Everything I Know About Writing I Learned From The Killers' Mr. Brightside, Part 1 of 2
doing just fine
I love Mr. Brightside. Every time I hear it, something new jumps out at me. I find myself trawling along the lyrics trying to figure out the story. It’s narratively sparse in the best way and so the listener has plenty of space to fill in the blanks — our story-tuned minds click into action and imagination takes over, in part because the details we do get are so evocative and specific!
As it turns out, The Killers, in their infinite wisdom, embedded plenty of good storytelling techniques in this timeless bop. I kept finding new ones! I put them all together in a keynote speech for the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators a few years back, and here, for the first time, is an essay version. There’s a lot to say, so this is a two parter. Both will have the beginning couple points available to everyone and then the rest only for the paid tier.
But before we jump in, here’s Mr. Brightside itself, in case you need a refresher, or god forbid, have never heard it.
Now let’s jump in!
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT WRITING I LEARNED FROM THE KILLERS’ MR. BRIGHTSIDE
LESSON 1: Open with a Bang
The lines “Coming out of my cage / And I've been doing just fine” have been memed, quoted, twisted and turned, repeated over and over through the stratosphere, zeitgeist, etc etc. As an opening, it’s a certified banger. There’s the sheer absurdity of the mental image it produces. There’s the tension between the urgency of the music and the nonchalance of the lyrics. And there’s the vast implications of story with just a few spare words. Why does this man live in a cage? How long has he been in that thing?? Is he in a circus? A prison? We want answers! We probably halfway know we won’t get them, but that only makes us want them more.
Finally, there is the relatability of it all. Who amongst us hasn’t emerged from a dire, removed-from-the-world type state, holed up in our caves binging bad melodramas and eating bad snacks to declare that we’re doing just fine, thanks!
And that brings us to…
LESSON 2: Sometimes We Say The Opposite of What We Mean
No, sir, you have not been doing just just fine. You’re a damn mess. Clearly, this dude is a damn mess. It’s evident in those frantic, jangly arpeggios. It’s evident from the fact that he was just in a cage, dammnit, and we know it. So there’s a disconnect between what’s said and what’s clear. That creates tension, and tension, dear reader, is what keeps us reading. Tension is the mini-me of Conflict. And Conflict, as any writing guide will tell you, is the spine, the beating heart, the orchestra, the choose-your-favorite-fundamental-metaphor, of story. (Is that true, though? More on that in a future post.) We love a little unreliability in our narrative. We love a chaotic king. And most importantly, we want to know more.
LESSON 3: The Beginning Establishes What Your Character Wants
You already know every Broadway musical has to have its “Want Song,” where the declares in no uncertain terms exactly what they’re gunning for, be it love, money, fame, not to give up their shot, whatever. It happens early on for a reason: they need to establish the stakes, the win/lose dynamic, the narrative economy! That way we the audience have a language to track it with throughout the story.
In this case, it’s line 2: “Gotta gotta be down / Because I want it all.” Now, yes, that’s wildly vague, granted. But like any good lyrics, there’s more to it than just the words. The “gotta gotta be down” tells us more than the “want it all.” Our hero wants to be accepted, loved even. Here all refers to the totality of affection, appreciation, partnership. He’s lonely. He wants completion in the form of partnership and I for one want that for him too. He just came out of his cage! Give the guy a break.
LESSON 4: A Good Beginning Makes a Promise and Asks A Question
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