The Killers Revealed Why ‘When You Were Young’ Is Their Most Important Song

Some classic rock songs become their band’s signature tracks. The lead singer of The Killers said “When You Were Young” might be the most important song of the band’s career. The tune in question has some ambiguous spiritual lyrics that make the song intriguing all these years later.

The Killers wrote ‘When You Were Young’ at an impasse

The Killers were part of the post-punk revival of the 2000s. With their first album, Hot Fuss, the band was slick and the timbre of Brandon Flower’s singing sounded more British than American. The Killers could have regurgitated their first album over and over. Instead, their sophomore record, Sam’s Town, was a heartland rock album that sounded like an arch Bruce Springsteen. The first single from that record was the dark, spiritual hard rock smash “When You Were Young.”

During a 2013 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Flowers discussed the impact of “When You Were Young.” “It was an important song for us, maybe the most important song, because a lot of bands come and go,” he said. “We knew that Hot Fuss put us all over the world and it was a great ride, but who knows what’s gonna happen next? So yeah, when we got back, we didn’t waste any time after the tour.”

What The Killers were saying with the song

Flowers said “When You Were Young” was a collaborative song. “When we got back together and started to sort of pursue this next chapter, it’s incredible — this was one of those moments when we were just all four of us were on the same page,” he recalled. “‘He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus / But he talks like a gentleman,’ that came instantly to me. I remember driving home, and this load just lifted off my shoulders. I knew everything was gonna be all right.”

The song’s line about Jesus is fascinating. One could interpret that line as being about someone consciously rejecting Christianity. On the other hand, it could be about someone who is falling for a man who is not as Christlike as he initially appeared. “When You Were Young” has the sort of ambiguity that lends itself to deep thought. Hopefully, the song’s shades of grey will help it to remain popular for years to come.

‘When You Were Young’ was almost a No. 1 hit

“When You Were Young” became The Killers’ highest-charting single besides “Mr. Brightside.” “When You Were Young” reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. The tune’s parent album, Sam’s Town, was the band’s highest-charting album. Sam’s Town peaked at No. 2 and remained on the chart for 42 weeks.

The Official Charts Company reports that “When You Were Young” was far more popular in the United Kingdom. There, the single reached No. 2 and charted for 20 weeks. Meanwhile, Sam’s Town hit No. 1 for three of its 126 weeks on the U.K. chart. It’s interesting that an album inspired by the sounds of the American heartland was so popular across the pond.

“When You Were Young” is a great song and it showed that The Killers were not a one-trick pony.