Day 13 - Bling (Confessions of a King)
The Killers
2006
Disclaimer: All perspectives, opinions, and memories in this entry are mine and mine alone. Some content is rugged, raw, and - sometimes - NSFW, but it's all authentic and included with purpose.
Why It’s On The List:
After their out-of-the-gate success with the record, “Hot Fuss” in 2004, the Las Vegas-based rock group, The Killers, made two grave mistakes with their release of their sophomore effort, “Sam’s Town,” in October of 2006.
1. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers, came out ahead of the record and said it was going to be the next Bruce Springsteen album.
(insert face palm emoji)
He wasn’t wrong, but you can’t say it. You can never say it. It’s like when running back Joe Mixon called himself the next Le’Veon Bell. You might be correct but YOU can’t make the comparison. Have to let others do it for you. Flowers and Mixon both experienced critic and fan backlash to those lofty comparisons.
2. That first mistake was made out of too much self confidence. Fine. I can live with that. The second mistake I still can’t defend to this day. The first single off of “Sam’s Town” was “When You Were Young” and the rip-roaring track was a perfect way to start. But for some godforsaken reason, someone decided that “Bones” should be the second single released on the radio.
“Bones” is a fun, if not silly song. I would probably love it as a deep track. It sucked as a radio single.
By the time they course-corrected with “Read My Mind” as the third single, it was too late. Between the self-imposed Springsteen comparisons and a crappy second single, the damage had been done and everyone had moved on.
What they should have done, in my humble opinion, was (A) keep their mouths shut about The Boss and (B) release “Bling (Confessions of a King)” as one of the radio singles instead of “Bones.”
“Sam’s Town” has always lived under my skin and in my soul as an album. It’s been fun to see it evolve and change as I’ve aged over the past almost-14 years. And if I’m being honest, it’s also always been a record that’s better as a sum greater than its parts. It doesn’t have that one classic track like “Brightside” but every track works together to present one complete experience.
The weird thing about “Bling” is that it disappeared from the live concert set-list for a while but has returned as a regular staple. Just a fun, arena-rock anthem - which is what they set out to do with the album in general
Which makes the “Bones” decision make even less sense.
I’m glad to see the “Sam’s Town” album getting more appreciation as more time passes. Good lesson that sometimes just simply outlasting everything else can get you the credit you probably deserved in the first place.
Just stick with it.
Listen to "Bling (Confessions of a King)" here:
Favorite Line:
1. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers, came out ahead of the record and said it was going to be the next Bruce Springsteen album.
(insert face palm emoji)
He wasn’t wrong, but you can’t say it. You can never say it. It’s like when running back Joe Mixon called himself the next Le’Veon Bell. You might be correct but YOU can’t make the comparison. Have to let others do it for you. Flowers and Mixon both experienced critic and fan backlash to those lofty comparisons.
2. That first mistake was made out of too much self confidence. Fine. I can live with that. The second mistake I still can’t defend to this day. The first single off of “Sam’s Town” was “When You Were Young” and the rip-roaring track was a perfect way to start. But for some godforsaken reason, someone decided that “Bones” should be the second single released on the radio.
“Bones” is a fun, if not silly song. I would probably love it as a deep track. It sucked as a radio single.
By the time they course-corrected with “Read My Mind” as the third single, it was too late. Between the self-imposed Springsteen comparisons and a crappy second single, the damage had been done and everyone had moved on.
What they should have done, in my humble opinion, was (A) keep their mouths shut about The Boss and (B) release “Bling (Confessions of a King)” as one of the radio singles instead of “Bones.”
“Sam’s Town” has always lived under my skin and in my soul as an album. It’s been fun to see it evolve and change as I’ve aged over the past almost-14 years. And if I’m being honest, it’s also always been a record that’s better as a sum greater than its parts. It doesn’t have that one classic track like “Brightside” but every track works together to present one complete experience.
The weird thing about “Bling” is that it disappeared from the live concert set-list for a while but has returned as a regular staple. Just a fun, arena-rock anthem - which is what they set out to do with the album in general
Which makes the “Bones” decision make even less sense.
I’m glad to see the “Sam’s Town” album getting more appreciation as more time passes. Good lesson that sometimes just simply outlasting everything else can get you the credit you probably deserved in the first place.
Just stick with it.
Listen to "Bling (Confessions of a King)" here:
Favorite Line:
I've used the "higher and higher" part to get amped up a million times over the years but I love the thoughtfulness of the last line of the song:
“It ain't hard to hold
“It ain't hard to hold
When it shines like gold
You’ll remember me”
If You Liked This Song... Here are some of my other favorite songs from the "Sam's Town" album that didn't make the Top 40:
- Read My Mind
- For Reasons Unknown
- When You Were Young
- Why Do I Keep CountingIf You Liked This Song... Here are some of my other favorite songs from the "Sam's Town" album that didn't make the Top 40:
- Read My Mind
- For Reasons Unknown
- When You Were Young
- Uncle Johnny
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