Why Do I Keep Counting?

Album: Sam's Town (2006)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about the fear of death and dying without accomplishing your hopes and dreams. Lead singer Brandon Flowers' fear of flying is also referenced in the lyrics ("Help me get down"...) as is his obsession with the day he'll die (apparently as a kid a Ouija board once told him that he would die on June 21, the day of his birthday). It sounds, in the chorus, as if he's praying to God (referred to as "Father"), and saying that if he knew the day he was going to die, and was sure that it would be in the right time he wouldn't be bothering Him and keep on counting the days.
  • In an interview with the New Musical Express (NME), Brandon Flowers talked about his fear of flying: "It's something that's become a real problem for me since we got successful. But I feel as though if I talk about it in interviews, it lessens the chances of my fears actually happening. Like, I've talked about it, so it would have to be a huge coincidence for it to actually happen to me. Does that make sense? It seems way more improbable than if I didn't talk about my fears of what might happen. That's why I've been seeing a psychiatrist, once a week for the last few months. To talk about my fear." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Simone - Sam's Town, Brazil, for above 2

Comments: 3

  • Paris from Cardiff, United Kingdomthis is an amazing song! The Killers are the best band in musical history- i love them too much
  • Kylie from Ventura, CaThis is possibly my favorite too, but it's very hard to choose since they are all so amazing.
  • Trey from Kalamazoo, MtThis is my favorite Killers' song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Michael Bolton

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."