"BONES" ((Huesitos)) or the sound of The Killers

I've been putting off a post on The Killers for a looong time. And I will put it off again, because I'm only going to show you my most recently-favorite song of all time:

BONES ((Huesitos))




Cooome with meeee
(tin TIN tin tin, tin TIN tin tin, tiTIN tin tin)

We took a back road.
We're gonna look at the stars,
We took a backroad in my car,
Down to the ocean,
it’s only water and sand
And in the ocean we'll hold hands.

But I don't really like you,
apologetically dressed in the best,
but on a heartbeat glides
Without an answer,
the thunder speaks for the sky,
and on the cold, wet dirt I cryyyyyy.
And on the cold, wet dirt I cry.

Don’t you wanna come with me?
Don’t you wanna feel my bones
on your bones?
It's only natural.

A cinematic vision ensued
like the holiest dream.
Is someone calling?
An angel whispers my name,
but the message relayed is the saaaame:
Wait till tomorrow, you'll be fine.

But it's gone to the dogs in my mind.
I always hear them
when the dead of night
comes calling to save me from this fight.
But they can never wrong this right.

Don't you wanna come with me?
Don't you wanna feel my bones
on your bones?
It's only natural.
Don’t you wanna swim with me?
Don’t you wanna feel my skin
on your skin?
It's only natural.

(Never had a lover)
I never had a lover
(Never had soul)
I never had soul
(Never had a good time)
And I never had a good time
(Never got gold)
I never got gold.

Don't you wanna come with me?
Don't you wanna feel my bones
on your bones?
It's only natural.
Don't you wanna swim with me?
Don't you wanna feel my skin
on your skin?
It's only natural.
Don't you wanna come with me?
Don't you wanna feel my bones
on your bones?
It’s only natural.
Come and take a swim with meeeee.
Don't you wanna feel my skin
on your skin?
It’s only naturaaaaaal

I must say that the video is nice, inventive and funny, but the song is a little deeper than the video depicts, still, I wouldn't have done it differently. I think the dark movie theme, black/white and the walking skeletons is just the right mix, and, of course, Tim Burton directed it, so DUH, it HAS to be interesting.

What I like though, is the song itself, the whole church chorus at the start and then the playfulness of that synthetizer tin TIN tin tin, tin TIN tin tin. And the song goes goes goes and doesn't stop, making it almost a desperate race. I also love the fact that there are trumpets (or some wind instrument) in a song like this, fascinating. And of course, all The Killers songs have this peculiar sound of being old 80's (with echos and choirs and synthetizers), but instead of sounding tacky, they sound nostalgic, which is often good. Even though all their songs have that nostalgic, ethereal sound, they always sound different; so, in their own world-spread of music, the rythms and sounds are always different.

So Joel, what is tacky 80's? Let's define tacky first: "tastelessly showy, flashy, cheap, almost vulgar". The Killers are vulgar, and flashy, but they have some taste, like it doesn't come off as über sticky, or kitsch; because they're doing it on purpose and you can see the art, and they have taken the best qualities of the "old stuff" (I want to stop saying 80's because I fear that I may be wrong with the "movements" or the "moments" of the era) which were over the top, but not TOO much. Then, there are those who took the tacky from the 80's, Maroon 5 for example (please click this link to see what I mean). Yes, the video and the song are catchy; yes, you can dance to it; yes it looks retro; but don't you think it looks to exagerated? I mean, exageration was one of the "things" of the 80's (I keep sinning saying 8o's), but that doesn't mean that it was "cool". The faded neon blues, oranges, and pinks are all there, the upbeat rythm... I just cringe at it, I don't know why, I'll probably have to listen to it a little more to see if I like this flashy, unclimaxing song (that's another thing, it is so flat throughout). I really doubt I'll like it. I liked Maroon 5's first CD, by the way, just so you know.

Back to The Killers:
The lyrics also have the same retro-soft feel, and nostalgia to them, just read the titles of past and present songs: "When you were young", "Mr. Brightside", "All these things that I've done", "Read my mind". And of course, "Bones" isn't far behind: there is a certain tenderness about "feeling bones". How much closer can you get to someone? But it makes a counterpoint because bones, bare bones are creepy, and that's where the genius lies. But, taking it even farther, if you touch someone elses bones with your bones, wouldn't it make an awesome conection? If you touch someone else's bones with your bones it would mean that you are not put out by the horrible things the other person has, that you are confident enough to show your bones, to let them be touched by the other, it would also mean that you are rooted with him/her in a very profound level. Then, the song soothes itself saying "don't you wanna SWIM with me" "and feel my skin on your skin": water and skin, (I might be just putting more meaning to this song that it actually has, but that's the purpose of analyzing [or overanalyzing] isn't it?), so water and skin makes for a deeper connection still: water is an universal conduct, and skin is too, they are the ways into the bones.

I'm in real love with this song and all songs from this band.

((so much for putting off the post again, huh, I just couldn't stop))