Tranquilize

Last updated

"Tranquilize"
Tranquilize.jpg
Single by the Killers featuring Lou Reed
from the album Sawdust
ReleasedOctober 8, 2007
Genre Post-punk revival
Length3:45
Label
Songwriter(s) Brandon Flowers
Producer(s)
The Killers singles chronology
"Shadowplay"
(2007)
"Tranquilize"
(2007)
"Don't Shoot Me Santa"
(2007)
Lou Reed singles chronology
"Satellite of Love 2004"
(2004)
"Tranquilize"
(2007)

"Tranquilize" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band the Killers, featuring Lou Reed. Written by Brandon Flowers, it is featured on the compilation album Sawdust . The song was made available for download on iTunes from October 12, 2007. A limited edition etched 7-inch vinyl of "Tranquilize" was available from November 5, featuring a lyric from the song hand-picked by Brandon Flowers etched on one side.

Contents

The song reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and also charted in Australia, Austria, and Canada. It won Best International Alternative/Indie Track at NME 's first ever USA awards. It was featured in a trailer for the fifth and final season of HBO's original series Boardwalk Empire . [1]

Background

"It took a day to break the ice with him," Flowers said of Reed. "The second day of recording was a lot nicer than the first. On the first day we were all really stiff. It's funny, because you refer to him as 'Lou Reed', not 'Lou'. I remember somebody came into the studio. They could only stay in the room with him for two minutes. They left, saying, 'Lou Reed's really freaking me out.'" [2]

Music video

The music video features Lou Reed and was released on the 29 October 2007 in the UK.

The video features Flowers wandering around an empty house. Somewhere in the house is Lou Reed, sitting at a piano. Flowers sings the song, including Reed's parts, making it look like he has been possessed. Intercut with this are shots of the rest of the band in a darkly lit, red room, around a table, apparently performing a seance. The video ends with Flowers finding and pointing at Reed, singing his outro.

Live performances

In concert, Flowers changes the lyrics at the end from "the Bushes and the bombs are tranquilized" to "the vampires and the bombs are tranquilized".[ citation needed ]

Awards and nominations

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2008 NME Awards Best Indie/Alternative TrackWon
Best VideoNominated

Track listing

UK single-sided 7-inch vinyl [3]

  1. "Tranquilize"

Charts

Chart (2007)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [4] 84
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [5] 57
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [6] 59
UK Singles (OCC) [7] 13

Related Research Articles

<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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect Day (Lou Reed song)</span> 1972 song by Lou Reed

"Perfect Day" is a song written by American musician Lou Reed in 1972. It was originally featured on Transformer, Reed's second post-Velvet Underground solo album, and as B-side of his major hit, "Walk on the Wild Side". Its fame was given a boost in the 1990s when it was featured in the 1996 film Trainspotting and after a star-studded version was released as a BBC charity single in 1997, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Norway. Reed re-recorded the song for his 2003 album The Raven.

<i>Hot Fuss</i> 2004 album by the Killers

Hot Fuss is the debut studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on June 7, 2004, in the United Kingdom and on June 15, 2004, in the United States by Island Records. The album's music is mostly influenced by new wave and post-punk. Hot Fuss spawned four commercially and critically successful singles: "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Flowers</span> American musician

Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician. He serves as the co-founder, lead vocalist, primary songwriter, keyboardist, and occasional bassist of the Las Vegas-based rock band the Killers, which he formed with Dave Keuning in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me Out (song)</span> 2004 single by Franz Ferdinand

"Take Me Out" is a song by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the second single from their eponymous debut studio album in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2004 and in the United States on 12 April 2004, both through Domino Records. It was released as 7-inch vinyl, a CD single, and a DVD single with the music video and a short interview with the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal (New Order song)</span> 2001 single by New Order

"Crystal" is a song by English rock band New Order. The song was released on 11 July 2001 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Get Ready (2001). "Crystal" entered the UK Singles Chart at number eight, attracting considerable attention and critical praise as the band's comeback single, their first original since 1993. The song also found success internationally, peaking at number three in Canada, number seven in Finland, and reaching the top 50 in Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. "Crystal" appears as the first track on the album in a version different from the single release, with an extended intro and coda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect (Fairground Attraction song)</span> 1988 single by Fairground Attraction

"Perfect" is the debut single by the English folk and soft rock band Fairground Attraction, written by Mark E. Nevin. Released on 21 March 1988 by RCA, the single reached number one in the United Kingdom on 14 May 1988, where it stayed for one week. It also reached number one in Australia, Ireland, and South Africa. In the United States, the song peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Perfect" won the award for British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Brightside</span> 2003 single by the Killers

"Mr. Brightside" is the debut single of American rock band the Killers. It is taken from their debut studio album, Hot Fuss (2004). Written by band members Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning, it was one of the first songs the Killers ever wrote. Two music videos were made for the song: the first one was shot in black and white and features the band performing in an empty room and the second one was based on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somebody Told Me</span> 2004 single by the Killers

"Somebody Told Me" is a song by American rock band the Killers. It was released as the second official single from the group's debut studio album Hot Fuss (2004), and was written by band members Brandon Flowers, Mark Stoermer, Dave Keuning and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Brandon Flowers said: "This is the story of trying to meet someone in a club." It is written in the key of B-flat minor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All These Things That I've Done</span> 2004 single by the Killers

"All These Things That I've Done" is a song by American rock band the Killers. The song was released as the third single from the band's debut studio album, Hot Fuss (2004), on August 30, 2004. It was written by frontman Brandon Flowers and features gospel choir The Sweet Inspirations. The song is about television host Matt Pinfield, and his work with the US Army, as part of a program that mentored wounded/PTSD-stricken soldiers returning from Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smile Like You Mean It</span> 2005 single by The Killers

"Smile Like You Mean It" is a song by American rock band the Killers, written by lead vocalist Brandon Flowers and bassist Mark Stoermer. Originally released as a B-side of "Mr. Brightside" in September 2003, it is featured on their debut studio album Hot Fuss (2004). It was the third single from the album released in the United States and the fourth in the United Kingdom, reaching number 15 on the Billboard U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It also received substantial radio airplay in Australia, where it was ranked number 39 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drama!</span> 1989 single by Erasure

"Drama!" is the first single released from English synth-pop duo Erasure's fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song begins with a low-key keyboard line and a subdued vocal from Bell. As the song progresses, the instrumentation and vocals become more hectic, ultimately ending as a full-blown dance track. "Drama!" contains a "Guilty!" exclamation throughout, provided by Scottish band the Jesus and Mary Chain, who were recording in the studio next door. The song was met with critical acclaim from both music critics and fans.

<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 seven-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), selling seven million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Read My Mind (The Killers song)</span> 2007 single by the Killers

"Read My Mind" is a song by American rock band the Killers. It was released on February 13, 2007, as the third single from their second studio album, Sam's Town (2006). It peaked at number 62 on the US Billboard Hot 100, topped three other Billboard rankings, and charted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Whole World</span> 2001 single by Outkast

"The Whole World" is the first single released from American hip hop duo Outkast's first compilation album, Big Boi and Dre Present... Outkast (2001). The song was written by Outkast, produced by Earthtone III, and features Killer Mike and Joi. Upon its release as a single in November 2001, "The Whole World" peaked at number 19 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. The song won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreams (The Cranberries song)</span> 1992 single by the Cranberries

"Dreams" is the debut single of Irish rock band the Cranberries. It was originally released in September 1992 by Island Records and later appeared on the band's debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993). The song reached the top 50 of the US Hot 100 and the top 30 of the UK Singles Chart in early 1994. A 1990 demo version was released in Ireland only in the summer of that year under their initial band name, the Cranberry Saw Us. At the end of the song, the backing vocals are sung by Mike Mahoney, ex-boyfriend of Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crossfire (Brandon Flowers song)</span> 2010 single by Brandon Flowers

"Crossfire" is the debut solo single from singer-songwriter and frontman of The Killers, Brandon Flowers. Written by Flowers himself, and produced by Brendan O'Brien, it is the first single from his debut solo album, Flamingo. A video for the single was released on July 8, 2010, and features actress Charlize Theron.

<i>Direct Hits</i> (The Killers album) 2013 greatest hits album by the Killers

Direct Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock band the Killers. It was released on November 11, 2013, by Island Records. The album includes tracks from the band's first four studio albums and features two new tracks—"Shot at the Night" and "Just Another Girl", produced by Anthony Gonzalez of M83 and Stuart Price, respectively.

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

"The Man" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their fifth studio album, Wonderful Wonderful (2017). It was released on June 14, 2017, as the lead single from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (song)</span> 2018 single by Arctic Monkeys

"Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino" is a song by English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys. It was released on 23 July 2018 as the second single from their sixth studio album of the same name, along with an accompanying music video. On 16 October 2018, it was announced that a 7-inch vinyl version of the single would be released on 30 November 2018, alongside the previously unreleased B-side "Anyways".

References

  1. "'Boardwalk Empire' season 5 – watch first trailer". NME . August 12, 2014.
  2. Allen, Matt (January 2008). "Cash for Questions: The Killers". Q . No. 258. p. 20.
  3. Tranquilize (UK single-sided 7-inch vinyl disc). The Killers. Vertigo Records. 2007. 175 307-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. "Issue 923" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  5. "The Killers feat. Lou Reed – Tranquilize" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  6. "The Killers Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2018.