Human (The Killers song)

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"Human"
Single by The Killers
from the album Day & Age
B-side "A Crippling Blow"
Released September 22, 2008
Format
Recorded 2008
Genre
Length 4:09
Label Island
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
The Killers singles chronology
"Don't Shoot Me Santa"
(2007)		 "Human"
(2008)		 "Spaceman"
(2008)

"Human" is a song by American rock band the Killers. Written and produced by the band members and co-produced by Stuart Price, it was released as the first single from their third studio album Day & Age (2009).[1]

"Human" has received generally positive feedback from music critics, praising the composition, the musical influences, and the production. It became the third song by the band to enter the top 5 of the UK Singles Chart. It was their first top ten hit in the Netherlands (peaking at number 2). The song was released on a 7-inch picture disc throughout the world on various dates in November, with a B-side entitled "A Crippling Blow".

Background

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine's Smoking Section, Brandon Flowers described "Human" as "Johnny Cash meets the Pet Shop Boys". Flowers stated that the song was created with Stuart Price during their work with him on the Sawdust album, and has changed very little since then. He confessed to not putting it on Sawdust as "it was too good".[citation needed]

The cover art for the single is a portrait of the band's guitarist Dave Keuning, and is one of the four portraits drawn by Paul Normansell for the album.

The earliest digital release of the song was missing a hi-hat section at the beginning of the song.

Reception

The song received positive reviews from contemporary critics. An interview in The Observer newspaper stated that the track "is a cross between New Order and Bruce Springsteen - that should please fans of 'Mr. Brightside'." Chris Williams of Billboard gave a positive review, echoing The Observer's description of "merging a Boss-like melody over a New Order-injected rave-up." He also praised the song for "stretching the soundscape of alternative rock, which has increasingly become difficult to differentiate between mainstream rock. With this amazing, heart-warming, soul-crushing song the Killers may have altered music history, or perhaps the history of mankind itself. Never has such a scrumptious buffet of postmodernism, 19th century Hungarian ethics , and falling rose petals been so beautifully presented."[2] Music Radar complimented the song in their review of Day & Age, saying "A gentle, phased, clicky guitar riff opens this gorgeous nod to the gentle side of '80s new wave."[3] Caryn Ganz with Rolling Stone gave the tune three-and-a-half stars, calling it "delicious."[4] "Human" was voted the Best Song of 2008 by the readers of Rolling Stone.[5]

In 2010, a vote by listeners to UK radio station XFM polled the song at #97 in their poll of the Top 1,000 Songs of All Time.[6] In December 2009 it was voted the 25th Best Song of the Decade by listeners of UK music station Absolute Radio.[7] In October 2011, NME placed it at number 144 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[8]

Lyrics

There was confusion and debate over the line "Are we human, or are we dancer?" in the song's chorus due to its grammar.[9] Debate raged across the Internet over whether the lyric said "dancer", "dancers" or "denser", a misunderstanding which elicited conflicting interpretations of the song's meaning.[10][11] On the band's official website, the biography section states that Flowers is singing "Are we human, or are we dancer?" and also says that the lyric was inspired by a disparaging comment made by Hunter S. Thompson, who stated that America was "raising a generation of dancers".[12][13] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Flowers said that he was irritated over the confusion about the lyric and also that fans were unhappy with the song's dance beat: "It's supposed to be a dance song, [the beat] goes with the chorus...If you can't put that together, you're an idiot. I just don't get why there's a confusion about it."[14]

In 2014, it was voted the "weirdest lyric of all time" by a Blinkbox survey.[15]

Chart performance

In the US "Human" debuted at number 13 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at number 6.[16] It is the band's sixth top ten hit on the chart. The song debuted and peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart week of October 18, 2008,[17] giving the Killers their third top 40 hit there. It reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and in 2012, BBC Radio 1 announced that it was the 39th most downloaded song of all time in the country.[18]

On the Canadian Hot 100, the song debuted at number nine.[19] It debuted at number 34 on the New Zealand RIANZ chart,[20] and entered at number four on the Norway Top 20 before reaching number one.[21] "Human" reached the top ten on the Irish Singles Chart and in Sweden.[22][23] The song debuted at number 48 on the Australian Aria Charts and peaked at number 28.[24]

Music video

The music video for "Human" was released in mid-October 2008 and directed by Danny Drysdale.[25] It features the band performing the song in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah. The portraits of the band drawn for the album by Paul Normansell are shown in the video, such as when the band members hold the portraits in front of their faces.[26] Various animals are also shown throughout the video, such as a white tiger, an eagle, and a cougar. It's been noted to have heavy similarities to Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii concert film, such as the band playing the song in a desert landscape amongst various amplifiers and other stage equipment and mostly in much of the camera angles. The video ends with the band watching the sun setting in the desert, which turns into the album cover, also drawn by Paul Normansell.[27]

In popular culture

Media

The song was used for the Spanish television station Telecinco for the "ad" of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. The motto was "Una final no se juega; una final se gana" (A final is not played; a final is won).[28]

On November 25, 2008, the song was available as downloadable content for the game Guitar Hero World Tour.

Versions

Track listings

Charts

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
January 24, 2009		 Succeeded by
"Fame (The Game)" by Donna Summer
Preceded by Norwegian Singles Chart number-one single
October 14, 2008		 Succeeded by
"Womanizer" by Britney Spears

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[66] Platinum 15,000
Germany (BVMI)[67] Gold 150,000
Italy (FIMI)[68] Gold 15,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[69] Gold 7,500
Sweden (GLF)[70] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] Platinum 600,000
United States (RIAA)[72] Platinum 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Awards

Year Ceremony Award Result
2009 MuchMusic Video Awards Best International Video - Group Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Template:The Killers - Chart History
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Ganz, Caryn (2008-10-16), "Human". Rolling Stone. (1063):80
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (September 25, 2008), "Does the Killers' 'Human' have the silliest lyric of the week?" EW.com . Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  11. ↑ Spence, Darren (January 16, 2009), "Chart Choice". Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Hiatt, Brian (2008-12-25), "The Killers Inside". Rolling Stone (1068/1069):78-81
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/downloads
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Charts.org.nz – The Killers – Human". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Norwegiancharts.com – The Killers – Human". VG-lista. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Search the Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved on December 4, 2008. NB: User needs to enter "Killers" in "Search by Artist" and click "search".
  23. ↑ "The Killers - Human (Song)
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Australian-charts.com – The Killers – Human". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. or from Universal Music Group direct
  26. ↑ Music Video at 1:55, 1:59 and 2:03
  27. ↑ Music Video at 4:08 and Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The Killers – Human" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Killers – Human" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Killers – Human" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  33. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – The Killers – Human". Tracklisten. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  35. ↑ "The Killers: Human" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – The Killers – Human". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  38. ↑ "The Killers – Human Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The Killers – Human". Top Digital Download. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  40. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Killers search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Romanian Top 100 Retrieved on February 26, 2009.
  44. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2008-11-29". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  45. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200904 into search.
  46. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – The Killers – Human" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The Killers – Human". Singles Top 60. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Killers – Human". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2008-11-29" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  50. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  51. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  52. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  53. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  54. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  55. ↑ "The Killers – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for The Killers. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Download the attached file by clicking Scarica l'allegato.
  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  63. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  65. ↑ Radio 1 Chart of the Decade, as presented by Nihal on Tuesday 29th December 2009
  66. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website
  67. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  68. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter The Killers in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  69. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  70. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Human in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  72. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (has music video, needs Flash)

http://lareishonblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/el-porque-de-la-letra-human-de-los-killers/

External links

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