Read My Mind (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Read My Mind

---

Artist = The Killers
from Album = Sam's Town
Released = US start date|2007|2|13
UK start date|2007|2|26
Format = Download, 7", CD
Recorded =
Genre = Post-punk revival
Length = 4:06
Label = {US Island, UK Vertigo
Writer = Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer
Producer = Flood, Alan Moulder, The Killers
Last single = "A Great Big Sled"
(2006)
This single = "Read My Mind"
(2007)
Next single = "For Reasons Unknown"
(2007)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Sam's Town
Type = studio
prev_track = "For Reasons Unknown"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Read My Mind"
track_no = 6
next_track = "Uncle Jonny"
next_no = 7Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate Covers
Type = single


Lower caption = 12" Remixes

"Read My Mind" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers and is the sixth track on their second album "Sam's Town", released in October 2006. It peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted at #15 on the UK singles chart.

History and production

In an interview with Chicago radio station Q101, lead vocalist Brandon Flowers called "Read My Mind" the best song he has ever written.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe (of Pet Shop Boys) saw The Killers in concert at Brixton Academy at the end of November 2006, where the idea of a remix for "Read My Mind" was discussed between the two parties. The resulting remix, "Pet Shop Boys Stars Are Blazing Mix" featuring additional vocals by Tennant and Lowe, is one of the B-sides for the single, and is featured on the Pet Shop Boys album "Disco Four".cite web|title=Bells ring out for a double from heaven|date=2006-12-29|author=Rudden, Liam|publisher=Living Scotsman|url=http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1927302006|accessdate=2007-01-07]

Release

This song was released as part of an iTunes EP on February 13 2007, featuring an acoustic version and two remixes. It was also released as the third single from "Sam's Town" in the United Kingdom on February 26 2007.cite web|title=The Killers announce new single|date=2007-01-17|publisher=NME|url=http://www.nme.com/news/the-killers/25887] cite web|title=The Killers reveal next single|date=2007-01-07|publisher=Virgin.net|url=http://musicnews.virgin.net/Virgin/Lifestyle/Music/virginMusicNewsDetail/0,13556,1818530_music,00.html|accessdate=2007-01-07] cite web|title=The Killers Set To Release Another Single|date=2007-01-07|publisher=Angry Ape UK|url=http://angryape.com/news/2007/01/the-killers-set-to-release-another-single|accessdate=2007-01-07]

There was a promotion CD released in the US that featured 10 dance mixes. This included the full Pet Shop Boys mix, as well as an instrumental version and radio edit. It also featured remixes by Gabriel & Dresden, Steve Bays (from Canadian band Hot Hot Heat) and Linus Loves.

The three-track American CD single was released in Best Buy stores. The single is free only with the purchase of "Sam's Town".

Music video

The video for "Read My Mind" was shot in Tokyo on January 10, 2007, shortly before the band embarked on their latest round of touring to New Zealand and Australia, and directed by Diane Martel. In an interview, Brandon Flowers called the tune "kind of our favorite song" and promised the clip would find the band "in Tokyo, on bikes."cite web|title=Killers Hop On Bikes In Tokyo For "Read My Mind" video|date=2007-01-05|author=Moss, Corey|publisher=MTV|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1549273/20070104/index.jhtml|accessdate=2007-01-07]

The video is largely unrelated to the song, and finds The Killers in Tokyo, seemingly just having a good time and carrying out activities synonymous with the freedom of youth. These include riding different bicycles, namely a penny-farthing, recumbent bicycle, a lowrider bicycle, and a regular bicycle decorated with ram's horns, through the Tokyo streets. The band are also seen in a traditional arcade playing session GuitarFreaks and Drummania, playing with leaves in a Tokyo park with some Japanese school children, and interacting with Japanese children's TV character Gachapin. The various scenes are intercut with footage of Flowers singing in the middle of the city at a traffic interchange. The video ends with the four members of the band in a capsule hotel.

The video premiered on February 8, 2007, on MTV's Total Request Live as part of their "Spankin' New Music Week." [http://www.mtv.com/#/ontv/spankin_new/2007/] On the March 23, 2007 episode of VH1's "Top 20 Countdown", "Read My Mind" was number one, making it the first time a Killers' video had reached that rank.

Reception

Critical response to the single was overwhelmingly positive; the song was often praised in otherwise negative reviews about the album.Begrand, Adrien [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/5967/the-killers-sams-town "The Killers: Sam's Town"] PopMatters.com. Retrieved October 5, 2007] Yahoo Music said "the album peaks with the arena-sized 'Read My Mind'". [O'Keeffe, Niall (October 10, 2006) [http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/061010/33/20sl5.html "The Killers - Sam's Town "] Yahoo.com. Retrieved October 5, 2007] Sven Philipp (with "Billboard") called the single "a gloriously melodic Duran Duran-meets-Springsteen tale about "breakin' out of this two-star town." [Philipp, Sven (2007-03-17), "Read My Mind". "Billboard". 119 (11):52] Adrien Begrand with PopMatters said, "The Killers shine on the song, Flowers’s synth offsetting Keuning’s tasteful flourishes wonderfully." "NME" called the song the "righteous and anthemic album highlight." [Murison, Krissi (2007). [http://www.nme.com/reviews/the-killers/8036 "The Killers: Sam's Town"] NME.com. Retrieved October 5, 2007] It was also listed as #12 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2006 even though "Sam's Town" had previously received negative reviews from the magazine. In reference to the Pet Shop Boys remix, The New York Times called it a "perfect match." [Sanneh, Kelefa (March 18, 2007), [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/arts/music/18play.html "At Home in Their Niches. And Breaking Out."] "The New York Times". Retrieved October 5, 2007] This song was also #84 on "MTV Asia"'s list of Top 100 Hits of 2007. [MTV Asia. [http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/MTVTop100Hits2007/top100.html "Top 100 Hits List"] . Retrieved 2007-12-27]

A remix of the song is featured on the original soundtrack of the NBC television series "Friday Night Lights". It is nominated for a 2008 People's Choice Award in the category of Favorite Song from a Soundtrack.

Charts

Track listings

7": Vertigo / 6 02517 24568 6 flagicon|UK

#"Read My Mind" – 4:03
#"Read My Mind" (Steve Bays Remix) - 3:30

CD: Vertigo / 6 02517 24567 9 flagicon|UK
#"Read My Mind" – 4:03
#"Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys Stars Are Blazing Mix) (Edit) - 4:02

CD: Island / ISLR 16704-2 flagicon|US
#"Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys Stars Are Blazing Mix) - 7:19
#"Read My Mind" (Steve Bays Remix) - 3:30
#"Read My Mind" (Like Rebel Diamonds Mix) - 4:11

* Available in the U.S. at Best Buy stores. Free with purchase of any Killers CD.

CD: Island / 6 02517 24567 9 flagicon|Germany
#"Read My Mind" (Album Version) - 4:03
#"Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys Radio Edit) - 4:02
#"Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys Instrumental) - 7:21
#"Read My Mind" (Video)

CD: Island / ISLR 16724-2 flagicon|US
# "Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys Radio Edit) - 4:02
# "Read My Mind" (Gabriel & Dresden Radio Edit) - 4:43
# "Read My Mind" (Linus Loves Radio Edit) - 4:32
# "Read My Mind" (Steve Bays Remix) - 3:29
# "Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys 'Stars Are Blazing' Mix) - 7:19
# "Read My Mind" (Gabriel & Dresden Unplugged Mix) - 10:24
# "Read My Mind" (Linus Loves Club Mix) - 7:25
# "Read My Mind" (Pet Shop Boys 'Stars Are Blazing' Instrumental) - 7:21
# "Read My Mind" (Gabriel & Dresden Unplugged Instrumental) - 9:55
# "Read My Mind" (Linus Loves Dub) - 6:20

* US remix promo CD

References