This is my picture for today’s flickr: A Day On Earth group. It’s been rather a busy day, with the odd regret, a bit of learning and some pleasant socialising.
The Killers are one of those bands that I feel that I shouldn’t like. I’m not quite sure how bands achieve this status. Mostly, I think it stems from being more successful than, by rights, they really deserve. Hence U2 and Coldplay are on the list. Other times it just comes from a dislike of the music (Keane, for example) or the people in the band (Keane again). The Killers, however, fall very much into the too successful category. We saw the Killers quite a few times on their nose-bleed-inducing rise to the top. First in a crowded tent at Glastonbury, followed by a performance on the second stage at V where they pulled a huge crowd. By the time we saw them in the Forum the next week, they were already far too popular for so small a venue. Last year, by all accounts, they pulled a huge crowd at the main stage at Glastonbury, but by then I was already trying to find reasons as to why I don’t like them.
They don’t make it easy though. This single is a rather unabashed U2 rip-off. The guitars oozing with delay are there. The simple bassline floats through the song as if Adam Clayton himself is playing. Jesus is even mentioned although not in the angst-ridden, what’s-wrong-with-the-world type way that Bono goes in for but when Brandon sings “every once in a little while” over Beautiful Day-like synths at the end of the middle 8, you could almost believe it’s the world’s most famous charity mugger himself.
The lyrics are rather confusing. Some might say enigmatic, but I’m sticking with confusing. Really, what does the line:
“He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus but he / talks like a gentleman / like you imagined / when you were young”
mean? Read the lyrics and tell me. I’m stumped.
Minor whinges aside, this is a cracking song. It starts with one of my favourite sounds guitars are able to make - a lovely ker-chunk. As you would expect, it has a singalong Killers chorus. Just after the middle eight, there are soaring strings and a little drum-build up for the last time into the chorus. I love the way that when Brandon sings “young” he sounds just like the Wannadies from circa ‘97. The song ends properly with no fade outs, although it does end with the also lyrically confusing “but more than you’ll ever know” - suggesting that he this man, whosoever he may be doesn’t look a thing like Jesus, except that he does, you just haven’t noticed yet. Maybe he’s thinking of growing a beard or something.
All in all, it’s a great song. I have the sneaking suspicion that in a couple of weeks I’ll be sick of it, and it’ll drive me mad as it gets more and more radio-play, but for the time being, it’s Song Of The Week.
I’m really not interested in this Pope annoying Muslims business. Firstly, the quote was from an extremely obscure speech, that essentially any one of any note, even who was there, probably wasn’t listening to. Secondly, he was quoting from some 14th century guy - who was in all probability a bit of a twat. Thirdly, the fuss has come from some hastily assembled crack team of offended people who have been waiting on the sidelines since the cartoon fiasco.
No, the only thing that interests me about this are the wonderful headlines that have come out of it. For example:
Al-Qaida in Iraq warns pope that Islam will prevail as protesters…
OK, to be fair it only says this because Google News edits the headline, but it still just about sums it up for me. Little do they know that getting offended at petty and ridiculous things is what made Britain great - we’ll show them a thing or two.
Muslim protestors demand better apology from pope
This apology - it’s not good enough. We want you to sing the really sorry song. Yes, and hop on one foot. Come on, dance pope, dance.
I think my absolute favourite has to be:
Marksmen on hand as Pope says prayer
Besides showing an immense lack of faith unbecoming of God’s representative on earth, I feel, I like the fact that this makes the pope sound like something that Steve Irwin would have hunted.
Popes are funny - there’s no two ways about it. I think it’s the outfit. And the Nuns.
Update:
Trust the Daily Mail to outdo everyone, with the amazingly pointless and idiotic:
