Imagine, the Killers are rocking a live show in London and they tell you they have a treat for you. Woody Harrelson takes the stage and starts, preaching? The introduction to “The Calling” drops some chilling lines that connect directly to the lyrics and the bluesy gospel sound of the song.
Listening to the live performance gives us a truly raw experience, that enables us to hear more stress and focus on certain lines that a record usually balances out. The one drawback is the clarity of the words. The Killers are advanced musicians (even though most of “The Killers” aren’t actually on the stage anymore), but their lyrics are what has constantly drawn me in.
These lyrics are filled with connotation and biblical references while also touching on the present state of the world. I gave up trying to replay the video over and over and just googled the lyrics. They helped to understand the meaning a bit more.
What do the lyrics of “The Calling” by “The Killers” mean?
Woody Harrelson says:
“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and senators? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need, not a physician, but they that are sick”
This introduction basically establishes that the “publicans and sinners” are sick and need Jesus. It is a modified version of Matthew 9:11 which mentions tax collectors instead of “publicans”.
The song then delves into a story of a boy who is going into town to send his father a message, “The last two chapters of Matthew”. Bear with me as I explain only a little bit of a vital part of the bible.
These chapters are extremely important to Christians (I know this because I am one, and I love the truth of what the Killers are getting at, or what I believe they are getting at). For Christians, this establishes that we are forgiven for our sins because of Christ’s death on the cross as atonement for our sins. The church is started and a lot is established in these two chapters. They then end with “The Great Commission” which is essentially the mission of Christians.
Back to the song! It describes a simpleton lifestyle of a family. This sets the scene for a hypocritical lifestyle where they are “Christian Republicans” who gamble, lie, cheat, and steal. The solution as the chorus repeats is to just lean into the light and don’t think about your decisions. It even touches on the subject of the book of life which is in Revelations.
The Killers appear to be artistically calling out Christian hypocrisy. Having seen it myself, I don’t blame them. Personally, I hope Christians would heed this and take a look at their own lives, but that is my own soapbox. Can’t wait for the full album. Enjoy the Killers gospel music!
-Wesley A. Gehman