs. 

On their second album, Sam’s Town, they got serious and tried emulating The Boss, but Island Records’ expensive budget couldn’t replace the missing hooks. Their Vegas interpretation of Jersey’s favorite son fell flat with empty metaphors on a self-conscious and careful sophomore album.  

With Day & Age, their third album, The Killers found a middle ground between the first two releases, the naïve fun of Hot Fuss and the responsibility of a grown-up rock band on Sam’s Town. Though they shine on lighter anthems like “Somebody Told Me,” it’s reasonable for them to outgrow songs about clubbing as their thirties came into view. 

The Killers’ frontman, Brandon Flowers, sometimes misses the mark by recalling Bruce Springsteen’s greatest hits in every way but the poetry. However, he makes up for it with larger-than-life choruses and an instinct for infectious melodies. The difficult thing about writing grown-up lyrics is having to do so over synth rock, which inherently sounds young. 

Luckily, Flowers is backed by a talented band, elevating him when his lofty words fail to take off. An example of the band working their safety net is “Human,” a catchy dance song with a bizarre and dubious question. 

Hooked on Phonics

“Human” addresses society’s moral collapse, and Flowers—calling himself old-fashioned—told Britain’s Sunday Times he’s drawn to devotion. Inspired by his parent’s long marriage, Flowers laments traditional ideals fading with the past, and as he ages, he finds himself increasingly more traditional. 

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, wish me well
You’ve gotta let me go

What Flowers doesn’t lament, however, is a loss of grammar. The song’s most famous line is nonsensical. Like poetry, songwriting doesn’t always submit to grammar’s strictest rules, and plenty of writers, from Michael Stipe to Noel Gallagher, have made a fine living using abstract language—it doesn’t matter what a champagne supernova means. 

But “Human” isn’t an abstraction; it’s a query seeking nothing. Not in a rhetorical way. It’s just some words strung together and ending with a question mark. Even if “dancer” had been pluralized, you’re still left with gibberish. 

Are we human
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I’m on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human
Or are we dancer?

Flowers explained to MTV News the “dancer” line came from a Hunter S. Thompson quote: “We’re raising a generation of dancers.” Referring to the nonsensical line, Flowers said, “I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want.”

Will your system be all right
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we’re receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating?

The chorus alludes to The Killers’ dancing theme, and Flowers seems surprised and frustrated by the confusion. He told Rolling Stone, “It’s supposed to be a dance song, it goes with the chorus. If you can’t put that together, you’re an idiot.” So much for grace and virtue. 

Though fans may have been puzzled by the words, “Human” was a massive hit. It was the most streamed song on Spotify in 2008, and Day & Age reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

I’m Hung Up on You

The Las Vegas group worked with producer Stuart Price on Day & Age, who had previously worked on their compilation album Sawdust (2007). After a night out, they recorded the basic tracks for “Human” at Price’s home in London. 

Price co-produced Madonna’s epic Confessions on a Dance Floor and brought Madge’s dance-pop sound with him. “Human” sounds similar to “Hung Up,” where Madge’s lyrics echo what Flowers might have written on Hot Fuss—a light and easy anthem minus his holier-than-thou earnestness.

The Killers have written plenty of anthems since their debut in 2004. Sometimes, the narrative is straightforward, as in “Mr. Brightside,” while others just sound good in the car, regardless of the words. It’s probably best he muddled the “Human” message with a strange line, leaving enough ambiguity to protect the discotheque from a rock singer preaching.  

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Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA