Boy

"**Boy**" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American rock band The Killers, released on August 5, 2022. It achieved No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart and landed in the Top 10 for Adult Alternative Airplay. The accompanying music video, directed by Boris Vassallo, was released to the band's YouTube channel on August 10, 2022.

## Background

The group debuted the single at the Mad Cool Festival on July 7, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Initially planned to premiere the song over an Instagram livestream, they performed it live instead due to technical difficulties.

*Rolling Stone* noted that the single was written prior to *Pressure Machine*'s creation. In an interview with *NME*, frontman Brandon Flowers shared, "We've been teasing it a little bit. It was the song that took me back home and was sort of the impetus for writing [2021 album] *Pressure Machine*. What's interesting is that it just didn't make it onto the record—but its absence is not a reflection of the quality of the song. It was an aesthetic decision to keep it off the record." He described it as "an optimism to it. It's in the dust, it's in the gutter, and it's looking at the stars." Flowers added in another statement, "This was the first song written after we had to cancel the Imploding the Mirage tour due to the pandemic. [...] With 'Boy,' I want to reach out and tell myself—and my sons—to not overthink it. And to look for the 'white arrows' in their lives. For me now, white arrows are my wife, children, my songs and the stage."

## Critical reception

*Far Out Magazine* penned, "'Boy' comes as a sentimental slice of advice from a rock star who has been there and done that. In true Killers style, the anthem surges with a danceable synth-laden beat as Flowers' vocals and a run of guitar and keyboard solos add a note of grounding severity. While this is nothing original from the American indie group, it's a surefire way to keep loyal fans jumping at their sold-out arena gigs."

## Personnel

* Brandon Flowers – vocals, writer, producer, synthesizer, keyboards
* Chris Allgood – mastering engineer
* Emily Lazar – mastering engineer
* Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – drums
* Shawn Everett – producer, mixer, recording engineer
* Stuart Price – writer, producer, recording engineer, bass, guitar

## Gallery

* Lyric Video
* NME Interview

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

Just give yourself some time

[Verse 1]

Head down

Wrong fit

Big deal

That's just growin' up

Untouched, sixteen

Don't overthink it, boy

White arrows will break

The black night

But don't overthink it, boy

[Chorus]

And when you're out on a ledge

Please come down, boy

There is a place that exists

Just give it some time

Drawn arrows unseen will fly

[Verse 2]

Heat wave, slow lane

Small town

Only diesels dance

These streets weren't meant to house

Jet fuel engine drеams

White arrows will blast

The black night

[Chorus]

And when you'rе out on a ledge

Please come down, boy

There is a place that exists

Just give it some time

Oh, drawn arrows unseen will fly

And break the black night

[Outro]

But don't overthink it, boy

Boy

## References

1. ↑ Rutherford, Kevin (August 31, 2022). "The Killers Complete Their Quickest Climb to No. 1 on Alternative Airplay Chart with 'Boy'". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ Schube, Will (August 10, 2022). "The Killers Release Music Video for 'Boy'". *uDiscoverMusic*.
3. ↑ Gallagher, Alex (July 8, 2022). "Watch The Killers Debut New Song 'Boy' at Mad Cool Festival 2022". *NME*.
4. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (July 8, 2022). "See the Killers Debut New Song 'Boy' Live at Madrid's Mad Cool Festival". *Rolling Stone*.
5. ↑ Trendell, Andrew (July 8, 2022). "The Killers at Mad Cool 2022: "Our New Song 'Boy' Is in the Gutter, Looking at the Stars”". *NME*.
6. ↑ Zemler, Emily (August 5, 2022). "Brandon Flowers Discourages Overthinking on the Killers' New Single 'Boy'". *Rolling Stone*.
7. ↑ Potter, Jordan (August 8, 2022). "The Killers Release Soaring New Single 'Boy'". *Far Out Magazine*.