Mr. Brightside – English Lyrics

• By: The Killers
• Album: Hot Fuss

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the high-energy world of The Killers! 'Mr. Brightside' is a perfect song to practice English through its repetitive, rhythmic lyrical structure and emotive vocabulary, helping you master the expression of intense feelings and storytelling.

[English]

I'm coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine

Gotta, gotta be down because I want it all

It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now I'm falling asleep and she's calling a cab

While he's having a smoke and she's taking a drag

Now they're going to bed and my stomach is sick

And it's all in my head, but she's touching his

Chest now, he takes off her dress now

Let me go

...

I just can't look, it's killing me

And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea

Swimming through sick lullabies, choking on your alibis

But it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes, 'cause I'm Mr. Brightside

...

I'm coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine

Gotta, gotta be down because I want it all

It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now I'm falling asleep and she's calling a cab

While he's having a smoke and she's taking a drag

Now they're going to bed and my stomach is sick

And it's all in my head, but she's touching his

Chest now, he takes off her dress now

Let me go

...

'Cause I just can't look, it's killing me

And taking control

...

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea

Swimming through sick lullabies, choking on your alibis

But it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes, 'cause I'm Mr. Brightside

...

I never

I never

I never

I never

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cage /keɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a structure made of bars or mesh, used to confine birds or other animals.
fine /faɪn/ A2	adjective - of high quality; good.
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - an act of pressing one's lips against the lips of another.
falling /ˈfɔːlɪŋ/ A2	verb - move downwards, typically rapidly and without control.
smoke /sməʊk/ A2	noun - the visible suspension of carbon particles produced when a substance burns.
sick /sɪk/ A2	adjective - affected by illness or disease.
touching /ˈtʌtʃɪŋ/ A2	verb - to put one's hands or another part of the body on (someone or something).
chest /tʃest/ A2	noun - the upper front part of the human torso.
killing /ˈkɪlɪŋ/ B1	verb - cause the death of (someone or something).
control /kənˈtrəʊl/ B1	noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.
jealousy /ˈdʒeləsi/ B2	noun - the state or feeling of being jealous.
saints /seɪnts/ B1	noun - a person who is recognized as holy or virtuous.
swimming /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ A2	verb - propel oneself through water using limbs.
choking /ˈtʃəʊkɪŋ/ B1	verb - having difficulty breathing because the windpipe is blocked.
alibis /ˈæləbaɪz/ B2	noun - a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when a crime was committed.
destiny /ˈdestɪni/ B2	noun - the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.
eager /ˈiːɡə/ B1	adjective - strongly wanting to do or have something.
brightside /ˈbraɪtsaɪd/ B1	noun - the positive aspects of a situation.

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ The phrase "I've been doing" highlights an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

• Gotta, gotta be down because I want it all

  ➔ Informal Contraction

  ➔ "Gotta" is a contraction of "have got to," used informally to express necessity.

• It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?

  ➔ Past Simple + Indirect Question

  ➔ "Started" is in the past simple, and "how did it end up" is an indirect question.

• Now they're going to bed and my stomach is sick

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ "They're going" and "my stomach is sick" both use the present continuous to describe ongoing actions.

• But it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me

  ➔ Present Simple with Universal Truth

  ➔ "Destiny is calling me" uses the present simple to express a universal or timeless truth.