10 Surprising Details You Didn't Know About The Killers
9. Hunter S. Thompson Inspired Their Hit 'Human'
How does gonzo journalist, drug connoisseur, gun enthusiast, and all around oddball Hunter S. Thompson figure into The Killers you ask? Well, he inspired one of their greatest hits.
The lyrics to 'Human' off their 2008 album 'Day & Age' have been a mystery to listeners everywhere. "Are we human, or are we dancer?" What does that even mean? Does "human" mean having free will and "dancer" mean being puppets of some unknown force? Does it even mean anything? Well, yes it does.
Apparently, the line is inspired by a supposed quote from Thompson where he says, "America is raising a generation of dancers" with an alleged add on being, "afraid to take one step out of line."
Knowing this, the song makes way more sense now. The free will vs puppets interpretation pretty much hits the nail on the head. Then again, art is subjective, so it can mean anything to anyone.
What makes this interesting though is the very fact that Thompson influenced The Killers at all. Looking back on the pretty straight-edged history of the band, the dude who wrote 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' is one of the last people that comes to mind when thinking about who inspired them.
Truth really is stranger than fiction sometimes.