For Reasons Unknown
Encyclopedia
"For Reasons Unknown" is a song by Las Vegas
-based rock band
The Killers and was written by lead vocalist
Brandon Flowers
. It is the fifth track on their second album
Sam's Town
, released in October 2006. The song was released as the fourth single
from that album in the United Kingdom
on June 25, 2007, and also the fourth and final North America
n single.
When the song is played live, bassist Mark Stoermer
plays guitar on this track, with vocalist Brandon Flowers
playing the bass.
It became one of their lowest charting singles in the UK to date, peaking at #53 on July 1, 2007. It spent only one week in the UK Top 75
. This song was #78 on MTV Asia
has stated that they did not "promote" the single like previous ones, stating four singles for the album was too much, wishing they didn't release Bones as a single.
The B-sides are a cover of Dire Straits
' "Romeo and Juliet" and an acoustic version of "Sam's Town" both recorded live at Abbey Road Studios
for the Channel 4
show Live from Abbey Road
, and later featured on their compilation album Sawdust
.
It is rumored that the song was inspired by Flowers' paternal grandmother and her battle with Alzheimer's.
UK 7":
and MTV Two as well as various other UK music channels. The video is shot in black and white, and has already premiered on MuchMusic
in Canada
. The video premiered on Australian music channels on .
This video has over 2 million views on YouTube
.
said of the track, "this synth-free rocker opens with ominous multitrack vocals and grinding fuzz guitars and builds to a huge pop chorus as Flowers dances on the edge of a relentlessly pumped groove."
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
-based rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
The Killers and was written by lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
. It is the fifth track on their second album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Sam's Town
Sam's Town
-Band:*Brandon Flowers – lead vocals, keyboards, bass *Dave Keuning – guitar, background vocals*Mark Stoermer – bass, background vocals, guitar *Ronnie Vannucci – drums, percussion-Additional musicians:...
, released in October 2006. The song was released as the fourth single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from that album in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on June 25, 2007, and also the fourth and final North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n single.
When the song is played live, bassist Mark Stoermer
Mark Stoermer
Mark Stoermer is an American musician, best known for being the bassist for alternative rock band The Killers, in 2011 he released his debut solo album Another Life.-Personal life:...
plays guitar on this track, with vocalist Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
playing the bass.
It became one of their lowest charting singles in the UK to date, peaking at #53 on July 1, 2007. It spent only one week in the UK Top 75
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. This song was #78 on MTV Asia
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
has stated that they did not "promote" the single like previous ones, stating four singles for the album was too much, wishing they didn't release Bones as a single.
The B-sides are a cover of Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
' "Romeo and Juliet" and an acoustic version of "Sam's Town" both recorded live at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
for the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
show Live from Abbey Road
Live from Abbey Road
Live from Abbey Road is a 12-part, one-hour performance series/documentary that began filming its first season during 2006 at Abbey Road Studios in London. Season 2 was filmed between 2007 and 2008, season 3 was filmed in 2009 and Season 4 was filmed in 2011...
, and later featured on their compilation album Sawdust
Sawdust (album)
Sawdust is an album of B-sides, rarities, covers and remixes by the Las Vegas rock band The Killers. The album was released in various markets between November 9 and November 13, 2007, when it was released in the United States...
.
It is rumored that the song was inspired by Flowers' paternal grandmother and her battle with Alzheimer's.
Track listing
UK CD:- "For Reasons Unknown" - 3:31
- "Romeo and Juliet" (Live at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
) - 5:25
UK 7":
- "For Reasons Unknown" - 3:31
- "Sam's Town" (Live at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
) - 3:45
Music video
The video was premiered in UK on May 18 and it can be seen on International Music FeedInternational Music Feed
The International Music Feed was a music channel launched in 2005 broadcasting in the United States. IMF had a broad music policy focusing on music from around the world. The channel ceased operating in March, 2008.It was the only channel in the US that focused on combining music from American...
and MTV Two as well as various other UK music channels. The video is shot in black and white, and has already premiered on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The video premiered on Australian music channels on .
This video has over 2 million views on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Critical
BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
said of the track, "this synth-free rocker opens with ominous multitrack vocals and grinding fuzz guitars and builds to a huge pop chorus as Flowers dances on the edge of a relentlessly pumped groove."
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
53 |