Caution (The Killers song)

Last updated

"Caution"
The Killers - Caution.png
Single by the Killers
from the album Imploding the Mirage
ReleasedMarch 12, 2020 (2020-03-12)
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 4:29 (album version)
  • 3:48 (radio edit)
Label Island
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jonathan Rado
  • Shawn Everett
The Killers singles chronology
"Land of the Free"
(2019)
"Caution"
(2020)
"Fire in Bone"
(2020)
Music video
"Caution" on YouTube

"Caution" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their sixth studio album, Imploding the Mirage (2020). It was released on March 12, 2020, as the lead single from the album, and features a guitar solo by former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. [4] The track topped the Billboard Rock Airplay and Alternative Airplay charts.

Contents

Background

Flowers described the song as “about having the wherewithal to listen to that angel on your shoulder, even if they’re telling you something that you don’t want to hear.” Flowers related this to his own decision to leave Las Vegas with his family and moving back to his childhood home in Utah, which began as a hunch, and although it was tough for him to leave, he embodied the “spirit” of ‘Caution’ in recognising that it was the right decision for him and for his family. [5]

The end of the song features a guitar solo from former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. This originated when drummer Ronnie Vannucci joked over dinner that they should call Buckingham up and ask him to do a solo for the song. When the band did so, Buckingham obliged, and he turned up at the studio the next day. This was aided by the fact that the band shares a publicist with Buckingham. [6] [7] Vannucci said that, when recording, Buckingham “did all the sort of famed tricks”, and that the band slowed the tape to half-speed or quarter-speed when recording Buckingham’s guitar-playing to allow them to record the song's crystal-like high tinkle sounds. Afterwards, Buckingham stayed to record a solo; this ultimately became the ending of the song, as at the time the band hadn't yet written an ending. [5]

The cover artwork is "Golden Breeze" by American artist Thomas Blackshear. [8]

An alternative, stripped-back version of the song was included on the deluxe edition of Imploding the Mirage , released in January 2021, under the name "Caution (Wasatch Style)".

Music video

The music video is a sneak peek from a forthcoming short film with director Sing Lee tied to the Killers upcoming album Imploding the Mirage . [9] The film will premiere on Apple Music. The music video has snippets reminding of an Americana theme. There are a number of stories going on. A stage play is being enacted, a story of young love, some family drama and family intrigue with police intervening and so on. There is also footage of the Killers performing at what is seemingly a local venue.

This song appears in video games Dirt 5, [10] Forza Horizon 5 [11] and as DLC for Rock Band 4 [12]

Awards

YearCeremonyAwardResult
2020 MTV Video Music Award Best RockNominated

Pitchfork ranked Caution the 94th best song of 2020. [13]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Imploding the Mirage . [14]

Recording locations

Personnel

The Killers

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] Gold35,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
VariousMarch 12, 2020 Island
United Kingdom Contemporary hit radio
United StatesApril 27, 2020 Hot AC radio
[34]
June 30, 2020Contemporary hit radio [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Buckingham</span> American guitarist (born 1949)

Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American musician, record producer, and the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987 and 1997 to 2018. In addition to his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has released seven solo studio albums and three live albums. As a member of Fleetwood Mac, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Buckingham was ranked 100th in Rolling Stone's 2011 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Buckingham is known for his fingerpicking guitar style.

<i>Mirage</i> (Fleetwood Mac album) 1982 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Mirage is the thirteenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 18 June 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. This studio effort's soft rock sound stood in stark contrast to its more experimental predecessor, 1979's Tusk. Mirage yielded several singles: "Hold Me", "Gypsy", "Love in Store", "Oh Diane", and "Can't Go Back".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Killers</span> American rock band

The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning. After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in their early days, both Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. joined the band in 2002. The band's name is derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band portrayed in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal".

<i>Say You Will</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Say You Will is the seventeenth and final studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 15 April 2003. It followed 1995's Time and was their first album since 1970 without vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie as a full member following her departure in 1998, although she participated in some songs as a guest musician; it would be her last time being involved with the band in a studio capacity before her death in 2022. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks shared keyboard duties throughout the album.

<i>Tango in the Night</i> 1987 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Tango in the Night is the fourteenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 13 April 1987. As a result of Lindsey Buckingham's departure later that year, it is the fifth and final studio album with the band's most successful lineup of Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Stevie Nicks, though Christine McVie would make guest appearances on the band's 2003 album, Say You Will. This lineup was not seen again until 1997's live album The Dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Raconteurs</span> American rock supergroup

The Raconteurs is an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 2005. The band consists of Jack White, Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence, and Patrick Keeler (drums). Lawrence and Keeler were originally members of the Greenhornes, while White and Lawrence went on to become members of the Dead Weather.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scar Tissue</span> 1999 single by Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Scar Tissue" is the first single from American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' seventh studio album, Californication (1999). Released on May 25, 1999, the song spent a then-record 16 consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart as well as 10 weeks atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and it reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also successful in Iceland, New Zealand, and Canada, reaching numbers one, three, and four, respectively. In the United Kingdom, it charted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gypsy (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1982 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Gypsy" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. The song was written by Stevie Nicks around 1979; the earliest demo recordings were made in early 1980 with Tom Moncrieff for possible inclusion on her debut solo album Bella Donna. When Nicks' close friend Robin Anderson died of leukemia, the song took on a new significance and Nicks dedicated the song to her in future performances. "Gypsy" was the second single release and second biggest hit from the Mirage album, following "Hold Me", reaching a peak of No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Your Own Way</span> 1976 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Go Your Own Way" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their eleventh studio album, Rumours (1977). The song was released as the album's first single in December 1976 in the United States. Written and sung by Lindsey Buckingham, it became the band's first top-ten hit in the United States. "Go Your Own Way" has been well received by music critics and was ranked number 120 by Rolling Stone magazine on their list of 500 greatest songs of all time in 2010, and re-ranked number 401 in 2021. They also ranked the song second on their list of the 50 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.

"The Chain" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on their 1977 album Rumours. It is the only song from the album with writing credits for all five members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Killers discography</span>

American rock band the Killers have released seven studio albums, one live album, four compilation albums, one extended play, 42 singles, four promotional singles, and 39 music videos. Part of the post-punk revival movement, the Killers are influenced by music styles of the 1980s and 1990s. The band has sold over 28 million records worldwide. The group's debut album, Hot Fuss (2004), brought the band mainstream success, spawning four UK top-20 singles, including "Mr. Brightside". The album has since been certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and height-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), selling seven million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holiday Road</span> 1983 single by Lindsey Buckingham

"Holiday Road" is a 1983 single composed and recorded by American guitarist/singer Lindsey Buckingham. Written for the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation, it was also used in the film's sequels National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), Vegas Vacation (1997) and Vacation (2015). Despite only peaking at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during its original release, it has since become one of Buckingham's best known songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh Diane</span> 1982 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Oh Diane" is a song by British-American rock group Fleetwood Mac. It was written by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut for the 1982 album Mirage, the fourth album by the band with Lindsey Buckingham. Buckingham wrote the song while the band was recording in Hérouville.

"Tango in the Night" is a song by British–American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their album of the same name. The song received airplay and reached No. 28 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. However, the title track was overshadowed by the album's hit singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band of Horses discography</span>

The discography of American rock band Band of Horses consists of six studio albums, one live album, two extended plays (EPs), and 14 singles. Formed in 2004 in Seattle by Ben Bridwell, their self-released Tour EP (2005) was made available at shows and at Sub Pop's website. The band's debut full-length album, Everything All the Time, followed in 2006 and reached the charts in Norway and Sweden. Their second album, Cease to Begin was released in 2007 and charted at number 35 on the US Billboard 200. "Is There a Ghost", the first single from the album, peaked at number 34 on the US Alternative Songs chart and number 30 in Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run for Cover (The Killers song)</span> 2017 single by the Killers

"Run for Cover" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their fifth studio album, Wonderful Wonderful (2017). Originally released as a promotional single on July 28, 2017, the song was sent to alternative radio in the United States on November 14, 2017, serving as the album's second single.

<i>Imploding the Mirage</i> 2020 studio album by the Killers

Imploding the Mirage is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on August 21, 2020, by Island Records in the United States and internationally by EMI. To date, it is the band's only album without lead guitarist Dave Keuning, who took an indefinite hiatus from the band in 2017. Guitar parts are covered by Killers bassist Mark Stoermer, producer Jonathan Rado, and a variety of guest musicians including Lindsey Buckingham and Adam Granduciel.

This article summarizes the events related to rock music for the year of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Own Soul's Warning</span> 2020 single by The Killers

"My Own Soul's Warning" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their sixth studio album, Imploding the Mirage (2020). It was released on June 17, 2020, as the third single from the album.

<i>Pressure Machine</i> 2021 studio album by the Killers

Pressure Machine is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Killers. It was released on August 13, 2021. The album features the return of guitarist Dave Keuning to the studio with the band, after his absence on the previous album Imploding the Mirage, while bassist Mark Stoermer was absent due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during recording. Jonathan Rado and Shawn Everett returned to produce the album.

References

  1. "The Killers release new banger 'Caution' + announce Imploding The Mirage". Gigwise . March 19, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Marotta, Michael (March 12, 2020). "The Killers drop new song 'Caution', unveil fall tour with Johnny Marr". Vanyaland. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. Gill, David (August 17, 2020). "The Killers get intense and nostalgic". Riff Magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  4. Martoccio, Angie (March 12, 2020). "The Killers Unveil New Single, 'Caution,' Featuring Lindsey Buckingham". Rolling Stone .
  5. 1 2 Tan, Emily (March 12, 2020). "The Killers Release 'Caution,' Announce New Album". Spin. Retrieved June 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Greene, Andy (May 5, 2020). "How the Killers Started Over Again". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Trendell, Andrew (August 21, 2020). "The Killers: "Music made it possible for me to dream"". NME. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  8. "The Killers & Lindsay Buckingham Share "Caution": Listen". Stereogum. March 12, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  9. Jon Blistein (March 20, 2020). "Killers Tease New Short Film With Grand 'Caution' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  10. "DIRT 5 Soundtrack – Stormzy, The Chemical Brothers & More in Our Biggest Ever Playlist! | Codemasters Blog" . Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  11. "Forza Horizon 5 Soundtrack List". Game Rant. November 20, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  12. "DLC WEEK OF 11/12: THE KILLERS AND OK GO!". Harmonix Music. November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  13. "The 100 Best Songs of 2020". Pitchfork . December 7, 2020.
  14. Imploding the Mirage (liner notes). The Killers. Island Records. 2020. B0032028-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "The Killers – Caution" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  16. "The Killers – Caution" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  17. "The Killers Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  18. "Mexico Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  19. "Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard .
  20. "Tipparade-lijst van week 16, 2020" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  21. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 23, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  23. "Schweizer Airplay Charts 24/2020 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  25. "The Killers Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  26. "The Killers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  27. "The Killers Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  28. "The Killers Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  29. "The Killers Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  30. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  31. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  32. "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  33. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  34. "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  35. "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.