Be Still (The Killers song)

A Killers ballad from Battle Born, later featured on two greatest hits albums.

Last updated 22 October 2026

"Be Still" is a track by the Killers, placed as the eleventh song on their 2012 album Battle Born. Brandon Flowers and Daniel Lanois wrote it, with Damian Taylor handling production. The song later appeared on the deluxe version of the band's first greatest hits collection, Direct Hits from 2013, and also on their second such compilation, Rebel Diamonds, released in 2023.

Background

The song is written in the key of D♯. Brandon Flowers stated in an interview that the band wanted to write ballads, noting that Killers shows are "an assault for an hour and a half every night" and that it would be nice to "go on more of a journey." The lyrics were written with Daniel Lanois at his mansion in Silverlake.

Flowers has described "Be Still" as "sort of not a well-known song. But for real fans, it's a real favorite." Lanois also wrote other songs on Battle Born, including "The Way It Was" and "Heart of a Girl," and produced most of Flowers' debut solo album, Flamingo (2010). Damian Taylor, a Grammy-nominated producer, co-produced four other songs on the album.

Release and reception

"Be Still" was released on September 17, 2012, as part of Battle Born. The song received positive reviews. The Fordham Ram described it as "a moment of pure musical encouragement" and "a place to rest your head when everything else is rushing," noting its simplicity and the feeling of comfort it creates. Paste Magazine praised how the song "ascends from funereal silence to the some of the loveliest harmonies and chord changes of the year on a marching power ballad."

PopMatters wrote that "Be Still [...] is the sound of a Killers ballad being done right, never going into full-bore overdrive." The song was later released as the final track on the deluxe edition of Direct Hits (2013). Flowers explained the choice to include it over other songs by saying that in the current climate, people "pick and choose songs" and sometimes don't know about certain songs, and that the band felt it would have more of a chance if placed on the record. "Be Still" was also included on Rebel Diamonds in 2023.

Did You Know?

"Be Still" had its live debut at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow on October 26, 2012.
As of November 2025, the song has been performed live 43 times.
It is frequently played after "A Dustland Fairytale" but before "Runaways".